SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — With baseball’s collective bargaining agreement set to expire Dec. 1, trade talk and free-agent signings could go slowly this offseason.
Major league general managers gathered Monday for the start of their annual meeting, in the shadow of Camelback Mountain, with guitar music playing over speakers and the smell of mesquite in the hotel courtyard.
There is an extra level of uncertainty.
“We don’t know what rules we’re playing yet under,” Boston Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Monday.
“Knowing some of that’s important, because I don’t really know what we’re dealing with, and you wouldn’t want something thrust upon you that surprised you – that there were penalties attached that you may not like or you may like.”
Negotiators for owners and players have been meeting since spring training, and talks were set to continue this week in Arizona, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no public statements were authorized.
The sides have not reached agreement on many of the contentious issues, including management’s desire for a draft of international amateur players, the threshold where the luxury tax will start next year or whether there will be changes to the draft-pick compensation system for premier free agents.
Baseball has not had a work stoppage since 1994-95, and Commissioner Rob Manfred expresses confidence there will be an agreement by December.
“There’s certainly uncertainty until they do,” agent Scott Boras said.
“I’m sure they’re going to want to know the impact of it. Why wouldn’t you?”
With teams operating under the rules of the old agreement, Toronto sluggers Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, and New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and second baseman Neil Walker were among 10 free agents to receive $17.2 million qualifying offers Monday.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler, and Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen and third baseman Justin Turner also received the offers, as did major league home run leader Mark Trumbo of Baltimore.
Players have until next Monday to accept.
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