Rob Manfred hailed himself last month as a master negotiator, boasting of his flawless record in collective bargaining: four labor deals and no missed games since his hiring by Major League Baseball in 1998. If anyone had a problem with him now, Manfred strongly suggested, it was on them.
He still believes it. On Tuesday in Jupiter, Fla., Manfred, M.L.B.’s commissioner, announced that he had canceled the first two series of the regular season, a casualty of the lockout he started three months ago. Manfred insisted last month that canceling games would be a “disastrous outcome” for the sport, yet he will not own that disaster — or express any regret over failing to earn the trust of players as grievances built and tensions simmered.