Two students decide before first period that they have such long-standing hatred and distrust that finding common ground on a persistent, ultra-vital issue feels impossible. So they are going to fight at 3 p.m. in the schoolyard.
Classes go on around them, but all the other pupils fan those flames period after period until there is no way either side could back out at 3 p.m. and avoid humiliation and other retributions. So it just becomes how beat up and bloodied one or both parties must be to concede — and the worry would be very beat up and very bloodied.
This analogy was offered by a top team official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because MLB labor is such a tinderbox that public comments could bring blowback.
But as the executive said, “We have spent four years talking about Johnny and Bobby at 3 p.m. in the schoolyard, and now both sides have to show up and how does anyone cave and save face? MLB has so clearly wanted a salary cap, and if they don’t get it now, why would the union ever take them seriously again? If (Players Association interim executive director) Bruce (Meyer) caves to a cap too early, he will never work for the union again. There is like no chance they don’t fight and fight for a long time.”
