When Will Major League Baseball Return?
Major League Baseball has been in a lockout since December 2, 2021. All baseball operations in major leagues have been stopped since this date. This includes all free agency signings, all training at facilities and potentially games if it lasts long enough.
There are a few major things that are going to make this lockout last a while. One of the biggest things will be the service time and service time manipulation. In order for a player to hit the free agency market they must have a certain amount of service time. Service time starts when you are added to the 40 man roster. Service time manipulation is when a team intentionally keeps players off the 40 man and out of the big leagues so they can get an extra year of control.
MLB teams often get away with keeping players in the minors by using the excuse that they need to work on their defense. This can happen even if a player is clearly ready for the big leagues.
Earlier in 2021 Kevin Mather, CEO of the Seatal Mariners admitted in an interview that the team would not call up top prospects Jerid Kelinick, and Jolio Rodrigez. This is because they did not want to lose an extra year of control. This also pushes back arbitration a year. Other players were brought up but not directly mentioned by name.
Another issue that will be brought up by the Players Association will be minor league pay and conditions. It is no secret that the minor leagues, in particular the lower levels are awful when it comes to pay and conditions. Most players in the lower levels of Minor League Baseball have to take up a second job due to the low pay they receive from their team. They also have to pay for their own place to stay and, as many of these players have little to no money, it is not always the best place.
As the days and months move the season becomes more and more threatened with delayed start. This comes only two years after the covid shortened 2020 season. The effects of a delayed start to the season will not only be the lack of major league baseball but it will extend to further the decline in popularity the sport is dealing with. Last time there was a lock out this issue came up as well. It was not good for the sport. That period was followed by the steroid era. All the offense brought by goons who were juicing made the game interesting. This saved the sport but this time there doesn't seem to be such a time on the horizon.
It does seem that the two parties are starting to open communications. This does not mean that baseball will return soon as it looks like most of the talks are not very friendly. On Twitter several current and former players have been stating that MLB and the owners are getting in the way of the return of baseball. It is evident that the owners and the league are only concerned about making money instead of the quality of the game. This comes from the actions of the owners and from what the players and the Players Association have been saying.
It will be incredibly important for the sport of baseball to return on time for the start of the regular season. This is because during the shortened 2020 season baseball had its highest ratings in decades. More people were watching baseball than were watching the NBA finals. Following MLB the Show was opened to both Xbox and Playstation. This boosted interest in the sport as more people were consuming baseball content than before. However if the 2022 season is delayed it could end that momentum built in the last two years.
The other side of the table is the owners and the league. They both liked the way that the league was run before the lockout. They are in support of service time manipulation and the broken salary arbitration system.
If this lockout is not resolved soon then the outcome will be clear. The sport will return to its declining popularity from before the pandemic. The players also will be hurt by the stoppage of play as they will not get paid. The workers at the stadiums will also be in trouble as they as well will not be getting paid.