MLB lockout: League, union to meet again Tuesday as talks pick up

MLB and the players union didn't reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement Monday, but there's at least a sign of progress.

If only because the two sides are scheduled to meet again Tuesday.

The league and union met in person for over two hours in New York Monday — the second time they've met to negotiate since the league implemented a lockout on Dec. 2.

According to Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, the union dropped its proposal to shorten the service time necessary to make players eligible for free agency, leaving the requirement at six years. They also modified their revenue sharing proposal.

Another concession the Union made today: modifying previous proposal to cut revenue sharing by 100M. New proposal cuts by far less, estimated 30M. Had been sticking point with MLB, who thought idea of cutting revenue sharing would be problematic for smaller market teams. https://t.co/sUuZTiG8Ig
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) January 24, 2022

By cutting revenue sharing, Union hopes to reduce the incentive for small-market teams to not compete and collect money anyway.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) January 24, 2022

ESPN's Jeff Passan called the meeting "contentious."

At the risk of being Debbie Downer: Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here. The meeting was contentious. There is a lot — a lot — left to work out before there’s a new labor deal. This still could take a while.

But the fact that it didn’t go backward when it could’ve? W.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 24, 2022

Monday was the first meeting since the two sides met electronically on Jan. 13 and the first in-person meeting of the lockout. Time is running out to strike a deal before spring training. Teams are scheduled to report in less than four weeks.

Deal or no deal, perhaps the biggest news out of the day is talks didn't go backwards.