Late Tuesday morning it was reported that Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association had met for the first time since the league imposed a players’ lockout on December 1, 2021; this following the end of the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement. And though there is still much work to be done to establish a new CBA to bring an end to the (thus far) six-week lockout, the ball is now at least rolling in that direction.

The hope, of course, is that a new CBA will be in place on or before February 14, 2022, when pitchers and catchers are due to report for Spring Training, with position players scheduled to report a week later. As it stands (stood), the first Spring Training games are (were) scheduled to begin on February 26. But to be brutally honest, unless a new CBA is in place, this is more wishful thinking than reality … but you just never know.

According to USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale, the league was preparing to make its proposal to the MLBPA within the next two weeks but surprised everyone when, according to The Athletics‘ Evan Drellich, they would actually do so on Thursday (via video conference).

Worthy of note is that the league is not expected to address the service time structure. They are, however, expected to put forth an increase in the league minimum salary to $600,000 with further hikes to a max of $700,000 by the end of the (hopefully) new CBA term. They are also expected to recommend alterations to draft pick compensation/forfeiture for signing free agents tagged with a qualifying offer.

Like I said, “…still much work to be done.”

Play Ball!

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