Mets shortstop and MLBPA executive subcommittee member Francisco Lindor says players are willing to miss games in order to come to a fair collective bargaining agreement with MLB.
“At the end of the day, we just want a good deal,” Lindor told SNY. “If that’s what it comes down to. We don’t want to do it. We want to play the full season. But if that’s what it comes down to, we will continue to come to the table and bring good things. So we’re ready.”
The league and players are meeting Saturday. Commissioner Rob Manfred stated the proposal made by the league will be in “good faith” on Thursday. Lindor had not seen Manfred’s comments at the time he responded.
“The players are very aware of everything that’s happening,” Lindor said. “They’re very educated. Everybody’s together.”
Lindor is one of eight players on the MLBPA executive subcommittee, along with Mets teammate Max Scherzer.
Earlier on Thursday, Manfred stated he believed the season will start on time and there are no current changes to the spring training schedule. Once a new CBA is reached it would take a week to begin spring training and four weeks of activity before the season starts.
“I consider missing games as a disastrous outcome for this industry,” Manfred said.
It’s one thing MLB and the MLBPA can agree upon. Hopefully, the approach of the scheduled Feb. 16 start of spring training can jumpstart things.
“You’re always one breakthrough away from making an agreement,” Manfred said.
The players union states this is the strongest they’ve ever been. They emphasize that all players know what is at stake and are prepared to fight.
The young players, the veteran players — and up and down the line, every player I’ve talked to, guys who I work out with, we’re all saying the same thing,” Scherzer told the Los Angeles Times in January. “We all believe in the same thing. Our message has galvanized us in a way that we understand what we’re fighting for. In terms of leverage … it’s more about in terms of strength of our union, this is the strongest I’ve ever seen the union in terms of the entire group of players being on the same page at the same time.”
Neither side wants to see games canceled. If they are, the players are willing to dig in for their demands.
