It's almost time to play ball, though it nearly wasn't. Baseball team owners and players reached a new contract agreement last Thursday after three months of on-and-off talks that left many wondering when the 2022 season would start – or whether it would take place at all. Spring training camps opened in Florida and Arizona a day after the deal. Exhibition games start this Friday, March 18, and end sooner than usual. Opening Day is April 7, a week later than planned. A full 162-game season will be played, thanks to clever scheduling and a few extra doubleheaders.

Under a new agreement with the players' union:

• Minimum salaries rise from $700,000 this season to $780,000 in 2026
• Postseason playoffs expand to include 12 teams
• The league creates a new bonus pool to be distributed among high-achieving newcomers with less than three years of playing time

The breakthrough follows three tense months. Players hoped for sweeping changes to a system they felt let owners increase revenue without a proportional increase in spending. After declaring a lockout (workplace closures) right after the collective bargaining agreement expired in early December, the league didn't contact the players union to talk until mid-January, 43 days later. "Who outflanked who? In my view, there's only one win, and that's an agreement," said Rob Manfred, commissioner of Major League Baseball.

Union leader says: "Our union endured the second-longest work stoppage in its history to achieve significant progress in key areas that will improve not just current players' rights and benefits, but those of generations to come." -- Tony Clark, Major League Players Association

Ex-player says: "Great news. Wonderful for our fans that baseball is back." – Ruben Amaro, Jr., past Philadelphia Phillies outfielder

Sportswriter says: "Scars probably will linger, particularly when it comes to the perception of the owners as self-interested." – Chelsea Janes, The Washington Post