A return to baseball is within reach (we think ...). What that means for the KC Royals
Major League Baseball’s owners and the MLB Players Association failed to reach agreement, but those fruitless negotiations will still likely yield a 2020 season.
MLB awaits a response from the MLBPA on two critical subjects that would allow commissioner Rob Manfred to implement a 2020 schedule, per the powers given to him by an agreement previously reached between baseball and the union on March 26.
Players could report for spring training “part 2” as soon as next week.
MLB asked for the Players Association to respond by 5 p.m. (ET) Tuesday as to whether or not of them will report to camp by July 1, and whether they’ll agree on a proposed operating manual and health and safety protocols.
On Monday, the Players Association’s executive board rejected the latest proposal from MLB for a 60-game season.
In a statement Monday, the Players Association said, “Earlier this evening, the full Board reaffirmed the players’ eagerness to return to work as soon and as safely as possible. To that end we anticipate finalizing a comprehensive set of health and safety protocols with Major League Baseball in the coming days, and we await word from the league on the resumption of spring training camps and a proposed 2020 schedule.
“While we had hoped to reach a revised back to work agreement with the league, the Players remain fully committed to proceeding under our current agreement and getting back on the field for the fans, for the game, and for each other.”
On March 12, MLB announced it had suspended spring training and delayed the start of the season due to the COVID coronavirus pandemic.
On March 26, the two sides reached an agreement in which players would receive a prorated portion of their salaries and Manfred was allowed to set a schedule.
However, the sides disagreed on whether the terms of that agreement held true in a situation where regular-season games will be played without fans in attendance.
MLB has claimed it will lose $640,000 per game played without fans, and sought an work agreement with the Players Association to pay players less than a fully prorated portion of their salaries.
MLB also needed the players to agree in order to enact changes to the norm, such as expanded playoffs and the implementation of the universal designated hitter in both leagues.
Monday evening, MLB released a statement which said the owners had voted unanimously “to proceed with the 2020 season under the terms of the March 26th Agreement.”
“Today, the Major League Baseball Players Association informed us that they have rejected the agreement framework developed by Commissioner Manfred and Tony Clark,” the statement read. “Needless to say, we are disappointed by this development.
“The framework provided an opportunity for MLB and its players to work together to confront the difficulties and challenges presented by the pandemic. It gave our fans the chance to see an exciting new Postseason format.”
The statement cited several aspects of the proposal rejected by the players, including: The universal DH for two years, a guaranteed $25 million in playoff pools in 2020, $33 million in forgiven salary advances that would increase the take-home pay of 61 percent of players, overall earnings for players of 104 percent of prorated salary and the removal of expanded playoffs over the weekend “in order to address players concerns.”
While MLB waits for the union’s response before it sets a schedule, a resumption of spring training is expected to last at least three weeks. The truncated regular season wouldn’t start before until approximately the weekend of July 24.
The Kansas City Royals are expected to resume spring training at Kauffman Stadium. Last week, the club posted images and video on social media of a small group of players — including Alex Gordon, Bubba Starling and Nicky Lopez — taking part in on-field workouts from the ballpark.
This story was originally published June 23, 2020 at 10:07 AM.
