On the same day Orioles chairman and CEO John Angelos expressed hope that the 2022 season would still begin on time, Major League Baseball announced the postponement of early spring training games that were scheduled to begin Feb. 28.
With baseball owners electing to continue their lockout — negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement could continue while playing the new season under the terms of the previous CBA — the clock is ticking louder over the potential disruption of the start of the regular season, which is scheduled for March 31. Friday’s announcement stated all spring training games scheduled through March 4 would be canceled, but members of the owners’ bargaining committee and MLB Players Association are scheduled to resume negotiations Monday and continue them every day next week.
While baseball’s statement expressed “regret” that spring training games “must” be postponed, the union’s response noted the inaccuracy of that claim with owners having the ability to end the lockout at any time while continuing to negotiate with the union. Pitchers and catchers were scheduled to report to spring training earlier this week with multiple reports indicating a soft deadline of Feb. 28 for reaching a new labor agreement to avoid Opening Day being pushed back.
“I hope the season starts on time. I hope there’s a full schedule,” said Angelos during a Friday video call with reporters that followed the announcement of the June 12 Paul McCartney concert at Camden Yards. “That’s what the fans want. That’s what the players want. That’s what the teams want. But the collective bargaining process is just that — it’s a process. The Orioles and I are not on the labor committee. We’re not involved directly in the negotiations, so I really like to leave that to the commissioner’s office and the owners that are on the labor relations committee and our friends at the players association.
“I’m hoping for the best just like all of you are, but I can’t make any predictions. I certainly think it would be good for Baltimore and good for baseball fandom to play.”
The biggest challenges in negotiations are believed to be the competitive balance tax threshold — which has all but served as a soft cap depressing player salaries in recent years — and compensation for players prior to reaching arbitration.
During Friday’s call, Angelos also said the Orioles remain committed to reaching a long-term lease agreement with the Maryland Stadium Authority. The sides agreed last February to extend the current lease — which had been scheduled to expire at the end of 2021 — through the conclusion of the 2023 season.
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Angelos was asked Friday whether the sides expected to reach an agreement before Governor Larry Hogan leaves office next January.
“I don’t know that; I can’t predict that either,” Angelos said. “I would say that the Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority have never at any point in time — from the first minute I got together and sat down with [MSA chairman] Tom Kelso — neither one of us has ever said anything other than we can’t wait to extend and renew this public-private partnership.
“It’s been a great, great success. … Tom and I have always said, ‘We can’t wait.’ If we can do that over Governor Hogan’s term, I think that would be wonderful for everybody.”
