The scheduled meeting on Tuesday between MLB and the MLBPA was not successful. With two weeks until spring training is supposed to start a delay now feels inevitable.

The two sides met for just 90 minutes and discussion was characterized as “heated” by The Athletic‘s Evan Drellich. Owners and players participated. The league remained steadfast while the players attempted to bring change in areas like service-time manipulation and a pre-arbitration bonus pool.

It is unknown when the next core economics meeting will be.

The MLBPA dropped its request for a pre-arb bonus pool from $105 million to $100 million. MLB did not make any known amends to their initial $10 million offer. Additionally, the union modified its plans to reduce and hopefully eliminate service-time manipulation.

The union lessened the number of players who would be awarded a full year of service time. The union plan would award a full year of service time to rookies who finish in the top five in their league for Rookie of the Year, top three for reliever of the year, and make either first or second-team All-MLB. It also includes non-pitcher and non-outfielders who place top 10 at their positions in their leagues according to a WAR calculation. Pitchers, relievers, and outfielders are determined by a top 30 list. Now the union is changing top 10 to top seven and top 30 to top 20.

The owners triggered the lockout in the first place and appear willing to let this linger on through the season. It would take a herculean effort for a deal to be agreed to before the start of spring training and once that’s delayed it can only mean the potential for opening day to be pushed back grows exponentially.

The union has proposed many options to the owners for change but MLB is going to hold put and try to keep as much the same as possible. The MLBPA claims to be at the strongest it has ever been regarding the changes they’re fighting for but it’s unknown how long those players on the fringe are willing to hold out.

Tuesday’s meeting resulted in discussion of two of five main core economics proposals put forth. The other three are minimum salary, luxury tax, and a draft lottery. Time is running out and fans’ patience is wearing thin for a league that keeps embarrassing itself.

Month three of the lockout has just been entered and there are no signs it will stop before month four.