What’s behind MLB’s aggressive sales pitch to fans ahead of this winter’s labor battle | CNN

Philadelphia —

There was a funny moment when MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the media before the All-Star Game this week.

Well, OK, funny might be too strong; but by the standards of a Baseball Writers Association of America meeting it was pretty good.

Asked about President Donald Trump weighing in on the ongoing MLB labor negotiations, Manfred made a noise acknowledging that this was fraught territory – the president, not the labor battle, which predictably dominated the press conference.

“This is where Pat (Courtney) always tells me to take a minute,” Manfred said, referencing his longtime chief communications officer. “So I’m going to take a minute.”