Tomorrow the MLB owners and players will be sitting down to, hopefully, hash out a deal both sides can agree to. Fans around the country are ready for the postseason to begin in earnest, and that can’t happen without an agreement made by the two competing interests. Twitter has been abuzz with the news that there will be a meeting, and there has been heavy speculation that the owners are going to ask for a shorter season, as expanded playoffs and a universal DH. I am entirely on board for the DH in the NL league. However, the first two need to be left at the door.

No one wants to see less baseball in the regular season. No one wants to see an endless number of teams in the postseason, though. It’s a conundrum that only true fans will understand. 2020 was already a strange season, and many teams getting a chance at the postseason felt even weirder.

Not only was 2020 an aberration, but there were commentators who decided we needed to campaign on keeping around the expanded postseason. People were whining during the 2021 season that teams who didn’t make the playoffs should have. That is too bad. Play harder. The divisions could always be adjusted if teams feel like they are getting the shaft, but adding more teams after the regular season is lame.

While I am optimistic to see the two sides decide to show up and talk, I am apprehensive that there will be a lot of progress made on a deal. If either side chooses to not be flexible, this could be a terse meeting.