Owners’ proposal to save 2020 season considered a “non-starter” for players
Season at stake with owners’ economic plan swiftly rejected
Rockies reliever Scott Oberg, the team’s player representative, was asked Tuesday morning if he was encouraged that Major League Baseball could salvage part of the 2020 season.
“I’m optimistic, but I think that’s about as far as I can go,” Oberg said. “I think it’s definitely in everybody’s best interest to be able to get back on the field. From a broader perspective, as a whole, baseball might help the country to heal in some form or fashion.”
But Oberg’s comments came before MLB presented its financial proposal to the MLB Players Union on Tuesday afternoon. To say that the players were less than enthused would be an understatement.
“The players see this as a complete nonstarter,” one agent said. “It’s almost like when players and the teams go through arbitration.
“The first steps of arbitration are all about posturing. I think that’s what’s going on here.”
Tuesday was the first time the two sides have formally discussed an economic plan in an attempt to open the pandemic-shortened season by July 4. The hope is that teams could open a second “spring training” by around June 10. Time is growing short for the two sides to reach an agreement.
MLB dropped a proposed revenue-sharing plan — one the MLBPA quickly rejected — and instead introduced a sliding scale of compensation. A major league source, who has examined the proposal, said the plan cuts the salaries of the highest-paid players, with the lowest-paid players taking lesser cuts from their full prorated shares. USA Today first reported the news.
“We made a proposal to the union that is completely consistent with the economic realities facing our sport,” MLB said in a statement. “We look forward to a responsive proposal from the MLBPA.”
Mets right-hander Marcus Stroman publicly voiced his distaste for the owners’ offer.
“This season is not looking promising,” Stroman tweeted. “Keeping the mind and body ready regardless.
“Time to dive into some life-after-baseball projects. Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Brighter times remain ahead!”
While the size of the proposed pay cuts is unclear, ESPN reported that the highestpaid players could receive less than 40% of their full-season salaries. According to ESPN, a player making $35 million in 2020 (which is what Rockies star third baseman Nolan Arenado was scheduled to make) would get paid about $7.8 million. A player making $10 million would get about $2.9 million and a player making $1 million would make $434,000.
The owners and players have a major disagreement about the March agreement that came two weeks after spring training was shut down.
At that point, the MLBPA agreed to prorated salaries for the upcoming shortened season. The owners, however, claimed that the language of the agreement allowed them to revisit the issue of player pay if the season had to go on without fans in the stands.
The union has disagreed with that interpretation of the agreement.