D-Backs’ Nick Ahmed ‘frustrated’ by timing of CBA negotiations

Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed did not sound surprised he and his fellow players were unable to reach an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, but he did seem annoyed by the way it played out.

“With the negotiations not getting serious at all until 24 to 36 hours before the deadline and then them sending proposals over at midnight — it just felt like the timeline wasn’t handled well,” Ahmed said Wednesday. “That part of it is really frustrating.”

Ahmed was speaking a day after commissioner Rob Manfred announced the cancellation of the first two series of the regular season due to the labor dispute. Owners locked out the players on Dec. 1 and the sides have remained unable to reach agreement on a variety of issues, most of which revolve around the financial structure of the game.

Ahmed, the Diamondbacks’ union representative, was not among the handful of players in Florida for the most recent round of negotiations, but has been involved from afar, participating in players’ association calls and serving as a liaison to his teammates. He said he thinks players are more united now than they have been at any point in his career.

“I think the guys that originally had a tough time with some things were the ones that were not educated enough,” Ahmed said. “The more they did get educated and understand what’s actually happening, they jumped on board. Everybody is pulling in the same direction and fighting for each other, which is amazing to see.”

Ahmed said the things he wants out of a new deal are the same as those being voiced by other union leaders -- namely, changes that address competitive integrity, better pay for less experienced players and a higher competitive balance tax (CBT) threshold that more closely aligns with the sport’s growing revenue.

“The industry is continuing to do extremely well,” Ahmed said. “Owners are extremely profitable off owning franchises. We just want to see things operate the way that they’re intended to, with the CBT functioning as a cap on the runaway spending and not as a restriction on the big-market teams going out and signing players they want to sign.”

Owners are resistant to raising the CBT, which triggers a tax on teams that exceed it, because, they argue, it would create further disparity in the game between large- and small-market teams.

“We have a payroll disparity problem,” Manfred said Tuesday, “and to weaken the only mechanism in the agreement that’s designed to promote some semblance of competitive balance is just something that I don’t think the club group is prepared to do right now.”

Said Ahmed: “I think a lot of it gets pegged on us — and we’re asking for a lot of things. But the owners and the league are asking for a lot, as well. We’ve agreed to give them things like expanded playoffs, if the structure looks right, and (advertising) patches and decals that are going to bring in a lot of money to their side of the equation as long as things are moving in our direction on certain things, as well.

“It’s a give and take on both sides and we just want a fair deal that’s going to operate the best for the game now and for future generations, as well.”

Ahmed said he and the rest of his teammates will be ready to get started as soon as a deal is reached.

“No one wants to be in this spot,” he said. “As players, we love the game. We want to play the game.”

Lawlar update

Diamondbacks shortstop prospect Jordan Lawlar, who underwent surgery last September to repair a labrum tear in his left shoulder, said he is on track to be ready to go for the start of the minor league season.

“I’m feeling really good,” Lawlar said. He added, “I’m feeling like a baseball player again.”

Lawlar said he mostly is back to full baseball activities, though he is still ramping up his swing progression. He hopes that within the next few weeks he’ll be ready to face live pitching, putting him on target for the April 8 opener.

Lawlar, 19, was the sixth overall pick in last year’s draft. He suffered a shoulder injury just two games into his professional career, though he isn’t sure whether it occurred on a dive or a swing.

Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or nick.piecoro@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: D-Backs’ Nick Ahmed ‘frustrated’ by timing of CBA negotiations