With the collective-bargaining agreement set to expire Dec. 1 and the owners universally expected to lock out the players — just as they did Dec. 1, 2021 — when it does, MLB released a new proposal Thursday as part of their ongoing negotiations with the MLB Players Association.
It turns out the hours before Game 4 of the American League Division Series, with the White Sox hoping to clinch a postseason-series victory in front of their home fans for the first time in 120 years, aren’t the perfect time to get thoughtful answers about the future of labor relations.
‘‘I haven’t had time to think about it,’’ Sox outfielder Tristan Peters said. ‘‘I haven’t really formulated an opinion yet.’’
‘‘Respectfully, I could not care less in this moment right now,’’ manager Will Venable said.
Notable details include shortening the regular season to 154 games, expanding the ALDS to a best-of-seven, allowing higher seeds to pick their playoff opponents and making Monday a standard day off across the majors with the exception of some limited national broadcasts.
In its response, the players’ union seized on a different, less-publicized element of the proposal.
‘‘Unfortunately, the league once again made clear that all of its proposals are contingent on the players’ agreement to a salary cap,’’ the MLBPA’s statement read, in part. ‘‘[A salary cap is] a system that guts player rights and compensation.’’
A salary cap long has been — and clearly still appears to be — a non-starter for the union. As such, discussing proposed changes to the structure of the sport contingent on the acceptance of a salary cap is more of an exercise for the public than something the players are going to engage in.
At least, that is what can be gleaned from two union representatives on the Sox’ roster respectfully declining to comment on the proposal to the Sun-Times.
You know it when you feel it
Asked about his young roster potentially getting overhyped before playing Game 3 in front of the most intense and packed crowd of their lives Wednesday, Venable seemed unconcerned.
‘‘I hadn’t thought about that,’’ he said. “We’re not going to put any governors on that or want to do anything but embrace the excitement and the energy.’’
But after the Sox struck out 19 times — a playoff record for a nine-inning game — and chased pitches out of the zone at stratospheric levels against Guardians pitchers Foster Griffin, Tim Herrin, Cade Smith and others, Venable felt the need to address it.
‘‘I’m not sure that there was anything that myself or [hitting coach Derek Shomon] or anybody else could have said to prepare them for that,’’ Venable said. ‘‘They had to experience it for themselves. So we have that experience in our back pocket now, and we’ll talk about it with the guys.’’
Twilight games?
The Sox got to host a proper nighttime ‘‘blackout game’’ in Game 4 of the ALDS on Thursday. If/when they advance to face the Rays in the AL Championship Series, the first two games at Tropicana Field will be in prime time at 7 p.m. Central.
For Games 3 and 4 at Rate Field, the start times will be 5 p.m. Central.