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MLB Negotiations: Oops, We Are Down to 50 Games

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

At the start of Spring Training the plan was a normal 162 game season, then a deadly virus with no vaccine knocked on the door, and things quickly changed, Spring Training was not completed and the March 26 Opening Day date is now a trivia question. During these negotiations, both sides had discussed an 82 game season and 114 game season and now today it is down to a 50 game season after MLB owners rejected the 114 game season by the MLBPA. All of these plans with the same result of playing with no fans in attendance. Three divisions of ten (10) teams each, sorted by geography, with not much (if any) travel.

After the owners rejected the counter-proposal by the Players Union Association of a 114 game season, MLB owners are set to make a counter to the players that is a significantly shortened season. After reports that the owners are upset with the players proposal, and now they are coming back throwing the ball to the players with a proposal of a shorter schedule, something like 50 games. With the owners conceding to the players request for prorated salaries, instead of the percentage the owners previously proposed.

The 50 game season that the owners are proposing to the players, would represent a huge reduction in salary for the players. So these are plainly negotiations tactics, it could be that the players will settle for something more than 50 games but less than the 114 they proposed to the owners. The 50 games has not been proposed yet to the players and therefore, the next step would be their reaction.

So more than a baseball game between both sides during these negotiations, we are down close to a tennis match where the ball gets returned from one side to the other with every play. There is one thing that was, is and will always be non-negotiable, the calendar. The calendar doesn’t wait for team management or players union, every 24-hours we enter a new day and needless to say it is getting very close to “Deuce”, which in tennis is the deciding and winning point. We know they want Spring Training this month, but not late this month and start the season by July 4th weekend.

With so much happening today, baseball now has become almost like a ‘speck of dust’ in the universe. If there is no season some will blame the owners, others the players. It would be no difference from public opinion on many issues. Myself, I would blame both sides, since I am sure neither side will worry about unemployment, because these are privilege people, when it comes to economics, especially these days.

Some good news today. Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House task force member for the Covid-19 Pandemic, says the US should have 100 million Coronavirus vaccines by year’s end. Hurray! Who doesn’t like that news?

Stay well and stay tuned.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com