Putting aside the blame game, MLB really gave itself a black eye and missed a big opportunity. After months of enduring shared sacrifice to confront the pandemic (and constantly being told during commercial breaks "we're all in this together"), the public had little appetite or patience for a squabble over money between wealthy people. And, absolutely blew the opportunity to have a July 4th opening which would have been a wonderful salve for all of our national turmoil. Meanwhile, the NBA, NHL and MLS seemingly find a way to easily get things back on track making MLB look all the more dysfunctional. If we are able to complete the season and have a WS, much of this will probably be forgiven and forgotten, like the pre-1994 work stoppages. But, the fan anger is real now.
Many believe Manfred is a weak commissioner and he probably is. If baseball commissioners are compared to popes, Selig was probably John Paul II while Manfred is Benedict the XVI, the custodial figure whose mission is backwards-looking, namely to guard his mentor-predecessor's legacy. Sometime soon, the game will really need a Francis. Meanwhile, Clark gave away the farm in the last CBA and the livid agents know it and they have their clients' ears. He may have been on the hot seat before all of this. To make up for things, I think Clark is overcompensating by being a little too much of a "badbutt" now.
