MLB Lockout: Players Get Pizza Jobs at Papa John's

Shortstop Dansby Swanson and outfielder Joc Pederson have signed up to be Papa John's new "pre-season pizza pros."

Mike Fisher | Mar 6, 2022

It's a gimmick designed to catch the attention of Major League Baseball fans. And it's worked.

Two players from the World Series-winning Atlanta Braves team are "changing jobs'' as the MLB lockout trudges on.

This week, the pizza restaurant jokingly tweeted that it is offering "daily contracts'' to any MLB players with "too much time on your hands these days." And shortstop Dansby Swanson and outfielder Joc Pederson have signed up to be Papa John's new "pre-season pizza pros."

Let me shoot my shot 🤷‍♂️ #ad https://t.co/clvybTnl6P
— Joc Pederson (@yungjoc650) March 2, 2022

The event - and that's what is was - was held at a metro Atlanta Papa Johns and was not open to the public. It was, again, a publicity stunt, benefitting the pizza chain, of course, and maybe bringing some attention to the players' cause.

With owners and players unable to agree on a contract to replace the CBA that expired on Dec. 1, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred canceled the first two series for the Texas Rangers and each of the 30 teams, cutting each club’s schedule from 162 games to likely 156 at most. A total of 91 games have been lost.

This is Major League Baseball’s ninth work stoppage in its history, and will be the fourth to lead to regular-season games having to be canceled. MLB continues to, of course, also cancel spring training games, including the Rangers' scheduled work.

The lockout entered its 95th day on Sunday, the second-longest work stoppage in the history of the game. Collective bargaining sessions have moved slowly and sporadically since the owners unanimously locked out the players on Dec. 2. Many core economic issues stand in the way of a deal, including the league's minimum salary, the new concept of a pre-arbitration bonus pool, an expanded postseason and—most importantly—reestablishing the competitive balance tax.

Published Mar 6, 2022

MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered sports since 1983, is the author of two best-selling books on the NFL and is the 'insider' as a radio personality on The Fan.