PHILADELPHIA — Never mind the six weeks of radio silence from Major League Baseball, or the lead balloon proposed by the owners last Thursday, or the saber-rattling that is sure to ensue once collective bargaining picks up for real over the next few weeks. Baseball fans, especially those with midwinter vacation plans to Florida or Arizona, really care about one thing.
Will spring training start on time?
Everything else, from arbitration and free-agent eligibility to the luxury tax and revenue sharing, pales in comparison to that singular question — and the one that will inevitably follow: Is the season in jeopardy of being delayed? It’s premature to scrap those spring-training trips entirely, but, well, let’s just say you would be wise to get refundable plane tickets.
