Last night, for the first time during the current set of Collective Bargaining Negotiations – indeed, for probably the first time since the 2002 negotiations – the word “lockout” popped up.
To be sure, I have no interest in cheap drama or overreaching scares, so I think it’s important to say clearly up front, as I did last night, that I’m deeply skeptical that the current labor negotiations will actually reach a lockout stage (or, more specifically, a lockout that actually impacts games on the field). The sport is awash in money, the issues about which the sides are fighting seem relatively narrow, and there is so much time before Spring Training even rolls around.
To that end, and partly in response to Ken Rosenthal’s report about the possibility of a lockout, some bullets for your consideration …
Craig Calcaterra writes that, among the reasons to be skeptical about a lockout actually taking place is the fact that the reported sticking point – an international draft – doesn’t seem to be the kind of thing over which either side is going to be willing to blow things up. The tone of the negotiations seems far off from past years (1994, 2002) when there was serious strife, and things are too good for all sides to risk a PR crisis. All good points. I’d add only the possibility that there are larger, deeper-seeded financial issues (various revenue sharing formulas being the big, and little-discussed area, because of its complicated relationship to player salaries) driving the schism between the sides. We don’t know for sure that there isn’t a major issue there, but, since it hasn’t been reported, I should also say that we don’t specifically have a reason to fear there’s a major issue there.
Speaking of which, Richard Justice mentions that revenue sharing does remain an issue to be resolved, especially because there are many large market teams that don’t like the idea of sharing their revenue with smaller market teams who do not use that revenue to field a better team (and, presumably, the players would like more of that money to be spent at the big league level on payroll, too).
As Maury Brown writes at Fortune, there is too much money flowing into the game for the sides to risk an interruption right now.
With the Thanksgiving holiday arriving tomorrow, I wonder if we hear more about this later today, or if it won’t be until the weekend. That’s not say the sides won’t work right through the holiday if necessary, but if they’re close, and just rattling some sabers about a final issue or two, then we might not get an update until final bits are being put into place after everyone eats some turkey.
A bonus side conversation, relevant to CBA discussions in direct and tangential ways, prompted by this clever idea from Len Kasper:
There’s a lot to love about that idea, from the competitiveness it would spur among teams that are otherwise just collecting revenue-sharing money to the added excitement for the fans of middling teams in September. Among the issues folks raised on Twitter in my mentions: tanking is not actually a problem in the sport, so this just creates new problems to “solve” a non-issue; teams would be disincentivized to bring up young players for experience in September; teams that are genuinely trying to win would be punished further for being bad (and could then fall into a cycle of self-sustaining struggles). On the question of whether tanking is an issue at all, I’ll simply refer for now to discussions we’ve had in the past (because, well, the Cubs’ deep rebuilding strategy certainly had – and benefited from – some elements that resembled what observers might describe as “tanking”).
Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here.
Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.
How do I even write that up. Wow. Oh my god. I am giddy. That was absolutely incredible. Let me just explain what happened (more than usual), because even I am in utter disbelief. Hector Neris came in to close...
CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs and Mets split the first two games of this series, but Chicago hasn't been able to push across many runs (since Saturday, really). Hopefully, they have a little more luck tonight at Citi Field against...
Chances are, you're not tuned into the Reds-Padres game in San Diego this afternoon, but you've got to see this sick home run robbery (of Manny Machado) by Cincinnati outfielder Stuart Fairchild. Fairchild gets vertical to take a three-run home...
The Chicago Cubs' rotation is inching toward health, with Justin Steele having his first successful rehab assignment start today at Iowa, and now we know when Kyle Hendricks will have his own rehab start. Hendricks, out with a back injury,...
During Wednesday afternoon's battle with the Omaha Storm Chasers, Owen Caissie put the Iowa Cubs on the board. Chicago's top 10 prospect was down in the count 2-1 before he sent a slider off Daniel Lynch IV deep into right...
Justin Steele's first rehab appearance is now complete, having thrown 3.1 innings for the Iowa Cubs this afternoon. Steele's line officially includes three earned runs on six hits and a walk, together with four strikeouts. What really matters, though, is...
The latest Brewers rumble is going to cost them some time. After getting into it with the Rays last night, the Brewers have three suspensions to contend with: reliever Abner Uribe got six games, starter Freddy Peralta got five games,...
The I-Cubs and Smokies were rained out on Tuesday, but South Bend and Myrtle Beach both opened their series with victories. Andy Garriola hit two home runs for Myrtle Beach, and Nick Dean tossed five shutout innings against the Salem...
When he takes the mound tonight in New York, Shota Imanaga will look to extend an introduction to Major League Baseball that has gone as well as anyone could have possibly hoped. Through his first five starts, Imanaga has posted...
The last thing any regional sports networks need these days is a carriage dispute. That couldn't be MORE true for Diamond Sports, the struggling operator of the Bally Sports networks, which is trying to get out of bankruptcy with some...
The Houston Astros (10-19), with Spencer Arrighetti on the mound and trying to sweep the series, host the Cleveland Guardians (19-10) who will start Logan Allen, at 8:10 PM ET on Thursday.See how to watch the Houston-Cleveland matchup below.When is...
Marcus Semien and the Texas Rangers (16-14) host C.J. Abrams and the Washington Nationals (14-15) at 2:35 PM ET on Thursday.See how to watch the Texas-Washington matchup below.When is Rangers vs. Nationals and when does it start?This matchup between the...
On Thursday, going for a series sweep, Tyler O'Neill and the Boston Red Sox (17-13) play the San Francisco Giants (14-16), with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 PM ET at Fenway Park.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on...
The New York Mets (15-14), led by Pete Alonso, host Mike Tauchman and the Chicago Cubs (18-12) at 1:10 PM ET on Thursday in the rubber match of the series.If you're planning on watching this game, keep reading for TV...
The 2024 offseason for the Los Angeles Chargers was one of change. A disappointing 2023 season led to a coaching shakeup, with the arrival of the highly-respected Jim Harbaugh. With a talented young quarterback in Justin Herbert already under center,...
The Miami Marlins (7-24), led by Luis Arraez, host Ryan McMahon and the Colorado Rockies (7-22) at 12:10 PM ET on Thursday.The article below will give you everything you need to know to watch Miami take on Colorado.When is Marlins...
How do I even write that up. Wow. Oh my god. I am giddy. That was absolutely incredible. Let me just explain what happened (more than usual), because even I am in utter disbelief. Hector Neris came in to close...
NASCAR has followed the Yellow Brick Road to Kansas Speedway. Here’s an early look at the AdventHealth 400 Odds. The heartland roars to life this Sunday, May 5th, at 3 PM ET as the NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Kansas...
Expect an uptick in discussions surrounding the Chicago Bears stadium plan as the team continues its pivot from a move to suburban Arlington Heights to a return to Chicago's lakefront. At this time last week, the Chicago Bears were unveiling...
Marc Eversley has been connected to another front-office opening. The Chicago Bulls' GM was recently mentioned as a leading candidate for the Charlotte Hornets' head of basketball operations gig. The organization went on to hire Jeff Peterson from the Brooklyn...
NEWSLETTER
Last night, for the first time during the current set of Collective Bargaining Negotiations – indeed, for probably the first time since the 2002 negotiations – the word “lockout” popped up.
