The day has come! And gone.

 

The day has come! ... And gone.

Today is February 15, 2022. It is the day that pitchers and catchers report for MLB but due to the ongoing labor dispute, pitchers and catchers have not and will not report today. I don’t know about everybody else out there, but for me when I see that pitchers and catchers have reported, suddenly it isn’t so cold here in New England. It feels warmer, the sun shines brighter, the snow isn’t relevant, it’s almost an afterthought because there is baseball stuff happening. But this morning’s bitter temperature, or lack thereof (it was 0 degrees when I left my house), felt even more cold. Today feels even more empty. There is no pitcher throwing to a catcher, there are no stars arriving early and telling the media they want to get a head start to be at their best for the season. No. There’s nothing but a bitter cold wind and complete disarm from MLB.

To worsen matters, the MLB allegedly wants to stop paying minor league players for their service time during spring training. As if the minor leaguers aren’t already hurting. The MLB suggest that the “opportunity” to play in spring training is good enough. Well, good news! It’s my understanding that Stop & Shop, landowners, and banks now accept payment in the form of opportunity! Oh, wait. No. That’s not a real situation but the MLB trying to pay their minor leaguers nothing sure is. 

It is not clear which, if all, owners first made the suggestion but let’s just examine John Henry and Co. the owners of the Boston Red Sox. These men are worth $3.6 billion (that’s billion with a “B”) and in 2021 the team had a collective salary of $173.8 million. That is around 4% of the owners estimated net worth. You’re telling me these guys can’t, or won’t, pay a few dozen minor leaguers a few thousand a month for two months to play in spring training? You want to deduct team paid for meals from their salaries? Fine. Deduct the cost of the meals. You want to deduct if they take a team bus? Fine. But these young men need a salary to live! Some of them have a family, they can’t take two months off a job to play baseball while their spouse handles everything with no money coming in from them instead money coming out! How’s a good time to praise major leaguers with multi-million-dollar salaries that pay for minor leaguers rent for two months or pay for them to get a ride to and from the ballpark every day. You’re out there, and you don’t get enough credit!

With the delay to the start of spring training and apparent continued ignorance on the side of MLB and the owners, there still appears to be no hope for the MLB to start on time. It is a 162-game season, one would have to wonder if all these players can be in shape and perform well enough to stay healthy for an entire season if they are not given ample time to prepare. 

Spring training is scheduled to begin within the next two weeks and neither side can come to an agreement. The idea that MLB owners shouldn't have to pay minor leaguers is an absolute slap in the face to the players. God bless the MLBPA and the current major leaguers using their power and their leverage to support minor leaguers.