Major League Baseball Continues Searching For Its Heartbeat With New Labor Proposal

Major League Baseball is desperately searching for its heartbeat as irrelevance has sadly become a formidable adversary. While some might think the previous statement is an exaggeration for dramatic effect, baseball has been confronting several challenges well before Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. initiated a lockout on behalf of the 30 major league ball clubs. Fans have been asked to trust the merits of implementing a lockout in the middle of an offseason as a means of jumpstarting conversations on key economic issues. If Major League Baseball’s modus operandi was to emphasize urgency, why was there a 42-day break in negotiations?

Manfred addressed the media after two and half days of meetings with the owners at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. Besides a couple of administrative appointments to the executive council, Manfred provided a list of the topics discussed among the owners such as regional sports networks, on field product and competition, experiments with rule changes at the minor league level, diversity, international strategic planning, and new business endeavors involving non-fungible tokens (NFT). As each of these initiatives is critically important to the overall prosperity of the sport, the primary focus of Manfred’s 24 minutes with the media was clearly on labor negotiations and the start of spring training.

Manfred firmly believes their proposal to the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) is far better in every respect than the recently expired collective bargaining agreement. He outlined several key points beginning with the implementation of a draft lottery and the universal designated hitter. Both parties agree on the importance of paying younger ball players through increasing minimum salaries and the creation of a bonus pool. To improve free agency, the owners are willing to eliminate draft choice compensation but also want to see an expanded postseason.

However, there is an unwillingness to engage in any conversation regarding the MLBPA’s request for a reduction in revenue sharing. Manfred is of the opinion this approach will adversely affect competition while taking away resources from ball clubs that are already experiencing financial difficulties. He also stated how a federal mediator could help bridge the gap between both parties even though the MLBPA had rejected the request last week. Major League Baseball will present the MLBPA with another proposal on February 12^th as Manfred reiterated there is no change to the start date of spring training.

Manfred demonstrated a myriad of emotions ranging from frustration to optimism. His experience in labor negotiations has taught him to believe you are always one breakthrough away from an agreement and it only takes a single move to create a new opportunity. The driving force behind the labor strife might be hard to pin down to one fundamental issue, but Manfred wasn’t afraid to say there has been a mismatch between rhetoric and proposals. The optimist in him truly believes an agreement will be in place in time to play a regular season schedule. However, Manfred is also aware that missing regular season ball games could be disastrous for baseball.   

As he was asked about the lack of trust in him and the owners expressed by several ball players on social media, it appeared as if Manfred felt the need to defend his integrity while touting over two decades of achievements in labor relations. Even though he isn’t a Twitter maven, Manfred does have a strong opinion on the social media commentaries and asserts they are purely tactical in nature. He was quick to point out that in the history of baseball there has only been one person to get a labor agreement done without a dispute and it’s him. Manfred was proud to say he has done it on four occasions.

The morale and well-being of fans has been greatly damaged over the past two years thanks to the pandemic, unemployment, inflation, mental health, political, and societal unrest. If baseball is a social institution with social responsibilities according to Commissioner Emeritus Selig, wouldn’t the basis for growth begin with an intimate understanding of how fans factor into the future of the sport? An entire generation of fans are experiencing their first work stoppage in baseball and are witnessing how animosity and distrust are polluting a sport already in a tenuous position. Manfred never addressed these issues which is a cause for great concern.

Even as finances and competitive integrity headline most of the conversations, one must take a closer examination at the glacial pace of the rebuilding process for certain ball clubs as well as the maximization of profits at the expense of the fan experience. Service time manipulation must be taken seriously given the fragility and timetable of a professional athlete’s career. In essence, there is a small window of opportunity and not every ball player will sign a free agent contract that provides a lifetime of financial security after six years of control by a ball club at the major league level. 

Creativity is an important and essential step in cultivating a new collective bargaining agreement. As the Major League Baseball Players Association are presented with another proposal this weekend, let’s hope that it sparks an opportunity for meaningful collaborations. Trust and positivity are critically important at this stage of negotiations as both parties must remember the heartbeat of baseball begins with its fans.