CBA negotiations at mid-point in baseball lead to early pessimism and disdain – The Athletic

CLEVELAND – The unprecedented mid-term negotiations between the Major League Baseball and the Players' Association may be nothing more than war games, exercises that help both sides prepare for a time when the calendar forces them to go somewhere.

The discussions have not even begun in earnest, but questions of tone and intent are already being asked on both sides. The mutual disdain of the parties is in the open.

For the moment, there is little reason to be optimistic that these discussions will produce changes sooner than expected. After a meeting, the parties plan to meet again in the near future to discuss a collective agreement that only expires after the 2021 season.

The current content of the conversations does not make a work stoppage inevitable; it does not even mean that these mid-term negotiations will indeed be fruitless. Commissioner Rob Manfred and Union President Tony Clark embark on an unprecedented adventure …