Fansided

MLB accidentally reminds us that they are nothing without the players

By David Hill |
DETROIT, MI - JULY 30: A detailed view of an official Major League baseball sitting on the pitchers mound next to the rubber prior to the start of the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Houston Astros at Comerica Park on July 30, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Astros 13-1. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - JULY 30: A detailed view of an official Major League baseball sitting on the pitchers mound next to the rubber prior to the start of the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Houston Astros at Comerica Park on July 30, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Astros 13-1. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The long expected lockout has happened. MLB owners voted unanimously to lock out the players, putting an end to a 26 year run of labor peace. While this lockout is not going to impact spring training or the regular season just yet, it has ruined the momentum of what had been an exciting start to the offseason.

There have also been some unexpected consequences from the lockout. The MLB website has removed any stories about current players from their page. A search for those players reveals just the generic blank head as their images have been removed.

MLB reminds us that they are nothing without players

Legally, the league has no choice in the matter. Since they have locked out the players and their Collective Bargaining Agreement has expired, they are unable to use their images. It does, however, seem to be an extremely petty move on their behalf, especially when one can question the faith in which the owners and Rob Manfred negotiated.

Related Story. MLBPA has perfect responce to lockout. light

It should also serve as a stark reminder to the league. Without the players, they are absolutely nothing. They cannot create stories. The only news will be about the lockout and the ongoing battle where billionaires attempt to crush their workers. Highlights cannot be displayed on their social media accounts or on the website. They have nothing.

It is also an utterly horrendous time for the league to be picking such a fight. Given the current political and economic landscape of the country, and the continued spectre of an ongoing pandemic, the last thing that baseball fans want is to listen to Manfred complain about players wanting too much money. This is especially the case when a team such as the A’s is doubling ticket prices while threatening to leave Oakland and instituting a fire sale to slash payroll below $50 million.

Baseball will survive. Eventually, the owners and Manfred will begin to actually negotiate. And maybe, when that happens and a new CBA is ratified, they will have managed to avoid alienating the majority of their fanbase. The league will succeed in spite of its leadership. But that will not happen without a reminder given to everyone directly from Major League Baseball itself.

Next. Three things learned from the lockout. dark

The league sent us all a reminder completely by accident on Thursday morning. Without the players, MLB is absolutely nothing.

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