MLB proposes 76-game season; players call it a ‘step backwards’

MLB’s latest offer would eliminate the loss of draft picks for teams that sign qualified free agents this fall, a change that would be valuable for some players in what is expected to be a difficult market.

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Major League Baseball owners have offered the players a new plan that would include a 76-game season and guarantee up to 75% of salaries.

Major League Baseball owners have offered the players a new plan that would include a 76-game season and guarantee up to 75% of salaries.

Ross D. Franklin/AP

The Major League Players Association on Monday considered MLB’s latest offer a “step backwards” that proposed a 76-game season while guaranteeing players 50% of their prorated pay with the opportunity of earning 75% of their salaries if there is a postseason, two people with direct knowledge of the offer told USA TODAY Sports.

The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly with the negotiations ongoing.

The Associated Press reported that MLB also proposed expanding the playoffs from 10 teams to as many as 16.

The proposal, which was first reported in a tweet by ESPN broadcaster Karl Ravech, would also eliminate draft pick compensation in free agency, which would buoy free agency this winter, while also including postseason pool money.

MLB originally proposed an 82-game season with a sliding scale that would require the highest-paid players to take the biggest pay cuts. It was swiftly rejected by the union two weeks ago. The union’s last proposal was for a 114-game season with the players receiving their full salaries.

“If the players desire to accept this proposal, we need to reach an agreement by Wednesday,” Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem wrote in a letter to union negotiator Bruce Meyer that was obtained by The Associated Press. “While we understand that it is a relatively short time frame, we cannot waste any additional days if we are to have sufficient time for players to travel to spring training, conduct COVID-19 testing and education, conduct a COVID-19 testing and education, conduct a spring training of an appropriate length, and schedule a 76-game season that ends no later than Sept. 27.”

“While we are prepared to continue discussion past Wednesday on a season with fewer than 76 games, we simply do not have enough days to schedule a season of that length unless an agreement is reached in the next 48 hours,” he added.

If no agreement is reached, MLB believes it has the right to implement a 48-to-54-game schedule that will pay players their full prorated salary under their March 26 agreement.

“Look, (union lawyer) Bruce Meyer made a good deal,” White Sox special assistant Dennis Gilbert said. “They got a full year of major-league service. But the owners didn’t give that for nothing. The players assumed they were going to get their pro-rated salary when they came back. That was never the case without fans in the stands.”

The players union still is insisting on players receiving their full salaries, while the owners believe they will lose $640,000 a game, per team, if players don’t take a pay cut from their prorated salaries.

There is no hard deadline for the two sides to reach an agreement. But the regular season would need to start by the first week of August to play at least a 50-game regular season that would conclude by Sept. 27 with an expanded postseason in October.

Details of MLB proposal to baseball players’ association

Details of the proposal made Monday by Major League Baseball to the Major League Baseball Players Association, as obtained by The Associated Press:

Season: 76 games per team, starting about July 10 and ending on Sept. 27. MLB may relocate teams to neutral sites or spring training sites for health and safety, or to comply with government restrictions.

Salaries: Each player would receive 50% of prorated salary as determined by March agreement for 76-game season, an additional 20% if the postseason completed and 50% of earned bonuses after proration (76/162) as determined by the March agreement. The postseason supplemental payment is $393 million, of which $50 million is accrued for the Division Series, an additional $50 million for the League Championship Series and the remainder for the World Series. The postseason money is due on the later of Nov. 20 or the last payment date related to deferred 2020 salary in a player’s contract. A player is not required to pay back 20% of the salary advanced under the March agreement (which called for up to $286,500 per player).

Postseason: Expands to as many as eight teams per league in 2020 and 2021. If the 2020 postseason is completed, MLB would provide a $50 million players’ pool even if no fans attend.

Interruptions: The commissioner has the right to cancel the season, postseason or any games if there are travel restrictions in the U.S., or if health or safety risks develop. If the season is suspended or canceled before it is completed, a player would be entitled only to salary earned to that point.

Free agent draft pick compensation: The qualifying offer and draft pick compensation system is suspended for the 2020-21 offseason. However, a team whose former player was with the team for the entire 2020 season and who signs a multiyear major league contract with a different club for $35 million guaranteed (or $17.8 million or more for one year) would receive an additional amateur draft pick, either after the fourth round (if the new team pays revenue sharing money), after competitive balance round A (if the new team receives revenue sharing money) or after competitive balance round B (other teams). This provision would expire after the end of the 2021 draft.

Preseason: Training would last at least 21 days, not counting the COVID-19 monitoring intake period.

Opt out: Any player may opt out. A player who qualifies as high risk as determined by MLB and the union may elect not to play and would be treated the same as if he were injured for purposes of salary and major league service. A player not high risk who opts out would placed on the restricted list for the entire season and would not receive salary or service time.

Read more at usatoday.com

Contributing: Associated Press

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