Playing hardball isn’t a good look in MLB’s lockout

Most people in the UK would close their curtains if a game of baseball was going on at the bottom of their garden.

The problem is, when they opened them three hours later, they would likely find the game still hadn’t bloody finished.

Last year, the average MLB fixture lasted for three hours, ten minutes and seven seconds which, in a 162-game regular season, equals more than 21 days of solid playing per club. This was in spite of attempts to shorten it.

So, at least on that front, those who run the sport have managed to reduce the time of games this season… to zero.

The March 31 season start has been pushed back to April 14, following the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the Major League Baseball Players Association, and their inability to reach agreement on a new one.

This is called a ‘Lockout’ and it does exactly what it says on the tin. Owners literally halt all activities. Players can’t even enter any team facilities, nor can contract negotiations take place. Everything is padlocked. Seriously.

Why is this happening? Let me give you exactly 140 words. Please don’t close your metaphorical curtains.

It’s complicated. Firstly, players want young ballers to get properly paid sooner, with rules changed to stop owners strategically holding players back in the Minor Leagues — this is essentially a form of youth team and reserves — so they can delay giving them that big contract.

Then, there’s tanking. Baseball operates not on a salary cap but on a Competitive Balance Tax.

If teams report a payroll above an agreed threshold, they pay a tax back to MLB that benefits less successful teams. This can provide incentive to spend way less in wages and, in essence, get paid to absolutely suck.

The key is