The 3 most surprising things we have learned from the MLB lockout
The MLB lockout is upon us and in the first few hours of it, there are few things that you would not have expected to happen.
One of the things you may not know about the lockout is that players and club officials cannot be in contact with each other. Players cannot use MLB facilities (including spring training facilities) and injured players cannot receive rehab or treatment from club trainers. But we covered that in this FAQ guide to the lockout and the history of labor stoppage in baseball so that won’t be included in this.
Instead, there are three other things that we have learned since the lockout was put in place at 12:01 AM E.T. on Thursday.
We have learned what the MLBPA and MLB were hung up on
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement after the lockout was put in place and he revealed some of what was put on the table and what the hangups were.
Manfred claimed that:
- That owners “offered to establish a minimum payroll for all clubs to meet for the first time in baseball history”
- Owners had a plan that would “allow the majority of players to reach free agency earlier through an age-based system that would eliminate any claims of service time manipulation”
- Owners offered a plan that would “increase compensation for all young players, including increases in the minimum salary.”
Manfred also claimed that “[w]hen negotiations lacked momentum,” the owners tried to create momentum by accepting MLBPA’s proposals for:
- A universal Designated Hitter
- The creation of a new draft system using a lottery similar to other leagues
- An increase in the Competitive Balance Tax threshold that would impact fewer teams