Gerrit Cole Excited by Player Solidarity With Spring Training Likely to be Delayed

The Yankees ace said more than 100 players showed up to a recent MLBPA meeting.

With Major League Baseball expected to announce the obvious on Thursday, Gerrit Cole is thrilled with the Players Association’s unity.

“I was at our PA meeting in [Arizona] and it was exciting to see solidarity this high,” the Yankees ace and member of the MLBPA executive subcommittee tweeted on Wednesday. “We had 100+ players show up and are united to protect the integrity of the game.”

Cole’s post coincided with the annual offseason Owners Meetings in Orlando. Those will wrap up on Thursday, at which point commissioner Rob Manfred is expected to announce that spring training will not start on time. It was supposed to formally begin next week, but that has long seemed unlikely. MLB’s lockout of the players has dragged on for months, and a public war of words has replaced negotiations that players do not feel were held in good faith.

Several players expressed those frustrations recently, including other Yankees.

“When attempting to negotiate a collectively bargained agreement… ‘bargaining’ is required,” reliever Zack Britton, another subcommittee member and the Yankees’ union rep, tweeted after owners declined to counter the MLBPA’s most recent proposal and instead requested federal mediation. The union rejected the idea.

“If the goal is to get players on the field ASAP, then why did it take 43 days after the lockout to even hear from MLB?” Yankees starter Jameson Taillon asked following the league’s mediation request. “Didn’t seem like a priority then! Why did we not get a counter proposal this week? It’s all extremely tired antics/optics.”

While a new CBA does not appear imminent, there is still a chance that the 2022 campaign can be a full 162 games. The regular season starts March 31. If the owners and players struck a deal about a month beforehand, at the latest, spring training could start and real games may not have to be cancelled or postponed.

But time is running out, and the players don’t appear to be backing down. 

MORE:

• Cubs Could Snatch Anthony Rizzo Away From Yankees
• Revisiting the Yankees’ Best Options at First Base
• Report: Yankees to 'Take a Run' at Freddie Freeman After Lockout

Follow Gary Phillips on Twitter (@GaryHPhillips). Be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.