There was no deal made between MLB and MLBPA on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Tuesday’s deadline passed and the players rejected the league’s final proposal. The result of this is some regular-season games being canceled. Will there be baseball this year?
The original deadline was set to be on Monday, but was extended to Tuesday at 5 p.m. There was a belief that some progress was made, as the reason for the extension, but things didn’t work out that way.
MLB made their final offer, which consisted of approximately $500 million in additional compensation for pre-arbitration players leading to a 23 percent increase in minimum salary. Also, there would be a $30 million pre-arbitration bonus pool. The balance tax threshold would have increased to $220 million.
The MLBPA was supposedly asking for an $85 million bonus pool for pre-arbitration players and the competitive balance tax threshold to start at $238 million.
There were some agreements involved in the deal, where MLB and MLBPA were able to meet eye-to-eye. For example, MLB agreed to the union’s proposal to expand the number of eligible players to 140 pre-arbitration players. They also agreed to create a centrally funded pre-arbitration bonus pool, rewarding top-performing pre-arbitration players.
Some of the MLB proposals were a $700,00 minimum salary with a $10,000 increase per year of the deal. They also put an offer up to eliminate direct draft pick compensation for all free agents.
An expanded post-season is in play as well, where there would be 12 teams advancing. The top two teams in each league would receive a bye. The Postseason Players Pool would increase by approximately $15 million from additional games, where 50 additional players would receive postseason shares each year.
Image Courtesy of Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
There is so much more involved when it comes to the deal, but what does this lack of an agreement mean? For starters, it means that the first two series of the regular season are canceled. Commissioner Rob Manfred came to that conclusion. Now, “Opening Day” will begin no earlier than April 7. Also, spring training won’t start earlier than March 12.
Fans are stuck now. The players want to play, but can’t because of no agreement. The fans want to watch baseball, but can’t because of no agreement. Some of the players are playing at ballparks. They are doing their own private workouts. What does this mean? Players are stuck as well. They are doing their thing to keep their body going. In normal times (pre-COVID and no lockouts), teams would be in spring training right now. It is not looking good for any spring training to begin.
Hopefully baseball can be salvaged this season. The way things are going, nobody should be holding their breath.
Featured Image Courtesy of Benbellil Abdullah from easyclickers.com
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