It seems all’s not well between the former Marlins’ president and the executive director, Tony Clark! The sixth executive director of the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) expressed his concern over the CBA expiry, citing the chance of a lockout; however, Commissioner Rob Manfred considered it a positive. Well, in response to Manfred calling the lockout a positive, Clark blamed him for throwing in negativity into the conversation, and for that, the ex-Marlins Prez David Samson has lambasted Clark.

Samson does not like the way Clark sets the goal of sitting down and negotiating in good faith, which he considers entirely stupid, to be precise. So, what’s this fuss all about? The main problem seems to be with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, or CBA, that will expire post-2026 season, hinting at a lockout phase. While Rob Manfred believed that it was ‘actually a positive’, which is quite a bizarre statement given that he is also one of the owners and representatives of the league, Clark criticizes him for bringing negativity into the talks.

Now, when asked about Clarke’s goal of sitting down and negotiating on March 1 at the “Nothing Personal with David Samson” YouTube channel, Samson said, “I always like that when you set a goal that is so stupid that it makes you sound ridiculous.” David Samson also said that the management is responsible for the lockout before the players strike, and it’s mainly because of the National Labour Relations Board rules.

 There’s a difference between why the management conducts the lockout and players waiting to call the strike, so there’s no reason Clarke called the negotiations in good faith accidentally. Meanwhile, Rob Manfred has suggested the need for a salary cap as part of the next CBA. Think that will work?

Will the introduction of a salary cap be a one-stop solution to many problems?

Although Major League Baseball consists of no salary cap but rather implements a luxury tax, Commissioner Rob Manfred feels that the salary cap can be the defining fight between the players and owners of different teams. Not to forget the multiple lockouts that happened from 1973 to 1995, and no one wants them to return either, and that’s why Tony Clarke has high expectations for the negotiations to begin by the next spring, by December 1, 2026. Otherwise, it may lead to another lockout.

As for the salary cap, the disparity between the financials and pay between the different players and teams will be negated to a certain extent. More importantly, in case a franchise even pays additional money to a single player, they may need to reduce the compensation of other players. Former Marlins’ Prez also considers the same, putting importance to revenue sharing and all, which may indeed be the solution to several problems once the CBA expires. While MLB and team owners would prefer the salary cap, Clarke seems to be against it, and this disagreement might be the cause of a lockout.

What’s your opinion on this? Let us know in the comment section below.