I’ve got some MLB lockout thoughts to write up for the site this week, focusing on the salary cap talk that is not involved in the negotiations, and also just looking at the divide between the two sides.
As I’m preparing this, Jon Heyman had a tweet that addressed a thought I was having: How long will this last?
Both sides believe they’ve made many major concessions and the other side has made very few. Both sides believe the other is being unreasonable. The one thing both sides agree on now? That we may be in for quite a wait.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 7, 2022
I think this will last until at least the end of April, as MLB owners don’t have much financial incentive to make a deal before then. I could see it lasting longer than that, as the two sides seem far apart from each other. The players have been moving closer to the owners, while the owners have barely moved and have mostly resorted to manipulation and games. How long will the players keep playing those games, and at what point will we see a true standoff?
And, is there a point when the entire 2022 season gets put at risk, as both sides sacrifice short-term money in favor of the long-term?
That would be one of the rare times that MLB made such a sacrifice.
I’ll be writing about the lockout more for later this week. Today, my focus is on the Pirates’ farm system, and the articles for tomorrow’s weekly Pirates Prospects article drop.
Pirates Prospects Spotlight
Three Sleeper Prospects to Follow in the Pirates System in 2022
Daily Links
**Ethan Hullihen: Players Turn Down “Best and Final Offer”, Now What?
**John Dreker: Three Pirates Among Baseball America’s Top Right-Handed Pitching Prospects
