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Cardinals cancel 'Winter Warm-Up' due to lockout

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jan 4, 2022 2:52 PM ET

The ongoing MLB lockout of MLB Players Association members seemingly has no immediate end in sight and is now impacting previously scheduled events.

The first week of 2022 is resembling the last month of 2021: There are no negotiating sessions currently scheduled between MLB and the players association. They have met twice in the last month since the lockout, but strictly on non-core economic issues.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 3, 2022

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals officially canceled their "Cardinals Care Winter Warm-up" set to occur Jan. 15-17 due to the work stoppage.

"The Winter Warm-Up is all about the fans interacting with the players, and unfortunately the current circumstances are keeping us from planning the event as usual," Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III said for the prepared statement.

Others clubs typically hold similar offseason gatherings that, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), allow fans to have unique meet-and-greets with players before spring training. Those interested can purchase online 50/50 raffle tickets, with proceeds going to benefit Cardinals Care youth programs.

The AP adds players are scheduled to report for spring training on Feb. 16. Previously, Evan Drellich wrote for The Athletic that players could ultimately agree to a shortened version of spring training, if necessary, that would run for roughly three weeks and mirror the "summer camp" teams and players used ahead of the pandemic-altered 2020 season.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals intend to hold a "Warm-Up" next year.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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