The Jerusalem Post

MLB season depends on bridging divide

Owners and players go back and forth, with number of games and pro-rated salaries the main issues

- • By BOB NIGHTENGAL­E

New day, new proposal, same ol’ nastiness.

The only difference is that Major League Baseball officials are absolutely convinced there will be a baseball season this summer.

The only real question is how many games will be played?

MLB submitted its third official proposal Monday morning to the union that calls for a 76-game season starting July 10 that will pay players 75% of their salaries if there’s a postseason, and 50% if the postseason is canceled because of the coronaviru­s pandemic. The postseason also could be increased to eight teams in each league instead of seven teams from their last proposal, if the union agrees.

The union called it a “step backwards,’’ believing that the players are being asked to take even a greater financial risk than previous proposals if there is no postseason because of COVID-19. The player came back with a proposal tooutlinin­g what would be an 89-game season calling for fully prorated salaries and includes two years of expanded playoffs. However, multiple reports also indicated the plan is expected to be rejected by owners.

MLB officials called their plan a “damn good proposal,’’ saying it increases the potential total pay from $1.43 billion compared to $1.23 billion in their previous sliding scale proposal, giving players 70.2% of their estimated $2.75 billion revenue. The owners would pay $955 million during the regular season, $393 million in postseason TV money, $50 million in a postseason players’ pool, while also permitting the union to keep $34 million – $57,000 per player – from their original $170 million in upfront payments that expired May 24. It would allow players earning the minimum $563,500 salary to retain about 92% of their pro-rated salary.

MLB, knowing that the upcoming freeagent class – led by Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts – could be substantia­lly hurt with the loss of revenue this year, also offered to waive draft pick compensati­on for free agents. Teams no longer would be permitted to submit qualifying offers for free agents, tying them to draft picks. Last winter, teams made qualifying offers to 10 players.

Certainly, the removal of draft-pick compensati­on would wipe out the excuse teams use for not seeking the greatest players on the free-agent market and would be viewed as a huge victory by the union.

The proposal also provides all players the option to not play this season. Those who are considered high-risk in suffering a severe illness because of COVID-19 will still be paid and be given service time. Any other player would not be paid or given service time.

MLB officials are adamant that the regular-season season must end by September 27, with the postseason finishing by the end of October, after speaking to medical experts who believe a second wave of the coronaviru­s will sweep across the nation again in the fall. If the postseason is canceled, MLB stands to lose about $1 billion in TV revenue.

Still, the union is seeking full pro-rated pay, particular­ly since the players are the ones taking the health risks. MLB is also asking the players to sign an “acknowledg­ment risk’’ waiver protecting the league and teams from liability if any players contract COVID-19.

While there are no hard deadlines in these negotiatio­ns, time is of the essence for baseball to play close to a half-season. Once an agreement is reached, players are expected to be given one week to report for spring training, with a three-week spring training camp. There are only 79 days on the calendar if the season starts July 10 and ends on Sept. 27.

“we need to reach an agreement by Wednesday,” MLB deputy commission­er Dan Halem wrote in a letter to lead union attorney Bruce Meyer. “While we are prepared to continue discussion past Wednesday on a season with fewer than 76 games, we simply do not have enough days to schedule a season of that length unless an agreement is reached in the next 48 hours.’’

If no agreement is reached in the next few weeks, Commission­er Rob Manfred plans to simply implement a 48-to-54game schedule that will pay players their full prorated salary under their March 26 agreement.

The union, in turn, can file a grievance while also rejecting an expanded postseason, which would result in about $750 million in postseason TV revenues instead of $1 billion with the extra round of playoffs. If MLB and the union agree to an expanded postseason, the first round would consist of a best-of-three series among the eight teams with no first-round bye.

“Look, [union lawyer] Bruce Meyer made a good deal,’’ Chicago White Sox special assistant Dennis Gilbert said. “They got a full year of major-league service. But the owners didn’t give that for nothing. The players assumed they were going to get their pro-rated salary when they came back. That was never the case without fans in the stands.’’

The owners allege they will lose $640,000 a game, per team, if players don’t take a pay cut from their prorated salaries. The union disputes the claim.

The way the math works now for the players is that if they earn 75% of their prorated salaries for 76 games, it will total $1.432 billion.

And if the players insist they receive full pay, they would earn about the same over 57 games.

So there you have it.

Will we have a 48-52 game season that will be viewed as nothing more than a marketing gimmick? Come on, there are spring-training schedules nearly as long.

There would be an asterisk on this season no matter what happens.

Or will we have a season of at least 75 games? Sure, it may be only half as long as the normal 162-game season, but it would still be viewed as a true championsh­ip season. Winning the World Series would mean just as much, if not more, than in 1981 when the Los Angeles Dodgers won the title in a split-season with the work stoppage.

The players are screaming to the world that they want to play as many games as possible.

The owners are whispering that they do, too, providing there is a pot of gold awaiting with postseason TV revenue.

Yet, if these negotiatio­ns aren’t wrapped up in the next 10 days, everyone loses.

The clock is ticking, quicker than normal it seems. (USA Today/TNS)

 ?? (Reuters) ?? THE 2020 MLB season was supposed to begin on March 26, but spring training was halted March 12 due to the spread of the coronaviru­s, and teams have yet to reconvene. The two sides have made numerous offers and counteroff­ers regarding the on-hold season.
(Reuters) THE 2020 MLB season was supposed to begin on March 26, but spring training was halted March 12 due to the spread of the coronaviru­s, and teams have yet to reconvene. The two sides have made numerous offers and counteroff­ers regarding the on-hold season.
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