nbcsports.com file photo: Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle (right) spoke out on Tuesday saying the players concerns were safety and a vaccine is needed to guarantee safety concerns before returning back

Day One of Negotiations: Owners 0 Players Union 0

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The negotiations began today in New York. The main point of contention is two-prone. One is financial, the other health.

1-How to split the revenues if they agree to start the 82 games season during the 4th of July weekend, as the MLB/Owners proposed a 50-50 split. The players union is not happy with that arrangement.

2-The situation with Covid-19, what happens if a player gets infested, testing, local, state, federal authorities quarantines and the whole enchilada during this unprecedented time in our country.

It is said that without any revenues the owners have already lost in the hundreds-of-millions of dollars (each team) thus 2020. In 2019 the revenue in MLB was between $10 and $11 billion among all 30 teams.

If they get an agreement, the season would begin with no fans in the stands, no broadcasters and probably no baseball writers at the actual locations of the games. Television cameras at location with announcers calling the games from the studio watching on video screens. Writers could probably cover the game at home, looking at their television screens. I refer to this over a month ago, speculating how games can be covered if announcers are not on location, since I have extensive experience doing this during regular times.

Both sides did agree in one thing today. Health and safety of all involved, coaches, managers and staff, these are the primary concerns

Super agent Scott Boras said he is not telling the players to sign on this deal as proposed by MLB/Owners. Ex-Oakland Athletics reliever now with the World Champion Washington Nationals Sean Doolittle “We want to restart the season again,” Doolittle posted on Twitter again Tuesday. “We also want everyone it would require to resume a baseball season to be as safe as possible.”

Looks like both sides played by the rules, there were no ejections (that we know) but nobody scored….yet.

Stay tuned and Stay well.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Museum Vice President and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com