What is to stop owners from blowing it up?

Mets pay big for Peralta. Yankees get their man.

Good morning, all! I hope your Thursday is off to a terrific start!

More stories are emanating from “insiders” that MLB owners are so fed up with the Dodgers and their spending ways that they are willing to fight to the death for a salary cap in negotiations with the players association. The contract between owners and players expires on Dec. 1, 2026. From the MLBPA standpoint, any talk of a salary cap is a non-starter.

But suppose the owners are dead serious this time. Suppose they decide to blow up the entire thing and lockout the players until they cave. Both sides, remember, have deep pockets. The players, in particular, have a huge war chest. The players cut from merchandizing sales, etc., has been funneled into a pool by the association, rather than being distributed equally to each player, as in the past. In the event of a lengthly stoppage, the association is prepared to help out players in need.

And what about the minor leagues? Won’t the owners just call up the minor leaguers? Not likely. Since the last work stoppage, the minor league players have unionized. Does anyone think those players would cross a red line and risk alienation from their MLB brethren?

At first, I thought the owners were using talk of a salary cap as a negotiating tool, to extract other concessions from the players, such as more playoff teams and a reduced regular season schedule. Such a blueprint would realize more TV and streaming revenue for the owners. Now I am not so sure. Mark Walter, the multibillionaire owner of the Dodgers, has so irritated his fellow owners that they seem to be united on fighting to the death for a salary cap, even if it alienates the game’s loyal fanbase.

Baseball starts in less than a month and games will start sooner this year because of the World Baseball Classic. Fans might be advised to enjoy the games while they can, because after 2026, there may not be baseball for a long time.

Mets pay big for Peralta

The pieces are starting to fall into place, now that the big free agents are coming off the board. Late last night the New York Mets acquired Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta for a hefty price, giving up top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. The Mets will also get another pitcher.

Peralta, who is entering his walk year, was 17-6 last season. Broadcasting for the Hartford Yard Goats, I saw both Williams and Sprout and can say the Brewers made out in this deal. Granted prospects are suspects until they can prove themselves, but if these two do not make it, I will be surprised. Williams has outstanding speed, can hit, play shortstop and the outfield. Sproat can flat out pitch with a nasty fastball.

The Mets get the starter they desperately coveted to help them now and they may not be done. Do not be surprised if they make a huge bid for free agent pitcher Framber Valdez.

It may be late in the off season, but the hot stove is getting stoaked.

Yankees get their man

It took some time, but the Yankees finally landed their man. Free agent Cody Bellinger, who enjoyed a solid season with the Yankees in 2025, has finally come to terms with the Bombers, inking a five-year deal worth $162M, according to reports.

The deal includes a $20M signing bonus for the former Rookie of the Year and MVP player and an opt out after season two or season three, if their is a work stoppage in 2027. Bellinger’s agent is Scott Boras. So if he is including provisions in a contract that contain the possibility of labor unrest, what does that tell you?

Here are some other thoughts as winter is about to unleash its fury throughout the east and midwest:

• Wow, that was some news conference Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula had Wednesday, defending his firing of Sean McDermott. Word is Bills mafia is furious with Pegula for letting McDermott go. Beyond that, Pegula was all over the lot, saying he decided to fire McDermott, while walking through the locker room, following the heartbreaking OT loss to Denver in the divisional playoffs on Saturday. He then went on to blame the coaching staff for the Bills drafting wideout Keon Coleman, absolving GM Brandon Beane of that pick. Coleman, now in his second year with the Bills, had a mediocre season at best. Meanwhile, McDermott was fired and Beane was promoted to president of football operations. As the Bills prepare to move into their new stadium next season, they sound as if their operation is a mess.

• Who wouldn’t love to see McDermott become the next coach of the Baltimore Ravens? Or the Pittsburgh Steelers? Pick your AFC team. His return to Buffalo as an opposing coach would be must-see-football.

• Labor troubles may be looming over MLB, but it was announced this week that ABC will carry three regular season MLB games in 2026, marking the network’s return to airing regular season games. ABC will carry Cubs-Giants on Sunday, June 14, Yankees-Red Sox on Saturday, June 27 and Cardinals-Cubs on Sunday, August 16. Is it possible Joe Buck will call the games.

• The last time ABC aired regular seasons games was in the late 1970s and 1980s with Monday Night Baseball. Before that, ABC had an exclusive regular season Game of the Week package in 1965, before NBC swooped it away from them and held the Saturday package between 1966 through 1989. MLB nationally televised games will be shown this year on three OTA networks, ABC, NBC and FOX, in addition to cable and streaming outlets.

That is going to do it for the Thursday newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and be sure to stock up on that bread, milk and eggs!

DAN