“To the fans, we will miss you most. To the younger generation of baseball players, this is for you,” MLB superstar Anthony Rizzo tweeted after the first two series of the MLB season were canceled. Currently, Major League Baseball is amid a lockout, where the players are not allowed to practice and compete in regularly scheduled practices and preseason games while a new contract is being negotiated between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). 

   Throughout past negotiations, the players have given up more and more in order to have a successful season. This time around, the players union realized how little say they have, and they are taking a stand for themselves and future generations. A primary issue with the current system of baseball is that minor league players make less than minimum wage. The players who have surpassed the minor leagues have been advocating for these young players to make a sustainable yearly income, as this may cause more players to continue playing and not have to worry about what their next meal may be.

   Additionally, many owners are aggravated with the pace of play of baseball, so they have been advocating for options such as bigger bases for more steals, banning of shifts to promote more offense, a pitch clock to force pitchers to pitch at a faster pace, as well as many other changes. The players don’t support many of these changes, so they have been using some that the owners push for as leverage to gain momentum regarding their side of the deal. 

   All in all, the league is reaching the 100-day mark since the lockout began, and the fear of more games being canceled has become more and more common by the day. We, as fans, can only hope for the best possible outcome for both the players, as well as the viewers and watchers of the sport.