Rob Manfred Gifts Players Headphones to Say Sorry After Nearly Destroying Baseball

On Opening Day, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred gave every MLB player a set of Bose headphones as a bit of an apology for the contentious lockout the two sides dealt with this offseason. It was essentially a peace offering after Manfred and the owners nearly destroyed the game. I'm sure that'll make up for it.

Manfred attached a note to the gift that read:

"Please accept this gift as a small gesture of my appreciation for the hard work that comes with being a Major Leaguer and your respect for our incredible fans. Thank you for everything you do in a game that has such a rich history and deep meaning to our fans in the U.S. and around the world. Wishing you the best of luck for a successful season."

Now is where I remind you that MLB owners locking out the players was a completely unnecessary act of brinkmanship. They implemented it on December 2 ostensibly to kickstart negotiations between the two sides ... then wanted 43 days to actually make an offer to the players. The lockout could have been lifted once the two sides began negotiating, thus allowing the players to have a full spring training while a deal was hammered out. Instead the owners continued their ridiculous crusade.

Manfred has been a disaster as commissioner since he took over for Bud Selig in 2014. He mishandled the Houston Astros scandal, completely botched the start of the shortened 2020 season and nearly allowed the owners to steer the spot off a cliff this winter. The players rightfully can't stand him, and I don't think new headphones are going to change that.