Players seek records detailing MLB finances
Rays pitcher Snell not giving an inch
NEW YORK — Lawyers for the baseball players’ union asked Major League Baseball to submit a slew of financial documents that detail the industry’s finances, a person familiar with the request told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because neither side announced the step.
Baseball owners Monday approved a proposal that could lead to the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the
Fourth of July with a regularseason schedule of 82 games per team, including 13 against each division rival. Owners also gave the go-ahead to propose basing players’ salaries on a 50-50 revenue split, which the union says is a salary cap and a framework players will never agree to.
“It’s hopeful that we will have some Major League Baseball this summer. We are making plans about playing in empty stadiums,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said on CNN on Thursday, adding he is confident of reaching a deal with players.
The type of financial disclosure the union asked for is more common during overall collective bargaining talks, which play out for many months or years, rather than the limited negotiation time available now.
“There’s so many ways to hide the money,” Cincinnati pitcher Trevor Bauer said in a video he posted Wednesday on Twitter.
Bauer said owners could reduce ticket prices and at the same time charge more for parking garages they control through entities that do not benefit the club.
Describing himself as being only slightly lighthearted, the outspoken 29-year-old took a shot at the commissioner.
“If I’m going to have to trust my salary to Rob Manfred marketing the game to make more money for the game, I am out on that,” Bauer said. “Let me market the game and we’ll all make
more money.”
Teams made a presentation to the union Tuesday that included a dire financial forecast but no formal proposal.
Management fears even more financial difficulty if regular-season games are played, causing players to be paid their salaries, and the postseason is canceled because of a second wave of the new coronavirus. Players do not draw salaries during the postseason, when MLB receives the largest portion of its national broadcasting revenue.
Players are waiting to receive detailed medical and testing protocols from MLB. Not willing to risk becoming ill, Tampa Bay Rays All-Star pitcher Blake Snell said he would not take the mound this year if his pay is cut further.
“I’m not splitting no revenue. I want all mine,” the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner said on a Twitch stream Wednesday.
“Bro, y’all got to understand, too, because y’all going to be like: ‘Bro, play for the love of the game. Man, what’s wrong with you, bro? Money should not be a thing.’ Bro, I’m risking my life. What do you mean, ‘It should not be a thing?’ It 100% should be a thing.”
The Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory in Salt Lake City would handle MLB’s testing for the virus and promised a 24-hour turnaround.
“All of our players would be tested multiple times a week, PCR testing to determine whether or not they had the virus,” Manfred told CNN. “That testing would be supplemented less frequently by antibody testing,”
MLB’s staff has spent two months working on the testing plan. Manfred said there would be daily temperature checks and symptom analysis. If someone tests positive, they would be quarantined until they have two negative tests over 24 hours.”