With Spring Training right around the corner, here are the key dates you need to mark on your calendar to avoid delays. The closer we get, the more baseball we lose.
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If you’re a fan of Spring Training, then you’re going to want a deal before January 31st. At this point, a deal before then doesn’t seem likely. The bright side is that there shouldn’t be any cancelled games if they can get a deal done soon after this. Only slight delays would come at this point
Will there be Spring Training in 2022?
February 7th would be the next date you want to keep in mind. This would be the last date for a full Spring Training exhibition schedule to be played. Despite omicron surging its way through the United States, a big turnout for Spring Training is still expected.
February 28th should be on the mind of every baseball fan. In order for the season to realistically begin on time, a new CBA would be needed by February 28th. That’s also if everything goes as planned. Any little disruption and Opening Day will be delayed.
Will there be a full MLB season in 2022?
March 14th would be the last day that a full season is realistically possible. At this point, Opening Day would get delayed and some extra days would be tacked on at the end of the season to play a full 162.
The 1990 season is the perfect example of this. Opening Day was pushed back one week and 3 extra days were added at the end of the season to allow for 162 games.
Anything after this would mean a shortened season is to come…
Could there be a shortened 2022 MLB season?
While 100 games isn’t ideal, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. But at this point, a delay is the least of our worries. Considering we only had 60 games in 2020. May 2nd would have to be the deadline for the negotiations to end in order to get to a triple-digit game season.
June 13th would be the last day to implement a sort of repeat of 2020. This would mark one of the last days a 60 game season would be feasible. This would make the All Star Game a bit difficult to plan out.
The season could start with the All-Star Game just like it did in 1981 but MLB could decide to omit it altogether at that point. Another option would be to delay it to the end of the season.
Will there be a MLB season in 2022?
Everyone circle August 1st on your calendars. If there is no new CBA by then, the season won’t happen. Or better said, it shouldn’t happen. Only a 30-game season would be likely at that point but who would even want that?
All of this is speculative of course. All these dates are Mondays that would allow for 2 weeks of preparing for the season. Either way, I hope we don’t have to even break a sweat but a deal before January 31st isn’t likely and that’s the first deadline…
