Spring training start 'in grave danger' with MLB, MLBPA still not close on agreement
In an update becoming all too familiar to nervous baseball fans, it appears there remains no end in sight to the ongoing MLB lockout that threatens the start of spring training and, perhaps, regular-season games due to begin March 31.
A week after stories surfaced MLB and the MLB Players Association were still "far apart" on a deal, USA Today's Bob Nightengale and others explained the two sides met again on Tuesday with players set to report for spring training on Feb. 16.
As The Athletic's Evan Drellich tweeted, the latest negotiating session was "heated" and, in the grand scheme of things, brought the baseball community no closer to the start of preseason activities than was the case during the morning hours.
ESPN's Jeff Passan added the idea of spring training starting on time two weeks down the road is now "in grave danger" and that it would be a "miraculous" event if the owners and players put pen to paper on an agreement anytime soon.
The unofficial deadline of Tuesday for spring training to start on time is, clearly, going to come and go without an agreement between the parties. Nightengale and others have said regular-season schedules will likely be impacted if no deal is made by or shortly after March 1, which is now a mere four weeks away.
For a piece published Monday, ESPN's Jesse Rogers wrote Opening Day could still occur on time if the sides come to terms so camps can open on March 3 at the latest. While there's still hope, things appear grim as it pertains to fans being inside MLB ballparks on the final day of March.
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