PNC Park in Pittsburgh will most likely remain unused for the 2020 season as the players and owners are far apart on revenue issues and a second pay cut for the players (WPXI 11 News file photo)

So,Let’s Not Play Ball! Is this The New Normal?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Another week has come and gone, and like an old friend used to say to me all the time “the more things change, the more they stay the same” that old friend is not around anymore, and baseball is also going the same way as my old friend. Nothing to report from the MLB/owners and the MLPA/Players Union regarding the baseball situation.

The stakes are high in this art of negotiating, each side wants to get what they want, many call it a negotiating game, but just like politicians can talk forever and never get anything done, this current “negotiations” between the owners and players have not produce one grain or results. Let’s be positive and safe…so far.

It surely looks like is coming down to money, and ‘what else is new’? This is the same old flick we have seen with these protagonists. It also looks like both sides were satisfied with the plan for the health and protection of players and staff, although the player’s representative presented some additional recommendations to the owners and that was well received.

Although no deadline was imposed, sources had said all along that a deal had to be in place by the first of June, for teams to have time to report for a few weeks of Spring Training, before playing for real by the Fourth of July. Since then, some have said, negotiations could go into mid-June, and then the season would begin in August. If that is the case, everybody would see that they are just playing for money, no good faith here will be seen. You mean a season of two months? Who in the right mind will like to have the playoffs, if not for pure money since the postseason generates a lot of revenue for both sides.

I heard a good buddy telling me, “Owners should just play with replacement players”. Others said “no Minor Leagues, no problem, bring them in to play, set some rosters and play, let the regular players stay at home, since “staying at home” is “the new normal” these days and since “we are all together” is a phrase in vogue, let all the players stay together at home and give a chance to the poor inexperience players.

The problem for baseball seems to be that what is happening today is “the old normal”. A lot of distrust between owners and players like cats and dogs, oil and water.

The ultimate alternative might be the one we are headed towards anyway “Let’s Do Not Play Ball!” Wait until 2021, by then there will be no equivocation between a scientist who told us early in this pandemic one thing about the mask and then later another thing, or one model that would kill so many and then changed it later. Come Spring 2021 if there is no vaccine yet, we will know much better about the treatment of this virus and we shall be in a much better position to live with it than today.

It is just my opinion. I am sure you have your own and I respect that.

Have a great weekend

Stay well and stay tuned.