Rangers Notes: Latest on CBA Talks, Minor League Camp Opens
It's the 96th day of the Major League Baseball lockout. For those keeping count, it's the longest lockout and the second-longest work stoppage in baseball history. At 232 days, only the 1994-95 players' strike that wiped out the World Series is longer.
Unfortunately for everyone in the game, Monday brought no further progress toward a new collective bargaining agreement. MLB and the MLB Players Association negotiated in excess of 90 minutes on Sunday, but failed to produce any legitimate progress toward a deal. The MLBPA brought a comprehensive proposal to the table, and it impressed the owners so much a league spokesman said negotiations between the two sides are now "deadlocked."
Owners have given zero indication they'll end the lockout without a new CBA, so getting back to big league baseball is completely reliant on the two sides hammering out a deal. MLB has already canceled the first two series of the regular season, and more cancelations could be on the way later this week without an agreement in place.
If you're worried that the entire 2022 season could be scrubbed over this labor dispute, New York Yankees president Randy Levine echoed a sentiment by nearly everyone in the game while chatting on the The Michael Kay Show:
"I don’t even want to think about that. I couldn’t think about that. That’s a mind-boggling, horrid, horrid thought. Shame on all of us if it ever gets to that, shame on all of us."
-Randy Levine on any possibility the 2022 season is canceled due to the lockout
For some better baseball news, Texas Rangers minor league spring training opened in Surprise, Ariz. on Monday. The first intrasquad games in camp are scheduled for March 11, and the first games against other organizations are scheduled four days thereafter.
To kick things off o n March 15, Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers affiliates will face off. Triple-A and Double-A rosters will travel to Los Angeles' complex while both Class-A levels host games in Surprise.
In addition, the following three players are new signees who will be in minor league camp:
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- OF Sandro Fabian
- INF Nash Knight
- INF Nick Tanielu
Here is the Rangers minor league camp roster:
Courtesy of the Texas Rangers
As a reminder, minor league baseball is not affected by the MLB lockout. Only players on 40-man rosters are prohibited from participating. For those who live locally in Dallas-Fort Worth, that means Opening Day for the Frisco RoughRiders on April 8 is intact.
If no Major League Baseball is being played that day, which it probably won't be, support your local minor league teams.
Promo image: Kelly Gavin / Courtesy of the Texas Rangers
More From SI's InsideTheRangers.com:
- Reports: CBA Negotiations 'Deadlocked' Between MLB, MLBPA
- Manfred's 'Disastrous' Day Has Come as the State of Baseball Hangs in the Balance
- Mailbag: What Will The Rangers Do After This 'Stupid & Pointless' Lockout?
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