The MLB has transitioned to a twilight zone with the lockout going into effect on Wednesday night. Last night, the MLB officially locked out the players for the first time since 1990 after an agreement could not be made on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
A quick scan of the MLB’s official website, MLB.com, sees a complete wipeout of any articles, photos or mentions of current players. They’ve been replaced with videos and statements from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and tons of coverage of ongoing Hall of Fame voting.
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New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso walks to his position between innings of the team’s baseball game against the Chicago Cubs on June 17, 2021, in New York.
(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
As you can see below, the biggest stars of the game are faceless on the website.
The faces of coaches, however, remain since they are not part of the MLBPA.
As OutKick’s Alejandro Avila relayed from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the MLBPA is reportedly holding out for reduced service time for free agency and arbitration. In addition, they are demanding an increased competitive balance tax threshold and no draft pick compensation for free agent signings.
The owners, meanwhile, are looking to eliminate the qualifying offer system. They are also advocating to expand the postseason from 10 to 12 teams.
A giant baseball sculpture sits outside Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins baseball team, Wednesday, March 25, 2020 in Minneapolis. Though the Twins would open on the road, the start of the regular season is indefinitely on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In Manfred’s public statement, he called out the MLBPA for unwilling to come to a compromise.
“We hope that the lockout will jumpstart the negotiations and get us to an agreement that will allow the season to start on time,” Manfred said. “This defensive lockout was necessary because the Players Association’s vision for Major League Baseball would threaten the ability of most teams to be competitive.
“It’s simply not a viable option. From the beginning, the MLBPA has been unwilling to move from their starting position, compromise, or collaborate on solutions.”
FILE – In this July 11, 2021, file photo, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred kicks off the first round of the 2021 MLB baseball draft in Denver. Baseball’s ninth work stoppage and first in 26 years appears almost certain to start Dec. 2, 2021, freezing the free-agent market and threatening the start of spring training in February.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
As expected, the MLBPA released its own statement, casting blame on the owners.
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“It was the owners’ choice, plain and simple, specifically calculated to pressure Players into relinquishing rights and benefits,” the MLBPA said. “And abandoning good faith bargaining proposals that will benefit not Just Players, but the game and industry as a whole.”