As much as it might feel like it, the baseball world has not completely shut down. While the thrilling rush of free-agent signings and trades from the past few days will cease for now because of the lockout, there is a lot of baseball business still to be conducted.One of the more important items comes this Sunday, when the biggest…

NEW YORK -- While the owners and Major League Baseball players intend to collectively bargain for the terms of their next agreement, one group will not be at the table during those discussions: minor leaguers.While Major League Baseball recently announced improved housing conditions across all levels of the minor leagues -- including furnished housing -- many across the minor leagues…

NEW YORK -- Within minutes of locking out players Thursday amid contentious negotiations on the next collective bargaining agreement, Major League Baseball scrubbed all remnants of player likenesses off its official properties such as MLB.com, replacing player photos with generic silhouettes.In response, players decided to lean all the way in.Players started to change their profile pictures on Twitter to the…

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Hours into Major League Baseball's first work stoppage in 26 years, commissioner Rob Manfred said the union's proposal for greater free agency and wider salary arbitration would damage small-market teams.Owners locked out players at 12:01 a.m. Thursday following the expiration of the sport's five-year collective bargaining agreement.Since 1976, players can become free agents after six seasons of…