Dodgers: Justin Turner Thinks Long Lockout was Premeditated

Justin Turner believes MLB owners always planned on a drawn out lockout.

Aug 28, 2020; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner reacts after suffering an injury sliding in to second base in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner has been hesitant about providing his opinion on the lockout. This week, Turner joined his wife, Kourtney Turner, on an episode of the Holding Kourt podcast to discuss the state of the MLB.

Turner is a staunch believer in the fact that the league and owners always planned on a long, drawn out lockout as a means to leverage the MLBPA in the CBA negotiations. 

“They went into this whole offseason with the intentions of shutting the game down and trying to put the players up against the wall and force them into a corner to make bad decisions and have another bad collective bargaining agreement.”

Turner is also of the opinion that the MLB lockout was completely avoidable. 

“It’s angering because it seems like it all could have been avoided. It seems like we shouldn’t be in this position. It seems unnecessary. We could have been negotiating all winter long, and instead the commissioner decided to lock us out on December 1.”

It's difficult to say Turner is wrong after hearing MLB commissioner's Rob Manfred response when asked why the real CBA negotiations did begin until the end of February.

“I think the best answer is the question is the last ten days. We’ve been here, ready to bargain. Full committees, owners, players, for ten days and it got going two days before the deadline, that’s the best explanation I can give you.”

For what it's worth, it appears that Turner and the MLB players have at least won in the court of public opinion.