For You Gamers

On a more positive note, Rangers’ pitcher Dane Dunning is hosting an APEX Legends Tournament on Thursday, February 24th, with NRG Content creator Lulu Lovely. The tournament and event will be at 7 pm central time on the MS society Twitch page. The event’s goal is to raise money for the National MS Society (Multiple Sclerosis). For more information on the National MS Society, you can visit their website. The event will allow players to join a team of three and one of eighteen current or retired MLB Players. Players include White Sox ace Lucas Giolito, former Ranger Derek Holland, current Rangers catcher Jose Trevino, Rays World Series Game 5 savior Brett Philips, and many more.

Save the date! @ddunning33 is hosting a @PlayApex tournament with his @MLB friends and @Twitch Partner @LuluLuvely benefiting the @mssociety. 2/24 @ 8pm EST on the MS Society’s Twitch channel. There will be giveaways, prizes & one-of-a-kind experiences https://t.co/JjlBpsBBDm pic.twitter.com/Dly7v7TrgI

— Stream to End MS (@StreamToEndMS) February 1, 2022

You can visit the event page for additional information on the event, players participating, and where you can donate. I can tell you this, MLB players are competitive beasts, so don’t take them too lightly (see the MLB The Show competition in 2020). It’ll be an evening for all to forget what could end up being a bad start to the 2022 MLB season.

The Current State of the MLB Lockout

As predicted by many, the CBA negotiations are going as smoothly as the lines at the DMV. A lot of back and forth (well, a lot of back per se) has rolled into February. If we’re going by the old date starting times, pitchers and catchers would report in less than two weeks, but now, MLB is at month two of the 2021-2022 lockout. While it seems likely Spring Training delays or doesn’t exist in 2022 along with a regular-season delay, Commissioner Rob Manfred can lift the lockout at any time, and then it’s gone time (a new CBA isn’t required). What does this mean? Well, it means that yes, Manfred and the owners can open things up at any given time (say February 17th). Therefore, things are back to normality for the fans, something we all can agree we need.

For Rangers fans who planned on heading to Arizona for Spring Training, don’t give up just yet. If you have the flexibility in your plans and your travel expenses are refundable at any time before arrival, I wouldn’t necessarily cancel those plans, at least not yet. Most team facilities have state-of-the-art technology from a conditioning standpoint. A hefty delay to Spring Training equals a pushback in the regular season, a condensed Spring Training, and possibly more injuries.

Just so you guys know… The league could lift the lockout and everything could still start on time. Bargaining could continue with spring training and the regular season underway. No agreement doesn’t mean no baseball. A lockout means no baseball. MLB fears a Union strike.

— Will Middlebrooks (@middlebrooks) February 4, 2022

The bottom line, from an on-field talent, locking the players out toward the end of February doesn’t help anyone. The Rangers’ first Spring Training game is February 26th against the Royals (and of course, it’s tentative). Each team has thirty Spring Training games on their schedule (with a few split-squad days). The question now is will Manfred and MLB allow all thirty games in February/March to play? Hopefully, I will see you Rangers’ fans in mid-March.