The Major League Baseball owners' lockout of their players claimed their first games on Friday, and though the seven Twins games wiped out by the cancellation don't count, they vividly illustrate the increasing danger to games that do.
Spring training officially delayed as Major League Baseball lockout continues
No games will be played before March 5, although even that start time seems optimistic.
February 18, 2022 at 11:59PM
"We regret that, without a collective bargaining agreement in place, we must postpone the start of spring training games until no earlier than Saturday, March 5," the league announced in a statement Friday.
For the Twins, that means their annual goodwill game with the Gophers next Friday and their Grapefruit League opener against the Blue Jays next Saturday, each scheduled for Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla., will not take place, nor will three scheduled home games and three road games the following week.
More important than playing games that week, however, is the urgent need to reach an agreement between the sides by roughly that same time. MLB informed the players union earlier this week that it considers Feb. 28 to be the latest possible date to strike a deal without canceling regular-season games, which are supposed to begin March 31.
Negotiations have proceeded sluggishly since the league instituted the lockout on Dec. 2, with no meetings at all taking place until mid-January, and only haltingly since then. But the players association pointed out, in responding to MLB's Friday announcement, that only the owners are preventing training camps from opening.
"MLB announced today that it 'must' postpone the start of spring training games. This is false," the union said in a statement. "Nothing requires the league to delay the start of spring training, much like nothing required the league's decision to implement the lockout in the first place."
The pace of negotiations may be about to pick up, however. The players' statement reiterated that they "remain committed to the negotiating process." And the owners made a more specific pledge.
"On Monday, members of the owners' bargaining committee will join an in-person meeting with the Players Association," the statement said, "and remain every day next week to negotiate and work hard towards starting the season on time."
The sides remain apart on a handful of issues, including how to compensate younger players, and preventing teams from artificially delaying players' eligibility for arbitration and free-agency rights.
With Hammond Stadium empty, the Gophers have scheduled three games at the Twins' home park. They will play Northeastern University on Friday, and Indiana State on Saturday and Sunday.
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