Kyle Smedley is a freshman journalism and telecommunications major and writes for The Daily News. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
After hours of negotiating and extending deadlines, Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred announced March 1 the first two series of the 2022 season are canceled.
My favorite sport is baseball but this lockout doesn't dampen my love for the sport. It further cements my dislike for Manfred.
Whether it’s expressing their love for the game through bat flips or fighting for more evenly distributed pay for all players, the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) has had mounting frustration with the league for years.
The problem is clear — players don’t like the man in control. This recent ruling says more about Manfred than it does baseball.
Players aren’t the problem. Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco are all exciting young players.
Manfred doesn’t love baseball. He's strictly about business, as we saw when he called the World Series Trophy "a piece of metal" after the Houston Astros won multiple World Series' by stealing signs and cheating.
As Manfred and other MLB officials stood on the podium to announce the cancellation, Manfred laughed and joked with the reporters minutes in.
Manfred is glad the negotiations are over. He made several offers to the MLBPA and although some were favorable, he chose not to side with players.
The players want to play. Sure, they want more evenly distributed pay, but above all they want to play the game they make a living from.
Less baseball is bad for business and fans. I hope Manfred comes to his senses and is more flexible in reaching a deal with the MLBPA.
We all want to watch baseball.
It's what the fans want. The ones who have stuck around anyway.
Contact Kyle Smedley on Twitter @smedley1932 or via email at kyle.smedley@bsu.edu.
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