Reports: MLB, MLBPA Make 'Progress' in CBA Meetings; More Spring Games Canceled

Friday produced the first sliver of optimism toward a new collective bargaining agreement. However, there is still a long way to go.

Chris Halicke | Feb 25, 2022

In over six hours of collective bargaining sessions, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association made "progress" Friday on the amateur draft and how a lottery might be implemented. According to multiple reports, the two sides did not come to an actual agreement on the issue, but are close to "closing it out."

To date, MLB has not had a draft lottery, but it is a concept where both sides have made proposals in an effort to curb tanking in the sport. According to The Athletic's Evan Drellich, MLB made a proposal on the draft and the MLBPA countered before meetings concluded Friday.

Prior to Friday's negotiations, MLB had previously proposed the first three picks of the draft be decided by lottery while the MLBPA proposed the first eight picks. In recent days, both sides moved by one day, closing the gap to four picks vs seven. The details of Friday's proposals have not been made public yet.

However, Drellich reported that owners wanted to tie a 14-team expansion of the postseason—something the league has fervently tried to implement—to the changes made to the draft. Players were not fond of this move, which comes with little surprise. If MLB ends up canceling regular-season games, the union has threatened to take expanded playoffs off the table if players are not paid for a full season. As with any negotiation, neither side will easily relinquish leverage.

This is just one of several outstanding issues that must be resolved over the next three days. While collective bargaining does not require any deadlines, the league told the union two weeks ago that an agreement must be in place by Feb. 28 to salvage Opening Day on March 31. A league spokesperson doubled down on that deadline earlier this week.

"A deadline is a deadline. Missed games are missed games. Salary will not be paid for those games," a league spokesperson said in a statement.

That gives MLB and the MLBPA three days to settle their differences, and there is a lot of ground to cover. On top of a potential draft lottery, the two sides still have to bridge sizable gaps on service time manipulation, the minimum salary, how much money should go into the new concept of a pre-arbitration bonus pool, salary arbitration and—the most pressing issue—the competitive balance tax (or luxury tax).

MLBPA executive director Tony Clark (left) and MLBPA chief negotiator Bruce Meyer (right) / Greg Lovett-USA TODAY NETWORK

According to multiple reports, the two sides will reconvene on Saturday. The meetings are set to begin at 12:00 p.m. EST, which is one hour earlier than when the five meetings began each day this week.

In an interesting development, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred made his first appearance at meetings on Friday. While Manfred did not meet with the players, he and MLBPA executive director Tony Clark had their first one-on-one meeting since the start of the lockout. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Manfred and Clark had a "good conversation" that "focused on how to move the process forward."

While it doesn't come as a surprise, the progress made Friday was also met with some sour news. According to multiple reports, all spring training games through March 7 have been canceled. Even if an agreement is made by MLB's deadline of Feb. 28, that only gives players one week to travel to camps in Arizona and Florida, go through a quick ramp up and be ready to play in games. At the same time, there would be an upwards of 200 free agents looking for jobs and clubs would have to settle contracts with their arbitration-eligible players, which is normally done prior to the opening of camps.

Spring training games were originally scheduled to begin Saturday.

The next 72 hours will be most crucial for MLB and the MLBPA. Friday's progress could build some momentum in negotiations. While proposals have not been exchanged on all the issues this week, all of the items have been at least discussed at the bargaining table.

"You're always one breakthrough away from making an agreement," Manfred said on Feb. 10. "That's the art of this process. Somebody makes a move."

Could an agreement on one issue be that breakthrough? Or is there just too much ground to cover in 72 hours?

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Published Feb 25, 2022

CHRIS HALICKE