MLB DEAL IS DONE... BUT I'VE KIND OF MOVED ON

 

The pissing match was no fun to watch. In the end, both sides were kind of being ridiculous. But I blame Rob Manfred and the owners. Manfred has ruined the game. It was an exercise where he needed to be exposed for what he was, a loser. 

News came down yesterday about what appears to be a deal.

ESPN writes: "The MLB lockout is over.

It took more than three months -- and multiple deadlines for delaying the regular season -- before Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association ended their stalemate and came to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement."

And what do you need to know about what was hammered out? Glad you asked:

"Opening Day moves to April 7 and a full 162-game schedule will be played.

Spring training camps open with a March 11 voluntary report date and March 13 mandatory date.

Spring training games start March 17.

Free agency to begin immediately once CBA is ratified.

Playoffs expand to 12 teams, beginning this season.

The National League adopts the designated hitter starting this season.

CBT expected to begin at $230 million and grow to $244 million."

And while this is all good, don't think you'll see me at many Yankee games this year. Don't get me wrong, I'm a diehard, but I hold grudges. I won't be around a lot. Why? Multiple reasons.

Baseball is everywhere these days. Between my kid playing college ball, his summer league and of course, independent baseball, I'll be busy watching all that stuff.  One thing many of us learned when the MLB lockout happened is that baseball is baseball. 

Sure, it's not the MLB, but damn it's fun.  When baseball players aren't making millions, they almost appear to give a shit. They almost appear to try harder. It's about earning spots and doing your best and team comradery... and since this lockout began, I've been traveling all over the place. I watched a couple tryouts at independent leagues, I've seen a ton of college baseball, and it's exhilarating... it really is.

I'll be at the New Jersey Jackals ballpark a lot this year. In addition to watching them play, there is the Yogi Berra Museum right there as well.  Plus, it's local, cheap and fun. And no one's going to argue about money and labor deals. They're going to play baseball and I'm going to relax.

I'll still watch my Yankees... I've loved them all my life. But times have changed, and the MLB needs to open their eyes.  Now I have seen plenty of people saying they have given up on the MLB. Now I'm very curious if they HAVE really given up. Will they go to games? Will they cancel their TV deals or whatever they said they would do when the lockout happened? I cancelled my tickets. I meant that. I'm not giving money to the MLB anymore.  I've made a decision. I'm staying local... I'm staying college... independent. I just feel like it's the right thing to do after what the MLB did to their fans for the past several weeks. 

Will it last? I don't know. But for now... I feel like I need to do this. It just feels right.

Baseball's Back folks! Go Jackals!