First Pitch: Day Sixty One – Lockout

When the MLB owners initiated the current lockout, the belief was that there were two key dates for games to be played on time.

February 1st was the expected deadline for Spring Training games to begin on time. March 1st was the expected deadline for the regular season to begin on time.

Tomorrow is February 1st, and it doesn’t appear that MLB and the MLBPA are close to a deal. I also wouldn’t be surprised if we’re saying the same thing one month from today.

MLB has already discussed their willingness to lose games over the outstanding issues on the table. This soft threat continues the owner’s aggressive approach of trying to put pressure on the players to accept their terms.

The owners initiated a lockout, and that wasn’t a requirement. It was a negotiation tactic. Most casual fans won’t see this as a tactic. They’ll see this as greedy players making millions not accepting a deal.

When it comes to games being cancelled, even more pressure will hit the players. That’s not just pressure from the public that should be focused on the owners, but pressure on the wallets. The MLB owners — made up of some of the wealthiest people in the entire world — will be able to withstand the financial loss of missed games more than the players. That’s especially true of the players making the minimum, or 40-man roster players still on a minor league salary.

I’ve been thinking from the start of this process that MLB is going to lose some games in 2022, and that belief has only gotten stronger the more the owners play their games from a position of strength.

I’m personally hoping that the players hold out for what they want, as difficult as that will be.

I’m personally expecting that the 2022 MLB season will be shortened because of all of this.

Daily Links

LAST WEEK ON PIRATES PROSPECTS

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Quinn Priester: Fastball Command Key To Unlocking Full Potential

Which Pirates Prospects Displayed the Best Hitting Skills in 2021?

Looking Ahead at the Pirates’ 2022 System: Indianapolis Indians

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Promoting From Double-A to the Majors

Cal Mitchell Hoping to Force His Way Into the Pittsburgh Outfield

Cristopher Cruz Works Through Adjustments During a Rocky First Season

**PBN Podcasts: Quinn Priester vs. Roansy Contreras Plus More

**Williams: If Not Yet, Then When?

**Dueling Proposals: Where Each Side Stands Mid-Lockout (Update)

**Your Favorite Struggling Prospect Just Hasn’t Reached His Goals Yet

**The Best wRC+ Seasons in Pittsburgh Pirates History

**Card of the Day: 1931 Zee-Nut Jimmy Zinn

**This Date in Pittsburgh Pirates History: January 31st, Death to Flying Things Ferguson

PBN Updates

First Pitch: Day Fifty Six – Pittsburgh Baseball Network Updates

Song of the Day

Last Week on First Pitch

MONDAY: Lockout

TUESDAY: This Week on Pirates Prospects

WEDNESDAY: Pittsburgh Baseball Network Updates

THURSDAY: Tony Stark’s Real Superpower is ADHD

FRIDAY: The Hall of Fame

SATURDAY: Cold

SUNDAY: Afterlove

This Week on First Pitch

MONDAY: Lockout

TUESDAY: This Week on Pirates Prospects

WEDNESDAY: Pittsburgh Baseball Network Updates

THURSDAY: LOST

FRIDAY: Baseball Memories

SATURDAY: Killer Mike

SUNDAY: EndlessPursuit

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