August 14, 2002

So much for sanity.: Although the MLB players elected not to set a hard strike date earlier this week, the Washington Post reports that the strike date will be set to August 30th if no progress is made in the talks by this Friday. One imagines the leak is purposeful, to put some pressure on the owners without actually taking the dangerous step of choosing a date.

posted by Bryant to baseball at 01:01 PM - 4 comments

How is that insane? Not setting a strike date (given that it represents the only leverage the players' union has) was crazy.

posted by yerfatma at 09:31 AM on August 15, 2002

It's mutual assured destruction. Killing the season will make fans that much unhappier; better to give themselves more time to negotiate and set the strike date after the season is over.

posted by Bryant at 12:01 PM on August 15, 2002

There is no strength in setting a strike date after the season is over. If baseball doesn't go on strike this season, the owners will lock them out before the start of next season. They will have all the leverage and the players union will get bent over the table and abused rather harshly. And the players and the owners don't care if the fans are "happy" about a strike/lockout. All they care is making sure they get something in the next deal that favours their side. If it means "mutual destruction", so be it. It's not rational, but it's the way it is.

posted by grum@work at 01:08 PM on August 15, 2002

Yeah, grum -- that's more or less my point. The lack of sanity applies to both sides of the dispute.

posted by Bryant at 05:34 PM on August 15, 2002

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