MLB rejected the players association’s proposal for a 114-game season and is building internal consensus around implementing a season of roughly 50 games for full prorated pay for players, unless the union is willing to accept 82-ish games at less than proration, sources told The Post.
MLB informed the players association there would not be a formal counter to the union plan, continuing a staredown that further threatens what kind of season, if any, can be played.
The union on Sunday made a counterproposal to MLB that would call for a 114-game season and no cutbacks in prorated pay.
MLB has objected to both of those concepts. The league’s initial offer was for an 82-game regular season that concluded in September with the playoffs in the traditional October, largely out of concerns that the coronavirus could rebound with a strong wave in cooler weather and lead to the cancellation of the postseason, which is the sport’s big national TV moneymaker. The union’s plan called for the regular season to end in October with the playoffs in November.
And MLB also has been strident that it would not play that many games at full prorated salaries and incur what it said would be greater losses by playing.
During what was at times a contentious negotiation Sunday between top officials from both sides, MLB floated the notion that if full prorated salaries were a must, then the March 26 agreement between the two entities gives commissioner Rob Manfred the right to implement a season of any length, as long as it was at full prorated salaries for the players. MLB’s current concept would call for a regular season of 40-60 games, but the expectation is the league would center it more at 48-54 games.
MLB would essentially be giving the union a choice of two months of games at full prorated pay or three months worth of games at potentially more money overall, but not at a full proration.
Scott Boras, who represents some of the biggest and most influential players in the game, told The Post, “In March players compromised and gave to MLB nearly $2 billion in salary concessions — over a 40 percent salary cut — as consideration to receive a defined pro rata salary per game. MLB does not dispute that.”
MLB, though, has maintained it will not give that prorated total for its proposed 82-game season. But the commissioner is in control of the number of games and scheduling via the March 26 agreement between the sides. Thus, as long as it proves health/safety and economic feasibility requirements, MLB can impose a season of any length it desires.
But the union could provide impediments. The players, theoretically, could disagree with health/safety protocols, which need both sides’ approval. Or they could refuse to accept MLB’s desire for expanded playoffs, which almost certainly would lead to a larger payday from TV partners. The players association had offered expanded playoffs for 2020-21 as part of its presentation Sunday. But it was part of a lager proposal and can always be pulled.
But even if the players agreed to a shorter season and the full prorated pay, is that going to be self-defeating to the industry? There already are asterisk-level credibility questions that would arrive with an 82-game campaign. What if it were 48 games? Would fans think the ultimate World Series winner is truly a champ or that the stats are legitimate or that it is worth their time to care? Also, would more players stay away believing if there are questions of legitimacy why even show up and take on the risks created by the coronavirus? Would that lead to fights about service time?
There is still so much to work out and time dwindling if the goal is to begin the regular season advantageously on Independence Day weekend.