On Dec. 2, in the wake of Major League Baseball’s implemented lockout, commissioner Rob Manfred wrote “A letter to baseball fans.” In the eight-paragraph missive, one sentence stood out:
This defensive lockout was necessary because the Players Association’s vision for Major League Baseball would threaten the ability of most teams to be competitive.
Ignoring the comical claim made at the end — baseball already has a problem in regard to competitive balance, with several teams apathetic about winning — the key word comes at the beginning.
“This defensive lockout.”
For starters, a defensive lockout is an inane notion if not an oxymoron.