New York Yankees & Mets Players React to MLB Owners Snub

A week from Sunday is Super Bowl LVI. A few days after the NFL's biggest game, Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers were scheduled to begin spring training. The first is happening. The second is less than doubtful. Given the temperature of baseball fans these days and the ever dwindling numbers, somebody had better start talking.

According to Pete Caldera of northjersey.com and a frequent guest on The Drive with Charlie & Dan, New York Yankees left-handed relief pitcher Zack Britton on Friday put out on social media, “When attempting to negotiate a collectively bargained agreement…"bargaining" is required." Britton made the comment on his Twitter account and attached the MLB Players Association’s Friday afternoon statement rejecting the owner’s request for federal mediation to help resolve their labor dispute.

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It certainly doesn't sound like the two sides are getting any closer. In fact, it may be going in the wrong direction. There is no trust between the two sides and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has given the players no reason to trust the owners. The MLBPA statement began, “Two months after implementing their lockout, and just two days after committing to players that a counterproposal would be made, the owners refused to make a counter and instead requested mediation. After consultation with our Executive Board…we have declined this request. The clearest path to a fair and timely agreement is to get back to the table. Players stand ready to negotiate." Well, that appears to be going nowhere.

Newly acquired right-handed pitcher for the New York Mets, Max Scherzer didn't seem to think that the player's needed to negotiate further. On his Twitter account, Scherzer wrote "we don't need mediation because what we are offering to MLB is fair for both sides. 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 eliminates tanking as a winning strategy."

Strong words from both representatives from the New York baseball teams. It doesn't look good anytime soon. Baseball fans, I would recommend that you brush up on your minor league ballparks nearby, maybe your favorite NHL and NBA teams, as well as golf, NASCAR, rodeo or whatever else you want to watch in the spring because it doesn't look like Major League Baseball will be an option.