In the wake of Major League Baseball’s labor shutdown that has now officially brought forth the cancellation of games per the will of Commissioner Manfred, fans must accept a hard truth: the “game above the game” is making both fall – nay, stall – like a stubborn set of dominoes.
Long ago are the days where even one holy cow of a local late catcher and shortstop pairing fiscally needed to run a Bowling Alley between championships. For this reason, the not completely dialed-in modern eye weaponizes the millions amassed by current players against them – while stupefied by their pledge to hold out for even more.
However, the issues at hand can not be blamed on just one side. Neither the players nor the owners will budge in this high-stakes game of “chicken.” Parties refuse to admit agreeing to faulted terms in the past (players) or admit they’re in it for the “tank” rather than what the tank is theoretically designed for (owners, save for former Miami Marlins CEO, Derek Jeter).
The Yankee great’s swift private airlift out of the hot seat of a franchise historically partial to fire sales this week should tell you everything you need to know, as he was the only explayer operating in this exact aisle-crossing post. The higher-ups on each side equally don’t wish to get their hands dirty, but consider purchasing the proper glove-wear needed to move an impasse beneath the paygrades they’re already unsatisfied with enough to freeze all transactional time and space.
The more focus placed on the primary cast of egos in this saga, the less exists for additional victims who only briefly held the platform and exposure during early Covid times. Minor League Baseball Players shouldn’t be living in poverty, then be made out to be the bad guy for having the audacity to show you proof of their woes.
Players have every right to want to expedite arbitration, fend off “service time manipulation” and so forth; but for a collective that should consider it their duty to speak up for the entirety of maligned ballplayers, including their cash (and penny)-poor A-ball counterparts, they’ve done a meek job thus far.
Meanwhile, owners are too busy declaring they don’t want to fork over their piece of the pie, that they’ve forgotten it’s commonplace for an establishment’s proprietor to eat for free anyway; or at least have the decency to take the leftovers to those less fortunate out back after hours.
Those affected by this ordeal don’t even get that as much. Not only do the fans deserve to consume the regular entertainment they’re accustomed to, and won’t receive potentially until Flag Day, according to some industry sources – but what about the concessions workers? Ticket scanners? Security guards? All these groups, and plenty more, have been denied the chance to make the living they need to eat in general – over this?
Players will see extra incentives tacked on to their already-accrued fortunes in the end. But what about the aforementioned ballpark worker? Who’s refunding them? At this rate, the only ones eating are the owners; sure, it’s not something desirable–but it definitely rhymes with it. That is the Message. This is The Messenger.
