MLB Fans Lockout Date - 01/15/2022

Post Reply
Rickerbocker
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2020 9:03 am

MLB Fans Lockout Date - 01/15/2022

Post by Rickerbocker » Fri Dec 03, 2021 10:56 pm

I've been a diehard baseball fan for 40 years. I still remember the first time that I went to a game. I fell in love. But, I can fall out love too. In 1994, I made a pact with myself that if another lockout or strike happened in my lifetime that I was done. Well, I'm going to stick to my pact . . . sort of. If by 01/15/2022 there isn't a new CBA (or an agreement to play 2022 season without a CBA), then I'm done with MLB . . . FOREVER!

DOUGHBOYS
Posts: 13088
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Re: MLB Fans Lockout Date - 01/15/2022

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Sat Dec 04, 2021 9:32 am

Most likely not going to be done by January 15.
Neither side is losing money right now. They have no impetus to get a deal done quickly. The Holidays will limit bargaining time.
A better deadline would coincide with the first Spring Training game. The players start getting the itch. The owners feel the pinch when seeing 'easy revenue' disappear.
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: MLB Fans Lockout Date - 01/15/2022

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Sat Dec 04, 2021 9:48 am

Rickerbocker wrote:
Fri Dec 03, 2021 10:56 pm
I've been a diehard baseball fan for 40 years. I still remember the first time that I went to a game. I fell in love. But, I can fall out love too. In 1994, I made a pact with myself that if another lockout or strike happened in my lifetime that I was done. Well, I'm going to stick to my pact . . . sort of. If by 01/15/2022 there isn't a new CBA (or an agreement to play 2022 season without a CBA), then I'm done with MLB . . . FOREVER!
I would love to give you some hope and say that this lockout will end sooner rather than later, but I just don't think that is going to happen. This lockout is more for show than anything else because it doesn't affect any player salaries until we get to the regular season. I think this move guarantees that nothing gets done until February and then the two sides will try to hammer out a deal before spring training games are affected. I'd be shocked if this continues into March and I'd be shocked if it affects any regular season games, but you never know.

I'd say an agreement by January 15th isn't likely. There's no incentive right now for either side to get it done because they don't view the Hot Stove League like we do. The owners don't understand how critical it is for baseball's growth to have player news happening 24/7/365 and losing 2-3 months of an off-season is critical to the excitement leading into the 2022 season. Can you imagine the NFL ever taking 3 months off and just assuming their fans will be there in Week 1? Never. It would never happen.

This is a fight over terms of free agency, over terms of arbitration, over terms of service time, over terms of number of playoff teams, over terms of the salary limit before penalties. All of those things can be negotiated in time. This isn't like the fight over free agency in 1982 or whatever the hell they were fighting over in 1994. This is going to get resolved, but unfortunately it's going to cost us a lot of the off-season.

But that doesn't mean we have to wait for this resolution. The hell with them. We know where the top free agents landed already and the others will sign shortly after an agreement. And this $11 billion industry will continue to grow after a long-term CBA is agreed to.

The NFBC, in fact, will announce a guarantee on entry fees just in case this doesn't get resolved in time so that everyone here can draft with confidence. If this isn't resolved by a date we will announce, we will refund all entry fees and cancel the season. Again, we feel very confident that this will get resolved in time for the season to start on time, but we feel it's worth guaranteeing early entry fees anyway. Look for that announcement soon.

I know your pact is sincere, but never say FOREVER. In the mid '90s, I made a pact with God that if he just allowed me to see the Packers win one more Super Bowl title he could take me whenever he wanted. I just HAD to see one more Packers' Super Bowl win in my lifetime. And shortly after that, in 1996, they won it.

So I quickly told God that I was kidding, that I also needed to see the Badgers win a Rose Bowl. And they did. Again and again and again. So I said I was kidding and I needed to see another Packers' Super Bowl win. And they won in 2010. So I told Him once again that I was kidding and I really meant I needed to see the Milwaukee Bucks win a title before he could take me. And dammit, the Bucks won a title in 2021.

He's been good to me so far. So now I've told Him he can't take me until I see a Brewers' World Series title in my lifetime. That should last me a few more decades!!! :lol:

The point being, pacts are made to be broken. Hang on for a bumpy ride here and don't expect any resolution before February. But hopefully by February, the two sides will sit down, put differences aside, find middle ground on each issue and start spring training by early March. It will get uglier before it gets resolved, but there is too much money at stake for this to implode. See you in 2022 and be ready for what could be a historic and fun MLB season.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

User avatar
ToddZ
Posts: 2798
Joined: Sat May 22, 2004 6:00 pm

Re: MLB Fans Lockout Date - 01/15/2022

Post by ToddZ » Sat Dec 04, 2021 12:39 pm

I get the notion about no urgency since it isn't costing either side money (at least not directly), but there are two things going under the radar.

Once the lockout was enforced, the legal Pandora's Box was opened. The MLBPA has some decisions on how they want to proceed, with one side suing the other very much on the table. One of the standard avenues is suing for not negotiating in good faith -- so I have to believe there will be some level of communication.

We all know transactions are on hold, but so is ALL communication between player and team. This means no overseeing of injury rehab, or working with a player on physical conditioning, or mental health. It means no coaching for guys developing new pitches or altering their swings. All of this speaks towards quality of play, which for the third straight season, will be a mystery for some.
2019 Mastersball Platinum

5 of the past 6 NFBC champions subscribe to Mastersball

over 1300 projections and 500 player profiles
Standings and Roster Tracker perfect for DC and cutline leagues

Subscribe HERE

DOUGHBOYS
Posts: 13088
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Re: MLB Fans Lockout Date - 01/15/2022

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Sat Dec 04, 2021 3:36 pm

ToddZ wrote:
Sat Dec 04, 2021 12:39 pm
All of this speaks towards quality of play, which for the third straight season, will be a mystery for some.
Wait, there is supposed to be quality of play?
( Whatever happened to bunting, the hit and run, the rally?) # Tired of swing as hard as possible vs. throw as hard as possible
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

Post Reply