Cubs: Willson Contreras, Ian Happ among players speaking out against MLB

Prior to this winter, I never really put two and two together when it came to the league’s influence over content direction and posturing – whether that be on MLB Network or MLB Network Radio or even with major media outlets. That’s changed for me in a big way in the wake of the ongoing lockout and how MLB has attempted to manipulate the narrative and frame players as villains to the public – including Cubs fans.

If you needed the first jarring clue that Rob Manfred and the league were dropping the hammer, you got that when the lockout was instituted in December. Then, because of past criticism of Manfred, Ken Rosenthal got axed at MLB Network in early January. This week, the league requested federal mediation in talks with the MLBPA, knowing full well the players wouldn’t agree, thus giving owners a feather in their proverbial caps in the process.

But if you thought the players were going to take this laying down quietly, you’ve got another thing coming. Across the league, they’re taking to social media to connect with fans, make it clear what they’re fighting for and explain the decisions made by the Player’s Association to this point. Joining the fray are a pair of Cubs – Ian Happ and Willson Contreras.

If you weren’t aware, Happ is the Cubs’ representative with the union, and has been pretty clear about his thoughts on how things have transpired to this point. There are no talks planned between the two sides after the mediator PR stunt that stole the show this week – which means an on-time spring training start for players on the 40-man is pretty much dead in the water.

I don’t really know what else to say that hasn’t been said already. The league is doing everything in its power to make the public look at players are the enemy – which is absolutely ludicrous. Whether you agree with me in that assessment or not, the one point we can all agree on is that as long as this back-and-forth continues, we, the fans, are left out in the cold.

For a sport that’s supposedly concerned about its support and fanbase, the league is sure doing all it can to alienate the people who love the game. Hopefully, leadership comes to its senses sooner rather than later – because this is bad for MLB, the players and everyone who loves the game.