With Thursday’s announcement by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred that Spring Training 2022 has officially been delayed, and with bickering between MLB and the MLB Players Association at its absolute worst (so far), there is a light – albeit extremely faint – at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

As bad as things are on Day-82 of MLB’s lockout, both sides have agreed – or at least say – that they will step up negotiations beginning this week towards establishing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, so there’s that.

Truth be told, this is one of those ‘I’ll believe it when I see it‘ things rather than sudden cause for optimism, but, you’ve got to start somewhere, right?

Following Manfred’s announcement that MLB “…must postpone the start of Spring Training games until no earlier than Saturday, March 5th,” the MLBPA immediately fired back, saying (in essence) that Manfred had flat out lied. Here is that exchange as it appeared on social media:

A short while later, ESPN’s Jeff Passon posted this:

It’s MLB’s “…will join an in-person meeting with the Players Association and remain every day next week…” and the MLBPA’s “…remain committed to the negotiating process,” that is providing that light – albeit faint – at the end of the tunnel.

Then again, as we have often been told about that ‘light at the end of the tunnel,’ it could also be a train.

Stay tuned…

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