2020 has and will always be a year to remember. The coronavirus shut down all sports in March and a few are just beginning to pick back up again here in June. The NBA has come to a conclusion that they will play the remainder of their games in Orlando beginning on July 31st and the MLS is back on July 8th. So where does that leave the MLB?
Well, let’s just say that very little progress to begin a season has been made. Multiple proposals that have been sent in by both the Owners and the Players Union have been sent in, and rejected by the players. The first proposal sent out on May 31st by the MLBPA included 114 games, a 2 year expanded playoff, and gave the players the ability to opt out of the season. Declined. The second offer came on June 8th and consisted of a 76 game season, 75 percent prorated salaries, playoff pool money, and would have no MLB Draft pick compensation. Declined. The next day the MLBPA proposed a schedule of 89 games ranging from July 10 to October 11th. Declined.
The final proposal was declinded for several reasons. The first including the worries of a second wave of Covid-19 in the month of November, new broadcasting deals would have to be worked out, and a 5 million dollar fund was called upon to help social workers and minor league teams.
Players are going to take a pay cut one way or another. It’s impossible to pay the players their full salary with no fans in attendance and no revenue coming into the organization from that standpoint. Players are becoming very harsh about how much they will get paid and whether or not they will hold out on the 2020 season if a deal is to be made.
Rob Manfred has the ability to override the owners and the MLBPA to create a shorter season if a proposal is not accepted. According to ESPN.COM, the season would consist of 48 games as long as players receive their full prorated salaries.
But we as baseball fans need to keep looking up. In the words of Commissioner Rob Manfred, “I think at the end of the day the most important thing is that we play Major League Baseball in 2020. And I can tell you unequivocally we are gonna play Major League Baseball this year.”
