Baseball can’t afford to lose the entire 2020 MLB season right now

It’s very possible Major League Baseball’s reported offer that including a sliding scale of prorated salaries — one that the players’ union called “extremely disappointing” — is simply a starting point in negotiations.

But after news broke on earlier this week about that offer, the message from  pitcher Marcus Stroman — who tweeted “this season is not looking promising” — was pessimism about the league coming back in 2020 at all.

Then, there were reports that “scores” of players were furious about the offer — per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (see below) — and that they wouldn’t counteroffer.

And that’s when Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer stepped in on Twitter late Wednesday night.

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— Max Scherzer (@Max_Scherzer) May 28, 2020

Scores of MLB players held a call today and were said “pretty galvanized,” in their disdain for MLB’s economic offer (reax ranged from “disappointing” to “disrespectful”); suggestion heard it doesn’t even warrant counter proposal. Some see as “part of process” but time is short.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 28, 2020

This is where the line in the sand is being drawn, although per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the MLBPA isn’t just giving up and walking away. The union will deliver its own economic proposal this week:

The Major League Baseball Players Association plans to send a proposal with economic terms to MLB by the end of the week, sources familiar with the discussion told ESPN. As @Max_Scherzer tweeted, the players do not plan to make any salary concessions.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 28, 2020

Here’s the point I want to make: some of this is, perhaps, public negotiations meant to get either side what they want.

But what if this indeed escalates to the point where there’s no 2020 season?

Maybe this is what owners are angling for, to save money on an abbreviated season that would be played without fans in the stands, all while getting die-hards to sour on millionaires who would be making fewer millions — with stars getting 77 percent of their salary cut — for a few months.

But the game of baseball itself, which was already declining in popularity and had MLB scrambling to tweak rules to shorten games and reduce the number of pitching changes in recent years, would be in serious trouble.

I keep thinking of 1994, when the strike delivered a huge blow to the game that was only saved by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa chasing and breaking Roger Maris’s home run record in 1998.

A loss of an entire season while the NBA, NHL and NFL find a way back in a year when sports fans are so desperate for their leagues to return? That would be devastating, to say the least. And if this gets even more acrimonious? Let’s all remember the collective bargaining agreement will expire in 2021. There could be much more labor strife ahead.

If the MLB owners and players don’t come to an agreement this week it will be DETRIMENTAL to the sport:

– likely no baseball in 2020
– rising tensions as we approach the 2021 CBA expiration
– younger viewership already losing interest, this adds to it

Basically everyone loses.

— Dusty Baker (@DustyBakerTV) May 27, 2020

The hope is that this is just a first offer followed by negotiation, and not a monumental blow to the game.