The negotiating side of being Rob Manfred probably draws in the most hate he can ever have as commissioner because his name is attached to a lockout currently happening. Countless tweets demanding Manfred to be fired have been happening since the lockout started. Unfortunately, they are just a waste of Twitter space.
Why does Manfred get the hate? because he is the Commissioner. The man that represents the owners and should be telling them how to fix things and grow the game, not destroy it. https://t.co/X7BGD2iLdd — DodgersBeat (@DodgersBeat) February 15, 2022
WHY?
The owners are the ones that vote for the commissioner. They are his boss. He represents them in negotiations. Think of it as a General Manager. They can only go as far as the owner allows it. Manfred can try to convince them of ways to better their proposal but the owners don’t have to agree with it. He can only negotiate with the MLBPA as far as the owners allow him to.
Just because you don’t see the changes now doesn’t mean Manfred is just sitting there nodding to everything the owners say and thinking it’s all great. It’s easy to assume he is but I think deep down, we all know he is really trying to get a season to happen this year. Especially when 2020’s negotiations resulted in a pure poop show and a look into the current CBA negotiations.
Thanks to “Major League” I was able to watch pitchers & catchers report today. #brewers #mlb #FireManfred pic.twitter.com/UHNksQgh2i — Gorman’s Tap Room (@GormansTapRoom) February 15, 2022
IT ISN’T AN EASY JOB
Now I’m not defending Manfred. He knew what he signed up for when he was given the five years extension. But the job isn’t easy and automatically comes with more hate than praise. It’s probably why when asked about it Theo Epstein didn’t seem like he would be interested. Though that doesn’t mean he won’t take the job if voted in. You have to be prepared for everything from trying to properly handle scandals to trying to convince people why owning a team isn’t really an investment.
I’m not saying give him a break. I am saying understand that his job during negotiations is to make the owners happy and be the fall guy when the season starting on time is on the line. It’s like a lawyer representing a criminal. It’s their job to give everything they got to defend their client whether they find the person guilty or not. You can hate what the person is saying but you can’t expect them to not do their job. Manfred is doing his job whether we agree with him or not.
FIRE MANFRED…MORE LIKE KEEP DREAMING
Manfred’s contract ends after the 2024 season. Don’t hold your breath on him not being extended. The only way Manfred is no longer commissioner is if he decides to leave or the owners already have someone better in mind.
His job isn’t on thin ice because of this lockout. Remember, the owners are the ones that voted for the lockout to happen. Unanimously. They chose to try to have leverage in negotiations with it. They have the power to lift it and start Spring Training while still negotiating. If they happen to fire him before the contract is up, it’s because they found a better puppet.
Violets are blue Roses are red End the lockout Fire Rob Manfred — Suffering Baseball Fan (@dustitoff84) February 15, 2022
So if/when the next commissioner is voted in, remember, every five years he is just a pawn for the 30 Major League Baseball owners when it comes to negotiations. It won’t be any different than what Manfred has done. The job as Commissioner of Major League Baseball comes with hate and it comes immediately after signing the contract. So while you buy shirts that say “Fire Manfred” on them, remember, the owners have a say on who is the commissioner. Not you.