MLB cancels the start of the season as players and owners fail to reach a labor deal

MLB cancels the start of the season as players and owners fail to reach a labor¹ deal

Transcript²

NPR's A Martinez talks to former player Doug Glanville, who is now a baseball analyst³ for Marquee Sports Network and ESPN, about Major League Baseball canceling some games after a deal wasn't reached.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

No deal. Major League Baseball and the players union haven't yet reached a compromise on a variety of issues, so the 2022 season will not only be delayed, but the first few days of games have already been canceled. Opening day was set for March 31, but the players say they need about a month to train, and without an agreement, there's no way they can meet that deadline.

Joining us now is Doug Glanville, ESPN analyst and nine-year Major League Baseball veteran, playing for the Phillies, Cubs⁴ and Rangers⁵. Doug, in December, the league locked out players, stopping them from using facilities and kept free agents from signing new contracts. And that followed disagreements on how to divvy up an estimated 11 billion bucks⁶ in revenue. What's been the deal-breaker for both sides?

DOUG GLANVILLE: History. I just have to go back in time a little bit. You know, you're talking about a long-standing relationship that was built by labor dispute - strikes, lockouts. The sort of front in which way the relationship was defined was the gains made in the '70s, when Marvin Miller⁷ was the executive director, sort of the early first. And he had a steel industry history. And when he came in, he created a lot of these systems that have created the economic benefits that the players enjoy today that - whether arbitration⁸ or free agency. And every year, they were very successful at gaining a lot of ground, not only with new systems but with new revenue.

And what led this - to this point is the last roughly 10 years or so, the players have seen a decline in their share of revenue with respect to their salaries. It's actually been going down, a declining middle class, and they're trying to create a change in that trajectory⁹. So when you look at the history, the owners are seeing an opportunity now through what has been, quote, "labor peace" over the last 25 years, making gains on the economic side of the equation. And so now it's colliding in this moment where - you know, not willing to get over certain thresholds to get this deal done right now.

MARTINEZ: You know, Doug, it feels like sometimes baseball lags behind the NFL and the NBA in attracting and holding onto younger fans. What are the players saying about how all of this might stunt¹⁰ the game's growth?

GLANVILLE: Very concerned. You know, the players - what is so different about when I played is you're seeing veteran players promote and try to elevate the younger players. They're seeing that there's a youth movement in baseball where some of the best players on the planet are younger players, where back in the day that was like, OK, you know, be seen, not heard. You know, pay your dues. You don't really hear that from what you're seeing now. So they're actually trying to do this to not only create value where you have players that are performing but not getting paid well just because they're less than three years of service. That third year is where you had arbitration, and that's where you sort of make the big money.

And now the veteran players - and collectively they're trying to bring up that class of player and really put them on par¹¹ with their performance. And that's unique. And so they're very aware when you start losing those players or, you know, terms of not being on the field right now and losing the fact that you know, other sports, as you mentioned, are in this continuum where they're able to...

MARTINEZ: Yeah.

GLANVILLE: ...You know, play through the labor. You know, that's a big problem.

MARTINEZ: Doug, quickly, I traveled with the Dodgers¹² for 10 years, and every February, when I'd report spring training, I'd hear guys complain that it's too long. We don't need six weeks to get ready for the season. So if a deal gets done soon, can a full season still happen?

GLANVILLE: It would have to be very soon, very soon. I mean, they don't have a lot of time to get ready. You didn't need six weeks, but you can't do it in two, either.

MARTINEZ: ESPN analyst Doug Glanville. Doug, thanks a lot for the time.

GLANVILLE: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF BAEGEL'S "WATCH YOUR BACK")

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

4 cubs   

n.幼小的兽，不懂规矩的年轻人( cub的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lioness guarding her cubs 守护幼崽的母狮
• Lion cubs depend on their mother to feed them. 狮子的幼仔依靠母狮喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 rangers   

护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员

参考例句：

• Do you know where the Rangers Stadium is? 你知道Rangers体育场在哪吗？ 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Now I'm a Rangers' fan, so I like to be near the stadium. 现在我是Rangers的爱好者，所以我想离体育场近一点。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

6 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

8 arbitration   

n.调停，仲裁

参考例句：

• The wage disagreement is under arbitration.工资纠纷正在仲裁中。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding.双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

9 trajectory   

n.弹道，轨道

参考例句：

• It is not difficult to sketch the subsequent trajectory.很容易描绘出它们最终的轨迹。
• The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory.抛物体所循的路径称为它的轨道。

10 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

11 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

12 dodgers   

n.躲闪者，欺瞒者( dodger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a crackdown on fare dodgers on trains 对火车逃票者的严厉打击
• But Twain, Howells, and James were jeeringly described by Mencken as "draft-dodgers". 不过吐温、豪威尔斯和詹姆斯都是被门肯讥诮地叫做“逃避兵役的人。” 来自辞典例句