MLB Owners Offer Another Proposal

Major League Baseball was suspended during spring training in reaction to COVID-19. Now there are efforts to make an agreement between the league and the players to resume play.
Much of the conversation and issues have not been on safety. The biggest problem that faces baseball’s return in 2020 is the money.
The first proposal did not sit right with the players’ union. Even with a shortened season, they continue to fight for the most money possible.
The league made another proposal on Monday that it hopes the players will respond to a little better. It includes a 76-game season in which the players receive 75% of their prorated salaries. It would also eliminate draft-pick compensation for free agents for a year, create a $200 million postseason pool for the players, and a guarantee that the postseason will end no later than Oct. 31.
Experts still have doubts that this will be the final form of a proposal. The players have not been quick to agree on any form of returning to play if the money isn’t right.
The offer is less in guaranteed money than the other proposal, but it is getting close to time to agree on a deal. If they can’t make ends meet soon, the players won’t make anything this year.
Odds Of Acceptance
ESPN MLB reporter Jesse Rogers answered the question: How likely are the players to accept the 76-game proposal with prorated salary proposed?
“Not likely, especially with the playoff caveat that would lower the amount if no postseason is played. The no draft-pick compensation is a nice carrot, but that’s all it is. Bottom line: The players aren’t making that much more than from the 50-game possibility that exists,” said Rogers.
Under this contract, a 75% prorated contract would mean that players are making 35.2% of their original contract. If the season were to happen in this form, MLB would need to start by at least the first week of July.
Spring training still has to occur in some capacity for these athletes. Unlike the NBA or NHL, they haven’t even started their season yet.
It’s also worth noting if many of the players are very excited about a shortened season. Fans want to see it, but a half-season or less creates a different impact.
A small injury or arm issue might not be that big of a problem in a 162-game season. But sitting out a week or two while only playing 70ish games will be a bigger worry for players and their teams.
The question many fans want to know is how much longer this is going to take. It’s not nearly as fun getting updates of negotiations as it is watching America’s Pastime.
“The longer they go, the fewer games can be played. Having said that, they still have plenty of time to get a shortened season in,” said Rogers. “Expect at most four weeks for Spring Training 2.0, which means to play 50 games, they could conceivably negotiate until July 1.”