MLB’s proposal: What to know about new reported 76-game season offer
The ongoing negotiations between MLB and the MLB Players Association over the 2020 season saw a new twist Monday, when the league reportedly offered up a new 76-game proposal.
The league had reportedly previously countered the players’ reported proposal of a 114-game season with The potential season Major League Baseball envisions would run somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 regular-season games, sources told ESPN. The exact number is being considered, but the aim would be to return in July. It would be less than half of players’ proposed season length.
A number of details trickled out about the 76-game proposal Monday afternoon.
ESPN’s Karl Ravech reports that the proposal moves for players to receive 75% of their already-prorated salaries:
“Major League Baseball made an updated proposal to the MLB Players Association on Monday, moving to have a 76-game season with players getting 75% of their prorated salaries.
“[…]
“The proposal also includes a $200 million postseason pool for the players.
“The proposal would end the season no later than Oct. 31, the source said.”
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, MLB is only guaranteeing players 50% of their already-prorated salaries in the new proposal, with the final 25% contingent on playing a postseason:
The Major League Players Association on Monday considered MLB’s latest offer a “step backwards” that proposed a 76-game season while guaranteeing players 50% of their prorated pay with the opportunity of earning 75% of their salaries if there is a postseason.
Interestingly, per the Wall Street Journal’s Jared Diamond, this new proposal would net players roughly $200 million more than the first offer from MLB:
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020MLB's new proposal also involves forgiving 20% of the advance from the March agreement and getting rid of the qualifying offer and draft-pick compensation for free agents this winter.
Union estimates it would net players about $200 million more total than MLB's first proposal.
— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond)
MLB's new proposal also involves forgiving 20% of the advance from the March agreement and getting rid of the qualifying offer and draft-pick compensation for free agents this winter.
— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond) June 8, 2020
Union estimates it would net players about $200 million more total than MLB's first proposal.
The deal, however, has seen a lukewarm reception from players, who don’t seem intent on taking less than their fully prorated salaries, and would like to ideally play more games.
Per MLB reporter Jon Heyman:
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020Initial reax of players to MLB proposal: Not thrilled with it. Not at all.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman)
Initial reax of players to MLB proposal: Not thrilled with it. Not at all.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 8, 2020
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020Like in previous proposal, the player pay decreases to 50% of prorated pay if there’s no postseason. This time it goes to 50 from 75%. Last time to 50% from 60. In any case, player/agent reax to new proposal generally is not positive. Reax ranges from “small step” to “trash”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman)
Like in previous proposal, the player pay decreases to 50% of prorated pay if there’s no postseason. This time it goes to 50 from 75%. Last time to 50% from 60. In any case, player/agent reax to new proposal generally is not positive. Reax ranges from “small step” to “trash”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 8, 2020
Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen has already made his opinion on the new proposal known:
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020Lol
— andrew mccutchen (@TheCUTCH22)
Lol
— Andrew McCutchen (@TheCUTCH22) June 8, 2020
The new proposal also notably includes some coronavirus-related language, per Nightengale:
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020The proposal also requires the players to sign an acknowledgement of risk waiver while playing games during this pandemic.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale)
The proposal also requires the players to sign an acknowledgement of risk waiver while playing games during this pandemic.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 8, 2020
Ultimately, MLB seems to want to bridge the gap between a shorter season with full prorated salaries, and a longer season with deeper pay cuts. Players don’t seem interested in that idea.
Just last week, NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman examined the reported 50-game proposal, and looked at why the two parties remain at odds here in early June
The players want more games because they want an avenue to maximum prorated pay. The league wants a shorter season because teams will lose money with each additional game – and these losses in totality will equal hundreds of millions of dollars.
It’s already June 8, and the two sides still don’t seem particularly close to a deal.
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