Major League Baseball’s owner-imposed lockout, in its 98th day, is facing another decisive stage Wednesday. Representatives from the MLB Players Association and the league have continued negotiations after the two sides talked and swapped proposals until 3 a.m. ET Tuesday. MLB has reportedly set another self-imposed deadline this week: If a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement is reached Wednesday, players will report to spring training this weekend and play a full, 162-game season in 2022; if there’s no deal Wednesday, more regular season games will be canceled.
What’s become known as the “core economic issues,” a complicated sticking point in negotiations for almost the entirety of the labor stoppage, no longer seem to be the primary impediment to a new collective bargaining agreement. Rather, it’s the league’s desire to implement an international draft…
