“Players remained engaged from beginning to end” – Tony Clark on MLBPA’s efforts during lockout

“Players remained engaged from beginning to end” – Tony Clark on MLBPA’s efforts during lockout

Tony Clark

The Major League Baseball Players Association (MPBPA) executive director Tony Clark addressed the media on Friday about the process that led to the deal that will allow MLB Opening Day to occur on April 7. Clark went on to confirm that commissioner Rob Manfred called him on Thursday after the lockout ended to congratulate the union on the newly ratified deal after a contentious 99-day negotiating period.

“Our union withstood the second-longest work stoppage in its history to achieve significant progress in key areas that will improve not just current players’ rights and benefits, but those of generations to come. Players remained engaged and unified from beginning to end, and in the process reenergized our fraternity,” Clark said in a statement.

“I’m not going to get into our internal deliberations,” he added. “You call it a division. I call it a healthy dialogue and conversation. At the end of the day, each player rep, the executive subcommittee, all had a common goal in improving the system.”

“It’s difficult, but we’re never going to give up”

Bruce Meyer and Tony Clark
Bruce Meyer and Tony Clark

MLB is the only major professional league in North America without a salary cap, but many have stated that the current CBT system will continue. Adding to what Clarke had said, Bruce Meyer, MLB senior director, reckoned that their organisation persisted even in the toughest of times.

“It’s difficult, but we’re never going to give up on some of those things,” said Meyer, senior director of collective bargaining and legal for the MLBPA, when discussing the timing of free agency and arbitration. “This is the labour process. We have determined adversaries on the other side, all of whom are billionaires and have enormous resources.”