Drayer: Why legacy could be the key to ending MLB lockout

In the continuing labor negotiations (without negotiations) saga, Thursday at least brought some news to the MLB lockout as commissioner Rob Manfred took the podium to address the media and take questions at the owners meeting in Orlando.

Details and podcast from the latest Mariners Hot Stove on 710 ESPN Seattle

The good news? Manfred confirmed MLB and the MLBPA would meet Saturday with MLB presenting a proposal on core economic issues. The big question – and yes, it was asked with this being the 71st day of the MLB instituted lockout: What took so long?

“We have consistently tried tactics to move the process,” said Manfred. “We hoped the lockout would do it. We thought the mediation suggestion might help do it. We’ve reached out and made proposals when there were gaps. In terms of any delay in the process, that’s a mutual responsibility of the bargaining process. Phones work two ways.”

Nevermind the phone lines. I think what everyone would like to see is less “tactics” and more talk, and at this point that’s on the owners to drive. The tactic of instituting the lockout to move things along clearly did no such thing. Of course, holding off on offering a proposal in the first 42 days of the lockout doesn’t exactly suggest any sense of urgency in actually working through issues, but days away from when spring training is scheduled to begin, it’s more productive at this point to make the note and move forward.

There is plenty to read up on regarding where we are and how we got here – and Mariners pitcher Paul Sewald gave a thorough outline of what the players are seeking in his interview with 710 ESPN Seattle’s Jake and Stacy earlier this week – but in a nutshell, the compensation model is out of whack.

Related: Mariners’ Sewald explains players’ side to MLB lockout negotiations

Metrics have played a huge part in this, both in individual and team matters, with adjustments needing to be made both in the interest of fairness for compensation to players under club control and to ensure competitive balance. Can this be solved before regular season games are sacrificed?

That is the hope, Manfred said in his 22-minute media session that had those listening reaching for their calendars, calculators, and Forbes team valuations at various times. If you followed on social media, you saw most of the highlights, perhaps none more significant than this:

Remember this quote from Rob Manfred:'

"I consider missing games as a disastrous outcome for this industry."

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) February 10, 2022

Why this quote? Why would this be more than lip service? Well, because Rob Manfred said it. And while it is his job to represent the 30 owners of MLB teams, the somewhat pessimistic optimist in me wants to believe this one quote was all about Rob Manfred.

Something we haven’t heard about much in recent coverage of the labor situation is Manfred’s legacy. Understandable if that is not a concern of the baseball-less masses right now, but hard to believe it is not a concern of his. Thankfully, it appears it still is. When asked about a lack of trust players have expressed on social media with both the league and specifically him in good faith negotiations, Manfred brushed off the question before doubling back as the next was being asked.

“By the way,” he interrupted, “in the history of baseball, the only person who has made a labor agreement without a dispute, and I did four of them, was me. Somehow during those four negotiations, players and union reps figured out a way to trust me enough to make a deal. I’m the same person today as I was in 1998 when I took that labor job (Editor’s note: Manfred joined MLB as executive vice president of economics and league affairs in 1998). I don’t know what else to say in response to that.”

It can be argued that this is an element of him being out of touch, both in the importance of what is seen on social media – or more specifically who sees it (the fans) – and that this isn’t 1998 or 2002 or 2006 or 2011, and former MLBPA head Michael Weiner is not on the other side of the table. There have been tactics and attempts at playing a PR game that I believe the general baseball public is onto at this point.

Regardless, it is hard to believe Manfred would find a strike- or lockout-shortened season next to his name palatable. There is already the distinction of some dubious baseball choices happening under his watch, including a runner on second to start extra innings, seven-inning doubleheaders, taking a huge swing and largely missing on length of games, and of course the failure to reach any kind of agreement in 2020 and settling for a 60-game season. Unprecedented economic growth perhaps can salve those and potential future wounds, but it is Manfred himself who put forth his record in this press conference. It means something to him.

“I see missing games as a disastrous outcome for this industry,” Manfred said before pointing out that he holds onto the belief that an agreement can always be just one breakthrough away. “It’s my responsibility to do everything I can to make an agreement and keep the game on the field, and we are trying to do that.”

The clock is ticking.

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