MLB and MLBPA Reach Agreement

[Ted Schwerzler]

We have baseball! Or, we don’t have a lockout! Or, both, eventually. Today Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) reached an agreement on the parameters of a deal to put a new CBA in place. Baseball is back for 2022.

While there’s still a significant amount of legal semantics to figure out, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) needs to be ratified, the season has been salvaged.
 
Despite MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred suggesting that February 28 was the deadline in which a deal needed to be agreed upon to avoid canceling regular-season games, the two sides worked tirelessly to hammer out a deal. The calendar has  flipped to March, and multiple sessions have been hammered out, but we now have resolution. 
 
The reality is that MLB was looking at a third straight season in which baseball would be anything as we’ve known it. Following a 60-game season in 2020 and then a Covid-influenced year during 2021, the best hope for normalcy lay on the back of 2022. We don’t have Spring Training on time, and it will be a sprint to Opening Day, but a full 162-game schedule should be on the books.

A point of contention late in the negotiations was that of an International Draft. Very little is known about the parameters as the sides still have until July 25 to agree on its inception, but it would remove the signing bonuses and put players into a draft system. Jeremy Nygaard recently wrote up some of what has been reported thus far. If the MLBPA decides against an International Draft, as a large contingent of players have been against for decades, they would then forfeit the remove of a qualified offer being tied to draft pick compensation.
 
Multiple sources put in incredibly long hours to keep us abreast of the negations. Still, it’s going to be an absolute feeding frenzy from here regarding transactions. Hundreds of players still need to be signed with multiple organizations looking at trades to solidify their 2022 rosters. As players report to Arizona and Florida for Spring Training, the activity will be like we saw in the lockout lead-up and then multiplied.

With the ratification of this CBA, free agency begins tonight! Make sure to check back to Twins Daily often as the excitement and speed in which players are signed should be nothing like we've ever seen before.
 
There’s no denying this has been an incredibly frustrating offseason for baseball fans, but it appears we’ve now weathered the storm and are ready for a return to action. As Twins Daily has continued to keep you informed all offseason and through this lockout, make sure to stay engaged and check back through free agency and Spring Training with both getting underway.
 
The only thing left is, Play Ball!

What We Know

• 12 teams make the postseason and how it works
• Universal DH is implemented
• A full 162 game schedule with pay, including 9-inning DH'ers to make up missed games.
• Free agency will start tonight
• Players can report to Spring Training tomorrow, mandatory by March 13
• The qualifying offer being removed is tied to the acceptance of an International Draft
• A breakdown of the economics
• The final vote was substantially in favor of acceptance, despite the union board being so against it
• Regular doubleheaders and extra-inning rules return
• Ratification is set to happen at 5pm CT during an owners call
• The regular season calendar will be extended by three days with 3/4 DH'ers making up the others.
• Spring Training will last 3 and 1/2 weeks starting around April 20
• Pitch clock and shift changes can be implemented starting in 2023
• A six-pick draft lottery will be held with the 18 teams not making the postseason
• Rule changes will be a discussed process between players and the league
• Arbitration numbers will be exchanged at the end of March with hearings during the season
• Players can only be optioned 5 times per season. Draft is 20 rounds
• Additional year of service time granted to top Rookie of the Year finishers
• The Rule 5 Draft is cancelled this year
• A 4th tier has been added to the CBT to prevent runaway spending
• Additional MLB Draft implications for top draft eligible players
• Salary increases for 40-man players at Triple-A
• One of the pending grievances against MLB was dropped
• Rules can be changed during a single offseason
• Players can benefit from promotional opportunities with betting companies
• Teams will play every other Major League team each year starting in 2023

MORE FROM TWINS DAILY
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[Unwinder]

This is very exciting. As soon as tonight there is some chance that the Twins might be good.

[mk]

Let's Go!!!

[DocBauer]

YES!!!

[Heiny]

YESSSSS!!!!  Now the Twins can go sign Story and Rodon an make a trade for Montas.  Lol.  But seriously folks.  Thanks for getting rid of the 7 inning double headers and the free baserunner in extra innings.   "PLAY BALL".

 

[bdodge22]

PLAY BALL!

[Trov]

Looking forward to the slew of trades and FA announced in the next 24 hours. I personally was surprised, it sounds like the actual players were less concerned about the issues than the heads of the union.  I think the owners waited them out enough that the rank and file players that would see little from the changes in luxary tax line change did not want to risk missing too much time and money.  Even more so when over the last decade jobs for 32 plus year old players are dropping quickly. 

[Linus]

Very interested in finally getting to see what our FO has in mind. I’ve been withholding judgment until the lockout is over. Eagerly awaiting the rabbit to be pulled out of the hat. 

[Doctor Gast]

I'm very excited to see what players transactions will the Twins finally do!

[roger]

Question?

There are hundreds of unsigned free agents.  I may be mistaken, but those foreign free agents cannot start the VISA process until they have a signed contract, right?  And that process can then take weeks or longer.  Expect there will be some free agents who won’t be in the country by opening day.

[Twinsrtheworst]

Put me in coach...I'm ready to play!  So excited.  Glad I didn't cancel spring training trip after all!  Just giddy

[RJA]

If I were with you, I would give you a hug.  Great news.  And, thanks for staying on this and keeping us informed.

[AceWrigley]

OMG . . . finally!!!!!!

[mikelink45]

Finally the Twins Daily site can report on baseball.  Get ST started.

[KFEY93]

2 hours ago, Unwinder said:

This is very exciting. As soon as tonight there is some chance that the Twins might be good.

Are they magically going to obtain an actual Ace, another solid starting pitcher and a bunch of excellent reliable BP arms by midnight tonight? I doubt it. 

[Unwinder]

2 minutes ago, KFEY93 said:

Are they magically going to obtain an actual Ace, another solid starting pitcher and a bunch of excellent reliable BP arms by midnight tonight? I doubt it. 

The chances are a lot better than they were yesterday!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

3 minutes ago, KFEY93 said:

Are they magically going to obtain an actual Ace, another solid starting pitcher and a bunch of excellent reliable BP arms by midnight tonight? I doubt it. 

You are in mid-season form already. I love it!

[Whitey333]

I'm glad it's settled!!  However the process has left a very bad taste in my mouth.  MLB and the Twins in particular are going to have to earn back interest from the fans that are sceptical.  Do the owners and players really care about the fans?  Prove it.  Are the Twins going to attempt to put a major league product on the field?  Are the Twins really going to settle in at a payroll around $88 million as reported elsewhere? I'm very happy to have baseball back.  I hope the Twins Front office is too.

[terrydactyls]

1 hour ago, roger said:

Question?

There are hundreds of unsigned free agents.  I may be mistaken, but those foreign free agents cannot start the VISA process until they have a signed contract, right?  And that process can then take weeks or longer.  Expect there will be some free agents who won’t be in the country by opening day.

Your assumption about a visa is correct.  No contract = no visa.

[Minny505]

I have to say, I loved the idea of a single elimination tournament for draft order seeding for teams that did not make the real playoffs. Would have loved that! Maybe in the next CBA?

[adorduan]

Just roughly looking at the deal, it looks like they basically met half way. 

[roger]

The more I read, the Players made a ton of progress.  And appears to my old eyes that most is both reasonable and probably over due.

Haven’t seen what changes, if any, will reduce revenue sharing and ability of smaller teams to compete.  Interesting that team reps voted 26-4 to accept and the Exec Committee voted 0-8 against.  Maybe there was something to those rumors of certain agents trying to influence the outcome.  Sounds like the players took control in the end.  Hopefully that means it will be ratified.

[jimbo92107]

Rule changes:

• The three-point line is out to 60 feet. Smart.
• Catcher can now move aside and let a pitch hit the ump, but only after a bad call.
• After a balk, everybody has to stand and recite the balk rule.
• Tie games now decided by a chimpanzee, handed a loaded revolver. Similar to Australian baseball. 
• Umpire decisions can be changed if the whole audience coughs up enough money.
• If a DH strikes out, he must pitch the next inning. There must be something he can do right..!
• To keep fans awake, each team must attempt at least one trick play per game. This can include magic tricks. If they're funny.
• For Build Back Better, a trained pig will deliver new baseballs to the ump. 
• Solar panels over the dugouts will charge players' phones. 
• Electronic strike zone will sound a ship collision horn when the ump misses a ball or strike. 

[Twinsrtheworst]

Thankyou to everyone for the hard work to keep us updated.  I appreciate the fellow fan updates from Fort.  Go Twins

[AceWrigley]

Hey, has anybody done any prospect ratings?

[rv78]

I know many of you are excited that an agreement has been reached and we will have baseball in 2022 but I have gotten to the point where I don't care anymore. The greed of the players and the owners has turned me off and I won't be going to any games for quite some time, if ever again. The only thing the lockout accomplished in my book is that it showed that neither the players nor the owners care about the fans. If I could accomplish one thing, it would be to have all of the fans boycott going to any games this season. I think the players and owners think that they are the only ones in the game. It's really time to prove to them otherwise by showing them it's the fans that are the most important, not themselves!

[HerbieFan]

Halle-friggin-luyah!!!  Did the owners win??....Don't care.  Did the players win??...Don't care.  Opening day is 28 days away...that's all I care about!

[joefish]

Dilly! Dilly.

[Halsey Hall]

Kepler, Kirilloff and Arraez worked out today, and signed a ton of autographs.  Max has buffed up and on a mission.

[twinssporto]

PLAY BALL!!