Speaking before the opening round of tonight’s MLB Draft, Commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the current standoff between the owners and players, and unfortunately did not say anything we didn’t already know.
Namely: the league is ready to unilaterally impose a super short season if it comes to that (which may have been the intention all along), though an agreed deal is the preference (reportedly there’s only a week left to negotiate that). Either way, there will be baseball this year.
But, although the owners are going to come back with a counter to the players’ latest 89-game proposal, it sounds like it will once again not include prorated pay, which the players have consistently said is an unmovable item for them.
Some snippets of Manfred’s comments before the Draft:
Rob Manfred on MLB Network: Owners will make a proposal "in the players' direction" shortly. Still hopes players will "get off the 100% salary demand."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) June 10, 2020
Full quote from commissioner Mandfred on @MLBNetwork: "We're going to play baseball in 2020. 100 percent. If it has to be under the March 26 agreement, if we get to that point in the calendar, so be it. But, one way or the other, we're playing major-league baseball."
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 10, 2020
Commissioner Manfred on @MLBNetwork says they don't want to extend season for risk of virus coming back, and also to not move postseason back into November
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 10, 2020
As we’ve discussed, if there is no actual agreement on a return to baseball, and the league instead unilaterally mandates it, the costs to baseball and its fans are going to be significant.
UPDATING for the full comments:
Everything Rob Manfred said tonight in his interview on @SportsCenter with Karl Ravech…
“Unequivocally” and “100%” likelihood of Major League Baseball this year, he said. pic.twitter.com/qJb5FekIBU
— Mike Monaco (@MikeMonaco_) June 10, 2020