And the MLB 2020 season negotiations begin

[cephasjames]

MLB 2020 season plan: Owners approve proposal for July start; talks reportedly begin without salary discussion

The main points of the owners' proposal (from the article):

• 82-game regional schedule and universal DH. Teams would only play games regionally (AL East only plays games in AL East and NL East).
• 30-man active rosters with a 20-player taxi squad
• 14 teams in the postseason with games played in home cities in October
• 50/50 revenue split for players and owners

As this was handed over to the player's association yesterday, we've mostly heard about the 50/50 revenue split being a probable major issue. But the first thing that stood out to me was no mention of player/staff safety. IMO, that is the paramount issue.

Thoughts?

[AnotherAlias]

I would think safety would be a key issue that needs addressing. It's a game changer...pardon the expression.

Think about it...if a player ends up sick from lack of safety precautions, he could take it back home and get his family sick, as well.

I posted a link in a thread that was tossed into the land of the baned (OTD) that mentioned 23 rule changes. I guess that was just a list of possible changes? Not sure.

It'll be interesting. I just hope they keep people safe.

[ohiodevil]

Yes! Safety better be one of their top concerns, but it should be that way for all businesses that are starting to open up their doors again for people to come back into the workplace. I hope the MLB does not just let fans come back in like nothing happened, and personally I would be fine if the games were only televised to limit the number of people in each stadium to just the players, staff and reporters/broadcasters. And I hope they do not look down or penalize a player or staff member if they do not feel comfortable coming back because they are concerned for a loved one.

[actionjackson]

Ugh. Pathetic.

[AnotherAlias]

Originally Posted by ohiodevil

Yes! Safety better be one of their top concerns, but it should be that way for all businesses that are starting to open up their doors again for people to come back into the workplace. I hope the MLB does not just let fans come back in like nothing happened, and personally I would be fine if the games were only televised to limit the number of people in each stadium to just the players, staff and reporters/broadcasters. And I hope they do not look down or penalize a player or staff member if they do not feel comfortable coming back because they are concerned for a loved one.

Yep. And just think about the bars and restaurants that will be itching for business in the surrounding areas around the parks.

Hopefully, everyone does the right thing.

[Brad K]

Would you as a player agree to split revenue with another group of people who have never divulged their finances in any detail?

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by ohiodevil

Yes! Safety better be one of their top concerns, but it should be that way for all businesses that are starting to open up their doors again for people to come back into the workplace. I hope the MLB does not just let fans come back in like nothing happened, and personally I would be fine if the games were only televised to limit the number of people in each stadium to just the players, staff and reporters/broadcasters. And I hope they do not look down or penalize a player or staff member if they do not feel comfortable coming back because they are concerned for a loved one.

I think the stands should be filled with people who are protesting stay at home orders and those who defied the orders to go to church.

[cephasjames]

MLB 2020 season negotiations: League's new economic proposal leaves union 'disappointed,' reports say

Although their original intent was to put a 50-50 revenue sharing plan on the table, the owners instead are said to have asked the players to sign off on a "sliding scale of compensation." This plan would trim the salaries of players set to make the most money in 2020... the highest-paid players would receive "perhaps less than 40% of their full-season salaries." While players making the league minimum might get all or most of their prorated salary.

Well that's a jerk move by the owners. Looks like an attempt to divide the play's union. I think the vast majority of fans will see through it.

[TheMaus2]

I hope they can work something out soon. Yes, we're looking at a bastardized MLB season but it's better than nothing, especially right now when nearly no content is being produced. Imagine near Last Dance levels of interaction for the MLB had they figured out how to put a safe product on the field. It would have been cool to come out of this lockdown with a bunch of new fans.

[CBeisbol]

Originally Posted by Brad K

I think the stands should be filled with people who are protesting stay at home orders and those who defied the orders to go to church.

Terrible idea

The people who protested the orders are more likely to be infected

Thus, they'd be more likely to infect others at the the games

Who would then be likely to infect people who did not protest the orders

[dkgo]

The owners proposal is so terrible and so obviously not close to even being considered that it makes me think they secretly don't want a season at all and have some sort of insurance policy to cover their losses.

[PocketsAintFull]

Things like this won’t help relations either...

‘A's Tell Minor Leaguers They Won't Be Paid for the Remainder of the Season’

https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/05/27/at...rest-of-season

[CBeisbol]

The MLBPA agreeing to subsidize the owners' losses would, in my opinion, be a mistake.

The owners can afford to eat it for a season or two

[neugey]

Core problem is MLB needs a salary cap and fully-realized revenue sharing. Then there would be a collective interest to get back to work on both sides. But the way it is now, with the amount of money at stake, everyone is all over the place on both sides; it's a huge mess.

[CBeisbol]

Originally Posted by neugey

Core problem is MLB needs a salary cap

The players do not need to agree to artificially restrict their earnings.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by neugey

Core problem is MLB needs a salary cap and fully-realized revenue sharing.

A better revenue sharing system that helps out the smaller markets more? Hell yeah! Salary cap? Gawd no. Please Gawd no God please. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! !!!!

Salary caps look great on the surface, but a) they suppress the salaries of the people who are the show, and b) they result in terrible, terrible trades because teams have to consult the capologist all the time to make sure everything financial balances out. I want to see rebuilding teams be able to turn things around quicker (if they have any smarts) by trading their veterans for prospects, with no regard for money (aside from perhaps sending some to the receiving team to sweeten the deal, and increase the prospect haul). There's already a soft cap anyway. That's plenty of suppression of player salaries in my view.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by neugey

Core problem is MLB needs a salary cap and fully-realized revenue sharing. Then there would be a collective interest to get back to work on both sides. But the way it is now, with the amount of money at stake, everyone is all over the place on both sides; it's a huge mess.

I don't think it has much to do with the financial stuff right now. That needs to be smoothed out for sure. But, there's this pandemic thing, particularly in the two countries that house all thirty teams. I doubt Toronto is going to be ready any time soon for baseball. I certainly wouldn't open the border at all (except for the trading of goods) until the two countries have demonstrated an ability to get a better handle on this thing.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by PocketsAintFull

Things like this won’t help relations either...

‘A's Tell Minor Leaguers They Won't Be Paid for the Remainder of the Season’

https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/05/27/at...rest-of-season

The MLBPA has never given a sh!t about players that aren't members yet. They've constantly sold them down the river at the bargaining table, and I highly doubt they've found Jesus on that one. It's always been all about the current members of the union, and screw those who haven't paid their dues yet. They don't seem to give a crap about the former members of the union who are struggling either. I really doubt they're going to change their stripes on either stance now.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by CBeisbol

Terrible idea

The people who protested the orders are more likely to be infected

Thus, they'd be more likely to infect others at the the games

Who would then be likely to infect people who did not protest the orders

I'm detecting some facetiousness in Brad's post, but just in case there wasn't...Uh...Yeah...Unless you want an absolutely out of control wildfire, while we're still on the first wave of this thing.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by cephasjames

MLB 2020 season plan: Owners approve proposal for July start; talks reportedly begin without salary discussion

The main points of the owners' proposal (from the article):

• 82-game regional schedule and universal DH. Teams would only play games regionally (AL East only plays games in AL East and NL East).
• 30-man active rosters with a 20-player taxi squad
• 14 teams in the postseason with games played in home cities in October
• 50/50 revenue split for players and owners

As this was handed over to the player's association yesterday, we've mostly heard about the 50/50 revenue split being a probable major issue. But the first thing that stood out to me was no mention of player/staff safety. IMO, that is the paramount issue.

Thoughts?

Under this plan, I would assume the teams would go back to chartering their airplanes, which are a complete cesspool of germs under normal circumstances. Let's throw a highly transmissible, and deadly virus into the mix guys. What could possibly go wrong?