MLB and the MLB Players Association reached an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement in time to save a 162-game season, albeit with a rescheduled. The deal includes quite a few changes to the structure of the sport, not the least of which is an extended postseason.
To clear up any lingering confusion about the season, schedule, and features of the new CBA, here’s a handy FAQ to keep baseball fans in the loop.
When does spring training start?
The required reporting date is the Sunday when the camps officially open. Players can report this as early as Friday.
When do spring practice games start?
Approximately March 18th. At the time of this writing, the revised spring training schedule has yet to be finalized.
Thursday, April 7th This is a week later than the originally scheduled date (March 31), which was pushed back due to labor negotiations. Games originally scheduled for March 31 to April 6 will be three games at the end of the previously scheduled regular season and nine-inning doubleheads.
What is the playoff format?
The October field was expanded from 10 teams (five in each league) to 12 teams (six in each league), with three division winners and three Wild Card teams in each league. The top two division winners in each league will advance to the division series. The remaining four teams in each league will play a best-of-three series in the so-called Wild Card round, where all three games will be in the higher seed.
There will be no re-seeding in the Division Series. The #1 seed plays the 4-5 series winner, while the #2 seed plays the 3-6 series winner.
There will be no more preliminary games (also known as Game 163) to determine playoff berths. All places in the playoffs will be determined by the tie-break formula.
Are there any changes in the rules on the field?
The big event in 2022 is the National League’s acceptance of a designated hitter. A universal DH was set for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season before the NL returned to its traditional rules for 2021. But in the future, pitchers will no longer have a place in the batting order.
Starting in 2023, the Joint Competition Committee, made up of four active players, six MLB-appointed members, and one umpire, will be tasked with making decisions on other changes such as pitching hours, limits on defensive changes, big bases, and automatic ball/ball. shock system. Any rule changes that the committee decides can be implemented with 45 days’ notice to the players.
What are the doubleheader and extra innings rules?
They go back to the pre-pandemic era. The doubleheader will be nine innings, and there will be no automatic runner at second base at the start of the extra innings.
Can teams sign free agents now?
Yes, free agency opened a little after 7:00 pm ET Thursday night when the CBA was ratified. And even after the hype that erupted in the weeks leading up to the lockout, there are still about 200 free agents, plus a few hundred more Little League free agents.
Speaking of which… who are the most free agents left?
Carlos Correa, Chris Bryant, Trevor Storey, Freddie Freeman, Clayton Kershaw, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, Carlos Rodon, Michael Conforto, Anthony Rizzo and Nelson Cruz were on MLB.com’s top 25 free agents list at the start of the offseason and remain unsigned. Powerful 27-year-old Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki is also available and is expected to face several teams head-to-head.
Now they too can be continued. Teams have been banned from continuing or starting trade negotiations during the lockout, but can now promote old and new ideas.
While successful trades during Spring Training are uncommon, this may be a unique exception. The winter trading market didn’t really develop until the lockout, but first A’s Matt Olson and third baseman Matt Chapman, Reds right-hander Sonny Gray, Cubs catcher Wilson Contreras, White Sox power Craig Kimbrel and Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermeier were just some of the names discussed before the break in action. These names – and many others – may reappear ahead of Opening Day.
There is also a lot of work. At the start of the lockout, there were 197 players who were eligible for arbitration and had submitted contracts with their clubs but had not yet signed. So their contractual situations should be resolved soon. Typically, arbitration data is exchanged in January and hearings are held in February, but this was not possible during the lockout. This year, the arbitration exchange date will be March 22, with hearings taking place during the season.
Will there be a Rule 5 draft?
No. The Rule 5 Draft, which normally takes place during the winter caucus, has been canceled this season.
What are the other important elements of a CBA?
The five-year agreement includes an increase in the minimum wage (starting at $700,000 in 2022 and rising to $780,000 by the end of the CBA), a new $50 million pre-arbitrage bonus pool to reward the best young players in the game, and increased competitiveness. balance sheet tax thresholds ($230 million in 2022, up to $244 million in 2026), a six-pick draft lottery, and limits on the number of times a player can be drafted in a season.
How will these changes affect the 2022 season?
Due to the new rule, which states that any player who finishes in the top two places in the Rookie of the Year voting will receive a full year of seniority regardless of how many days they spent in the Majors, you could see more promising players debut earlier in the season than in the past. The change in options rules is significant, as it will limit the ability of teams to constantly upgrade their lineups (especially their bullpen) when the guys are rolling back and forth from the minors.
Will there be changes in the amateur draft?
Yes, there will be a top six pick lottery, which will be the most aggressive draft lottery in the sport. (The NBA lottery has the top four players, the NHL has the top two, and the NFL doesn’t have a lottery.)
Lottery odds will be determined in reverse order of winning percentage, with the bottom three teams having an equal chance of being the best pick (16.5%). All 18 clubs that do not play in the postseason will be eligible for the lottery, although clubs that receive a share of the proceeds are ineligible for three consecutive years, and those that do not receive payments may not participate in the lottery in subsequent years. .
What about the international draft?
This issue has been postponed for now. MLB and MLBPA have until July 25 to decide whether to implement an international draft going forward. If this is agreed upon, then free agent draft pick compensation will be waived. If both parties fail to reach an agreement, then the current international signing system and the reward system for draft picks (including the qualifying offer) will remain in place.