Rob Manfred called the possibility of missing regular season games amid Major League Baseball's lockout of players "a disastrous outcome" but called himself an "optimist" and added, "I believe we will have an agreement in time to play our regular schedule."

Manfred declined to officially postpone the beginning of spring training despite the large gap between the league and players on a new collective bargaining agreement that almost ensures pitchers and catchers won't report to camps next week.

The commissioner spoke at the end of the quarterly owners meetings at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando.

"You're always one breakthrough away from making an agreement," Manfred said. "That's the art of this process. Somebody makes a move. And that's why we'll make additional moves on Saturday that creates flexibility on the other side and what seemed like a big gap on this topic or that topic isn't such a big gap anymore."