MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred and Team Owners continue to shoot this beautiful sport dead. In yet another attempt to blame the players for trying to do what's right for their colleagues, the league decided to cancel games through April 13.
Team owners refuse to engage in meaningful conversations or cave into any of the MLBPA's demands, yet they're making it look as if the 'millionaire players' don't know what's best for the game they actually play.
Moreover, MLB has engaged in a dirty media war with ambiguous statements in a failed attempt to twist the narrative in their favor, which is why MLBPA board executive and New York Mets star Max Scherzer had to set the record straight.
Max Scherzer Calls Out Major League Baseball Over Twisted Narratives
“I was in [Florida]. We were never offered the Int’l draft,” Scherzer tweeted. “We did discuss it, but MLB told us they were NOT going to offer anything for it. At that point, we informed all players & agreed to no draft. This is just MLB muddying the waters and deflecting blame. Fans, [please], hang in there with us.”
“We want a system where threshold and penalties don’t function as caps, allows younger players to realize more of their market value, makes service time manipulation a thing of the past, and eliminate tanking as a winning strategy," the three-time Cy Young winner added.
MLBPA Releases Statement As MLB Cancels More Games
"The owners’ decision to cancel additional games is completely unnecessary," the statement read. "After making a set of comprehensive proposals to the league earlier this afternoon, and being told substantive responses were forthcoming, Players have yet to hear back.”
“Players want to play, and we cannot wait to get back on the field for the best fans in the world. Our top priority remains the finalization of a fair contract for all Players, and we will continue negotiations towards that end," the statement concluded.
This lockout is costing players thousands by the day. And yeah, every single star can afford that. But they know it goes way beyond them. Apparently, they're willing to go the distance to try and salvage this once glorious sport. Hopefully, they'll succeed before Manfred's infamous tenure puts yet another nail on its coffin.
