There are few ‘sure things’ in life:

• Death.
• Taxes.
• Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association agreeing on anything.

And even on those rare occasions when MLB and the MLBPA actually do agree on something, it is usually done with reluctance and usually by the narrowest vote margin.

On Tuesday morning, MLB and the MLBPA disagreed on something.

Unfortunately, it is something that could determine if there will be baseball in 2021 or not:

• When Spring Training would begin.
• When the regular season would begin.
• The number of games to be played during the 2021 regular season and postseason.

This from MLB Trade Rumors on Twitter on Tuesday morning:

“I don’t see any way spring training starts in February – zero chance of that,” an American League owner told USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale on Tuesday. “I don’t care if we play 140 games, 120 games or 80 games, we have to make sure everyone is safe to do this right.”

“I think there will be significant pressure for players to get the vaccine first before they go to Spring Training, and if that has to be moved back to April and play 130 games, so be it,” an unnamed National League owner told Nightengale.  “But to have 162 games and start Spring Training at the normal time without players being vaccinated, that’s just crazy.  Does Arizona and Florida, with their cases spiking, really want teams with about 125 people in each organization coming to town without vaccines?”

These MLB owners are but two of the 30 for whom MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred works, and they undoubtedly reflect the thoughts and opinions of most of – if not all of – the other 28.

One thing that Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association can agree on:

This is far from over.

Stay tuned…

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