The Seattle Times · 3 days ago
As MLB lockout looms, how aggressive will Mariners be at GM Meetings?
The winter of their discontent will come at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1 when the collective bargaining agreement between the Major League Baseball owners and the MLB Players Association expires.
As part of their “negotiating” strategy, the owners will enforce a lockout of the MLBPA, effectively bringing all offseason activity to a halt and extinguishing baseball’s hot stove until a new agreement can be reached.
The looming lockout and the subsequent transaction freeze gives all 30 teams a compressed window to make their teams better until the bitter labor strife is solved.
If deadlines truly spur action, then the next three and half weeks could feature a frenzy of free-agent signings.