MLB’s Newest Proposal Is For a 76 Game Season. Players Still Unhappy.
By Max Rayman
After the MLBPA’s most recent proposal was turned down, it was MLB’s turn to step up. There most recent proposal is for a 76 game season. Will both sides finally come to an agreement?
MLB and the MLBPA have been going back and forth over the past two months, with neither side budging. While both sides want to play this season, money has been the biggest issue. The original agreement back in May would pay the players prorated salaries based on the number of games played. Fast forward a few weeks and the owners asked the players to take extended pay cuts, on top of what was already agreed upon. Due to this, both sides have been far apart on an agreement. CBS Sports wrote up a detailed timeline of all the disagreements between the two.
Last week the MLBPA came up with their latest proposal, a 114 game season, which would include no more pay cuts. According to CBS Sports,
"“In the union proposal, the 2020 MLB season would consist of 114 games from June 30 to Oct. 31. Other key parts of the plan include every player having the right to opt out of participating in a 2020 season and a salary deferral plan in the event that the postseason is canceled or shortened due to another wave of COVID-19. The proposal also calls for two years of expanded playoffs, and for the players to receive a $100 million advance during the second spring training.”"
A few days after, the owners unsurprisingly rejected the deal. The owners followed it up by stating they were willing to go back to the original agreement of paying the players prorated salaries based on the number of games played. However, the catch was MLB was looking at a season closer to 50 games.
Fast forward to today, and MLB’s newest proposal was announced.
MLB has made proposal to Players. 75 percent Prorated salary. 76 game season. Playoff pool money. No draft pick compensation for signing player. Season finishes September 27th. Post season ends at end of October. Significant move towards players demands and effort to play more.
— Karl Ravech (@karlravechespn) June 8, 2020
The new proposal is intriguing due to getting rid of draft pick compensation for a player signing with a new team. Recently, this has caused players to be left out without a home, due to teams being scared off. Teams still losing a player would receive compensation but, the teams that signed the player would not have to give up a top pick. Now, for the time being, players will be able to find new homes more easily.
However, while this new proposal has an increase in games, MLB is still trying to implement extra pay cuts. Shortly after the proposal was released, the players rejected the proposal.
Put another way, MLB’s offer can be said to represent a 50 percent per-game pay cut with a potential upside of a 25 percent cut.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) June 8, 2020
Some of the players already took to social media to express their displeasure. MLB has found a way to continually lowball the players as seen by Mike Axisa of CBS Sports.
- 82 games at sliding scale = ~33% salary
— Mike Axisa (@mikeaxisa) June 8, 2020
- 50 games at prorated pay = ~33% salary
- 76 games at 75% prorated pay = (drumroll) ~33% salary
It all comes back to the same place. MLB keeps making the same offer in different forms. https://t.co/DVfURfN50f
It seems likely, the league will have to eventually step in. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN,
"“If the sides are unable to agree to a deal, the league has the ability to implement a schedule of its desired length. It has focused recently on a potential 48-game season, sources told ESPN.”"
For a deal to be agreed upon, MLB will need to limit the number of pay cuts, while the players will need to agree to a compromise of sorts. After all, everyone just wants baseball back.