Are we getting closer to a new CBA?
One of the biggest issues the owners and players have been fighting over in the labor negotiations in baseball over the past week has been the international draft.
Owners want it.
Players are passionately against it.
Rock, meet hard place.
After MLB removed two more series from the schedule — thru April 14 — on Wednesday evening, it appears we have movement on that issue.
MLB and the MLBPA agreed that they have until July 25 to reach a deal on an international draft that would start in 2024, a source tells ESPN. If a deal is reached, the qualifying offer will vanish. If no deal, the QO will return and the international system will remain the same.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 10, 2022
And Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that, with this issue now somewhat settled, the owners are going to bring a new proposal to the players on Thursday.
Reports over the past few days were that the owners and players were coming dangerously close on many of the core economic issues in the game, from the CBT to draft lottery.
The gap between the two sides has come down enough that many felt they were this close to getting a deal done before the international draft became the speed bump this week.
Hopefully this temporary agreement on the international draft can remove a significant hurdle to getting a CBA done — at least for now.
Major leaguers need to get back on the field. We need Spring Training and a start date for the regular season. We’re approaching the middle of March; these things usually happen in mid-February.
Fans are angry. Players are upset, and many of them are still looking for work. Hundreds of free agents still need contracts, so when the lockout if lifted it’s going to get crazy.
But the news on Thursday is positive movement from both sides.
