Atlanta Braves fans fume their players in limbo while the fight drags on

Atlanta Braves title defense starts on . . .?

I’ve heard estimates of a start date ranging from April 15th to May 15th, but the way negotiations have gone so far, even those sound optimistic. The season’s already lost games can’t for logistical reasons, a quick look at the restrictions in the existing CBA, which will in all likelihood carry forward to the next, further unbalance an already screwy schedule.

We’ve seen the league move towards the union’s numbers, but they also added some things that the union won’t like and may refuse to consider. As much as I believe Rob Manfred was an awful choice for commissioner, and I’d like to hang part of this on his door, it isn’t all his fault.

The owners, not Manfred, say how far they’re willing to go to get an agreement. Manfred’s job is to advise them when he feels the union won’t accept those goals.  It’s the owners who kept their position so far from the unions that the MLBPA decided not to make any significant changes.

If you choose to blame Manfred for failing in his advise and convince role, I won’t argue, but the owners hired him, so even that decision points back to them.

Stuck in the middle with you

"Clowns to the left of me! Jokers to the right! Here I am stuck in the middle with you. Gerry Rafferty"

On the other side, the union entered this negotiation asking owners to give up a year of control, raise the minimum wage more than $200K, and push the CBT to the point where it might as well not exist. I’m not suggesting anything they asked for lacks merit, but asking for it all at once gave notice that the fight was well and truly on.

So, here we are, MLBPA members are mad as wet hens that MLB tried to sneak something through; it isn’t going to budge without a significant concession from MLB. It seems both sides subscribe to Arthur Mayer’s philosophy.

"No one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public!   Arthur L. Mayer, misquoting H.L. Menken"