SAVE BASEBALL

MLB's Opening Day is in doubt reports every new outlet this Sunday morning. The 162-game schedule begins shrinking if a decision isn't made regarding the requests from both sides, ending this lockout by end of day Monday. As baseball players and owners flow in and out of the doors of the meetings' site at the St. Louis Cardinals minor league complex, Roger Dean Stadium, in Jupiter, FL, more than one fan drives by with the simple ask, "Save Baseball." 

Source: The Boston Globe

"Among Saturday’s developments, the players reportedly made a comprehensive offer covering several key issues, including the competitive balance tax, salary arbitration and more. The players made a significant move towards the owners on arbitration, reducing their ask for the number of two-year players who would be eligible for arbitration from 75% to 33%. Currently 22% of two-year players are eligible for salary arbitration and the owners have indicated they won’t budge from that number," reported the Eagle Tribune.

Source: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

Big name players have been part of the negotiations with arbitrators and the owners. Max Scherzer, Lance McCullers and Gerrit Cole are among the players present for the meetings each day. Meetings start in the morning and last about 3-4 hours. 87 days have passed since the lockout began last fall. 

I have been through a few strikes in my lifetime, actually all of them. The 1994-1995 strike lasted from the August 1994 through the following March 1995. I had tickets to see the Phillies play in Veterans Park that year. That trip was postponed. The contention there was on the salary cap. There was that year I was supposed to go to Spring Training in 1990, but that didn't happen. We didn't miss any games that year, but the impact likely sets up the modern-day lockout: salary arbitration, free agency, minimum salary. The 80s and 70s also saw a few lockouts, with the worst being in 1981 which came in the middle of the season.  You can read about these strikes here. 

Source: Sporting News

History is absolutely repeating itself, in this expensive, greedy sport. I stayed with the sport because I love it but this time, it is leaving a horrible taste in my mouth. Everyone deserves to earn a good living. You work hard to make it to the major leagues, you don't skimp on practice, you give up your family and certain lifestyle for another lifestyle and success on the field. You deserve to be treated fairly. Baseball owners, and agents also deserve to make a good living, but their greed is sucking the life out of the game.

"Save Baseball" two simple words. Unfortunately, even if the two sides come to a resolution in time to salvage most of the 2022 season, baseball itself will not be saved. If history has told us anything it is that this sport will continue to become bloated with egos, money, and entitlement. It is simply too expensive to go to games, keep up with wardrobe and accept the price tag for streaming services to access your favorite teams. The only way to truly "Save Baseball" is to lower the demand for it. For us as fans to not come back. I know that is a hard ask—it is a hard ask for me too. But it is the only way to really Save Baseball.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof