Some owners OK calling off MLB season
Players could be pushing a group of owners toward pulling the plug on the 2020 Major League Baseball season, ESPN’S Buster Olney reports.
As tensions escalate between owners and the players association over proposals that include varying levels of modifications to the typical MLB financial model, players introduced a proposal for a longer season — 114 games — that would allow for earning more pay on a pro-rated basis.
But Olney said at least one group of owners is unwilling to budge on the previous proposal from MLB, which offered tiered salary reductions. Essentially, the highest-paid players would lose more to help prevent deeper cuts to lower-wage players.
“Sources say there is a group of owners perfectly willing to shut down the season, to slash payroll costs and reduce losses, and the disparate views among the 30 teams have been reflected in the decisions to fire and furlough. Pirates principal owner Bob Nutting used the shutdown as an avenue to suspend team contributions to employee 401K plans — savings best measured monthly in the tens of thousands of dollars rather than the millions that would actually be difference-making for a franchise probably worth at least US$1 billion. The Oakland Athletics’ John Fisher decided to eliminate the $400 weekly salaries of minor leaguers, which might save the franchise about the amount of the team’s unpaid stadium rental bill. On the other hand, clubs such as the Tigers, Padres and Royals demonstrated greater humanity, with the Royals’ John Sherman deciding to pay his minor leaguers,” Olney wrote.
While COVID -19 testing will be a condition of competition when the PGA Tour resumes next week, at-home tests before travelling to a tournament are “strongly encouraged” but not required, according to a participant resource guide issued on Monday.
The 34-page guide obtained by Reuters states players and caddies must begin self-screening for seven days prior to tournament travel.
The self-screening process includes a daily questionnaire and temperature readings. Any participant who tests positive at a tournament will only receive a stipend from the PGA if they took an at-home test before travelling and tested negative.
“Without a vaccine, we know that we cannot mitigate all risk whether at work or in our daily lives. However, the plan we are implementing is designed to reduce the risk as much as possible,” PGA commissioner Jay Monahan said in the guide.
The PGA Tour, which has been dormant since March 12, returns to action next week at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Tex.
The world’s top 5 golfers headline a stacked field at the June 11-14 tournament that’s closed to spectators.
Rory Mcilroy is the 7.5-to-1 favourite to win the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. Mcilroy (+750) is favoured ahead of Jon Rahm (+900) and Justin Thomas (+1400) at Draftkings. Tony Finau is listed at 40-1 (+4000).