MLB owners considering lockout: report
CBA set to expire Dec. 1, would mark first work stoppage since 1995
Major League Baseball owners are considering locking out players when the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Rosenthal, citing sources with knowledge of the situation, said the owners' frustration comes from the MLB Players Association's lack of urgency in negotiations.
A lockout would put all baseball business on hold, putting any free-agent signings and trades on hold. The winter meetings, where most of those negotiations take place, are scheduled for Dec. 4-8.
"We remain committed to the idea that we're going to make an agreement before expiration," said commissioner Rob Manfred, while the players' union head, Tony Clark, declined comment.
Negotiations will continue next week at the players' annual meeting in Dallas.
On potential for lockout when CBA expires 12/1, Manfred just told me this: “In terms of trying to make a deal 10 days is plenty of time,”
—@Joelsherman1Union/MLB negotiated until late this afternoon. Players have annual meeting Mon-Wed in Dallas next week, bargaining to continue thru that
—@Joelsherman1According to Rosenthal, a few of the major sticking points are:
- Changes to the Joint Drug Agreement, with players wanting a stronger program during the season
- The threshold and size of penalties in regards to the competitive-balance tax
- Direct draft-pick compensation in free agency
- The implementation of an international draft
Rosenthal reported that owners offered a straight exchange, telling players they would eliminate the direct draft-pick compensation tied to players who reject qualifying offers if players would allow for an international draft. The players reportedly rejected that proposal.
The issue with an international draft stems from the players' belief that foreign-born players do not have the same opportunities as American-born amateurs.
"We aren't giving them something that affects 30 per cent of big leaguers and probably 50 per cent of minor leaguers in exchange for something that affects less than 20 players every year," Rosenthal quoted one union source.
Only 10 players received qualifying offers this season.
The last time MLB had a work stoppage was the mid-season strike in 1994, resulting in the cancellation of the season and the World Series, the first time the league's championship wasn't played since 1904.
The strike lasted 232 days, ending in April 1995.
MLB has had eight work stoppages in total, missing 50 days in the middle of the 1980 season and 13 days at the start of the 1972 season, both due to players' strikes.
The last time there was a lockout was 1990, and it lasted 32 days between Feb. and March.