For Max Scherzer, CBA negotiations are about baseball’s integrity

For Max Scherzer, who serves as an MLB Players’ Association representative, this past year’s CBA negotiations are all about maintaining the integrity of baseball. In an interview with Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, Scherzer critiqued several habits, from the practice of tanking seasons to service-time manipulation, and had plenty to say about paying younger players more, the flurry of big contracts signed before the lockout, and potential salary caps.

The star pitcher isn’t alone in his thoughts on what needs to change in the MLB.

“This is the strongest I’ve ever seen the union in terms of the entire group of players being on the same page at the same time,” he said.

When asked whether the start of the 2022 season would be pushed back, Scherzer said that any speculation there was just hearsay. In the meantime, he and his fellow ballplayers will be training and preparing for spring training as usual.

Dodgers Links

MLB.com’s writers chose Bobby Miller, a right-handed pitcher and 2020 first-rounder with impressive speed, as their top Dodgers prospect of 2022.

Should we expect Albert Pujols back with the Dodgers in 2022? Thomas Carannante at Dodger’s Way doesn’t think so.

Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough, who interviewed for the Mets’ manager job, is being considered for a bench coach role instead, writes Mike Puma of the New York Post.