A lockout would halt any post-season moves by teams like free agent signings and trades. The winter meetings, scheduled Dec. 4-8 in Washington D.C., might go as scheduled according to Rosenthal, but the usual frenzy of deal making will be absent.
Rosenthal said owners are frustrated with the union over the slow pace of discussions.
Commissioner Rob Manfred told Rosenthal, “We don’t negotiate in the press. We remain committed to the idea that we’re going to make an agreement before expiration.”
Owners have wanted to resolve to league issues by eliminating direct draft-pick compensation in free agency in exchange for an international draft. Players rejected the proposal. The union and owners are also at odds over the competitive-balance tax, and the Joint Drug Agreement. Players spoke during the season of a strong drug program during the season, but the union would want the league to make concessions elsewhere.
Baseball hasn’t had a work stoppage since 1994, when a strike canceled the World Series. Fan backlash hit MLB hard in terms of attendance and ratings.
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