MLB’s period of players becoming free agents has been relatively slow during the 2023-24 offseason. The World Series concluded in November. It is now February, and spring training camps have opened, yet some of the top players remain unsigned. Blake Snell, the current NL Cy Young winner, has yet to sign a contract. Cody Bellinger, a former MVP, is also still available. Other notable players like Jordan Montgomery, Matt Chapman, and J.D. Martinez are on the market as well. Teams have not met these players’ asking prices for various reasons. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has suggested a potential solution to this issue. According to a tweet from SNY, Manfred stated that MLB would “prefer” to have a signing period for free agents in December with a deadline that would incentivize players to agree to deals. The goal would be to have a two-week period of active and intense negotiations, preferably around the Winter Meetings. While Manfred may not be the most popular figure in baseball currently, his proposal could provide a framework for addressing the lack of activity during the offseason. Many fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of player movement, and there is merit to their concerns. The idea is to make MLB resemble the NBA in terms of sudden and intense activity within a short timeframe. However, there are still details to work out, such as determining the consequences for those who fail to reach agreements on time and the rewards for those who do. Nevertheless, the concept is a viable one in principle. At the moment, it remains just that – an idea and a potential solution to a perceived problem.
According to the Source thecoldwire.com