Baseball is finally learning from the NFL, learning what not to do. I am glad meetings are happening and happening often because the last thing baseball needs is a labor dispute. I hope a new agreement can be met shortly after the World Series.MLB and the MLB Players Association are meeting often and making progress toward a new agreement, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Heyman notes that the sides' lead negotiators, Rob Manfred of MLB and union chief Michael Weiner, are on good terms.
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on December 11th, 2011, but players and owners began negotiating toward a new agreement months ago. Commissioner Bud Selig has said he's hoping negotiations go "thoughtfully, carefully and quietly" and at this point, it appears that he may get his wish.
As always, economic issues figure to be at the forefront of the discussions. The luxury tax, revenue sharing, and rules regarding team debt will no doubt surface during negotiations. The draft could also be significantly different going forward.