Thread by @EugeneFreedman

MLB may have asked for mediation because of internal communication problems/misunderstandings. Owners may have mistakenly believed that a lockout would pressure players to give in. Now that they haven't, they don't know how to get out of the box they've built for themselves. 1/

https://twitter.com/EvanDrellich/status/1496258691762376704

Ending the lockout would appear weak without a no strike agreement, which they aren't going to get. I addressed the timing & leverage of a strike vote & strike in this thread. 2/

https://twitter.com/EugeneFreedman/status/1488664215657369601

But, continuing it will cost games and the honest media has appropriately framed this as a ownership lockout of the players and reminded readers that the lockout is what will cost games, not the lack of agreement.

There is one way out of the box. It's to address the Union's 3/

interests. Management may have mistakenly believed that its interests had already been met when the Union made proposals addressing expanded playoffs and reinstating the sunset competitive balance tax. But, they were not proposed by the Union in a vacuum. They were part of a 4/

package that included reduced revenue sharing (to encourage teams to try to win rather than merely bank profits), earlier access to arbitration, and earlier free agency. The Union has since withdrawn the third part of that package.

Management has to address those 5/

players' interests comprehensively. It can't merely say it won't address arbitration eligibility and revenue sharing and expect to get everything it wants in these negotiations. A mediator cannot save them from the lockout they implemented. They must negotiate on everything 6/

or decide to no longer pursue its own interests. Management can likely get an agreement without a CBT and without giving in on the players' interests. But, until they realize reestablishing a CBT will cost them something this will continue. MLB will unilaterally cancel games, 7/

but, I don't think that will increase the pressure on players, because at some point the leverage shifts back to the players in July.

MLB has to recognize that they could get what they want in a new agreement merely by giving the Union some of what it has asked for. /end