Hard Deadline Set of February 28th

February 28th Deadline Set By MLB for Season to Start on Time

With Spring Training already have been set to have begun over a week ago and negotiations still on going, the owners have now set a hard deadline of Monday, February 28th or risk a shortened regular season. That leaves just under five days to get thing sorted out.

Negotiations to this point have gone no where as the most recent round of negotiations enter its fifth day. Major League Baseball has told owners and the Players Association that "[they have] set a Monday deadline for a deal to be completed in order for Opening Day to take place on March 31 as scheduled. The league has said that once games are canceled -- which will happen unless a deal can be struck by Monday’s deadline -- they will not be rescheduled". 

Latest discussions have included draft lottery, pre-arbitration bonus pool, and competitive balance tax. So far the there have only been minor tweaks to proposals from both sides and progress has been slow. 

Disagreements on Rookie service time as well as Super 2 Eligibility continues to contribute to talks dragging on as well. "The MLBPA’s adjustment in its Draft lottery proposal involved the reduction in penalties for small-market teams that finish in the lottery in consecutive seasons, though the union is still asking for the top seven picks to be chosen in the NBA-style lottery".

As the lockout drags on with seemingly only a small hope insight, baseball fans everywhere might have to begin to accept the fact that the season might not be 162 games this year. One can hope that things get sorted out by Monday but at the rate things have been going it only seems like wishful thinking. Who knows how much baseball will end up being lost this season. Only time will tell that now as the deadline day for a full season draws closer and closer.