MLB executive downplays talk of potential lockout
Though it's an unlikely possibility, the idea of a potential lockout is rocking the baseball world.
With a Dec. 1 deadline looming and no collective bargaining agreement in sight, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports broke word late Tuesday night that the owners could lock out the players if a deal isn't struck in time.
It's not totally clear what the issue is between the two sides, but one MLB executive thinks the whole thing is getting overblown.
“I would be surprised if it came to a lockout,” the executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said to Maury Brown of Forbes. “Both sides are going to protect what is in their best interest. At the same time, everyone on both sides is aware of the prosperity that’s been built up through lengthy labor peace.”
Even after the news broke, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred reaffirmed that he has no doubt a deal will get done.
“In terms of trying to make a deal, 10 days is plenty of time,” Manfred told Joel Sherman of the New York Post.