Jeff Nelson was a players rep with the Mariners during the labor negotiations of 1994, and understands the battle for leverage among players and owners in 2022. But now, as MLB faces more canceled games, the former Yankee reliever says finding common ground should be at the forefront to avoid another shortened season.
“It’s all about leverage and who can get it,” Nelson told Sweeny Murti at Monday’s Thurman Munson Awards dinner. “But ultimately, it was about coming together for a deal.
“Why can’t you just meet in the middle? it’s a little bizarre how they waited so long to get together.”
The owners indeed took 43 days to come with an initial proposal, and then significantly picked up the action in the final week before their self-imposed deadline to start the regular season on time. Now, with the two sides still far apart on a number of key issues, most notably the competitive balance tax, many more games could be in jeopardy aside from the first week of games that have already been axed. But Nelson still believes a deal can get done soon, though it would likely mean a shortened season for the second time in three years.
“I still think there’s a deal done,” Nelson said. “I hate to see games being canceled. I think in 1995 we played 145, maybe we’ll see that again.”
One of the biggest issues that the players want to have addressed is fairer pay for the league’s younger players, who currently have to wait six years to reach free agency. Nelson understands that point of view, given how the league has changed since he was in the bigs.
“I think guys were making the big leagues at 23, 24, 25 years old,” Nelson said of his era. “Now, they’re making it a lot earlier…but their span in the big leagues isn’t that long. Once they get into their early 30s, it’s like ‘OK, these guys are old.’”
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