The MLB Lockout and What it Means for the Guardians

In what can only be described as a poorly written episode of the Twilight Zone, the MLB has entered their first “lockout” or work stoppage since the 1994-1995 lockout that deprived fans of the 1994 World Series.

It’s a bad look for the billionaire owners, it’s a bad look for the millionaire players but who does it hurt most? 

The fans. They are the ones who pay the money to go to games, buy jerseys, etc. Moreover, by and large they do not care about rich people who play a children’s game for a living arguing over money.

This is the second instance in the last two years where baseball simply cannot get out of its own way. In the COVID-19 shortened season of 2020 similar negotiations delayed the start of the season until the end of July. Fair or unfair, baseball is a sport that already trails both the NFL and the NBA in terms of “casual” fandom, petty arguments like this only hurt interest in the game.

So, what does this mean for the Cleveland Guardians as they look towards beginning their inaugural season?

As of midnight last night, it means that they cannot attempt to make any moves to improve the team. Not that Paul Dolan had any proclivity towards making any moves anyways. It means that all the excitement around rebranding and turning the page on a disappointing 2021 season is on hold until the lockout is over.

It means that fans will not even know who is going to be on this roster for potentially months on end as no baseball activities can take place, it means players that are rehabbing are forced to seek out their own treatment. Perhaps most disappointingly it leaves the last thought of Guardians baseball for 2021 of Jose Ramirez being the only player left from the 2016 WS run.

Figure it out Rob Manfred, MLBPA, and whoever else needs to end this nonsense.