The baseball stalemate continues to drag on.
The MLB owners proposed a 60-game schedule for this year. The players countered with 70 games.
The gap appears to be much too big to satisfy the owners.
There are lots of other things at play in negotiations between Major League Baseball’s owners and players trying to reach an agreement that would start a season shortened by the coronavirus pandemic, including a universal designated hitter and ads on uniforms. On Thursday, though, a day after the league proposed a 60-game season following commissioner Rob Manfred’s first actual sit-down with union executive director Tony Clark, the union proposed a package that included 70 games.
The 10-game gap is significant, with owners sources telling USA Today the proposal would be swiftly rejected.
“We delivered to Major League Baseball today a counterproposal based on a 70-game regular season which, among a number of issues, includes expanded playoffs for both 2020 and 2021,” Clark said in a statement released Thursday afternoon. “We believe this offer represents the basis for an agreement on resumption of play.”
Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark today released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/7chF9EafMO
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) June 18, 2020
Clark issued a second statement about an hour and a half later disputing an agreement was made:
“In my discussions with Rob in Arizona we explored a potential pro rata framework, but I made clear repeatedly in that meeting and after it that there were a number of significant issues with what he proposed, in particular the number of games. It is unequivocally false to suggest that any tentative agreement or other agreement was reached in that meeting. In fact, in conversations within the last 24 hours, Rob invited a counterproposal for more games that he would take back to the owners. We submitted that counterproposal today.”
Manfred said Wednesday that he reached the framework of a deal on 60 games with full prorated pay for players. The union’s counter-proposal also included $50 million in postseason revenue along with $33 million in upfront money players received before May 24, USA Today reported.
The sides are 10 games and $275 million apart.
As part of the union proposal, players would wear advertisement patches on their uniforms during all games for the first time in major league history.
Both MLB and the union proposed starting the season on July 19, and players said it should end Sept. 30, three days later than management.
Players said pitchers and catchers should report for the resumption of spring training on June 26, followed two days later by position players.
Both sides would expand use of the designated hitter to games involving National League teams, and both sides would expand the playoffs to 16 teams this year.
Contributing: Associated Press
