The owners are at prorated pay for 60 games, with no grievance, expanded playoffs, and some postseason money going to the players.
Thankfully, the players promptly responded on something of a similar track, at around 70 games:
The Major League Baseball Players Association has finalized a proposal to MLB for a season in the neighborhood of 70 games, sources tell me and @JesseRogersESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 18, 2020
two sources confirm that MLBPA is planning a counterproposal to MLB in the neighborhood of 70 games. @JeffPassan @JesseRogersESPN 1st
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) June 18, 2020
That feels like a very reasonable response, especially because they can say they are coming down from their last offer, which was a whopping 89 games.
As we’ve discussed, if the league is dead set on concluding the regular season on September 27 (which is both because of postseason TV contracts and also a second wave of the coronavirus (plus flu season)), then we’re looking at only about 73 days available for the season (after a realistic Spring Training Part Two). Even with a couple doubleheaders mixed in, you’re talking about maybe 66 games. I wish the owners had just offered 70-ish games at full prorated a couple weeks ago so that could’ve been that, but obviously the stalling on that front worked out. Now you have to hope the owners are willing to come up from 60 games to meet somewhere in the middle – again, around 66 games – and the players are willing to accept.
Obviously the other terms all matter a great deal, too, but I’m modestly hopeful that the sides are chipping away at the main remaining issue – number of games.
More soon.
UPDATE (Michael): Passan is updating his “in the neighborhood” of 70 games to explicitly reporting exactly “70 games.”
The MLBPA’s proposal to MLB is for 70 games, sources tell ESPN, and includes a split of playoff revenues.
While the league is unlikely to accept this proposal, it’s close enough for optimism there will be a season — whether it’s via a deal or MLB setting a shorter schedule.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 18, 2020
And reminder, things are pretty darn close, especially if you wind up somewhere in the middle. Even if the owners took the players’ offer, here’s what I (Brett) said this morning, before the offer came out:
That $8.3 million, you'll note, is not purely dead money. Although it is additional "loss" to the bottom line this year, it may be more aptly be characterized as in investment in a more valuable product this year, and improved fan appetite next year and beyond.
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) June 18, 2020
UPDATE 2: More details:
Among the details in MLBPA’s new proposal, sources tell ESPN:
– 70-game season from July 19-Sept. 30
– $50M in playoff bonuses
– 50/50 split of new postseason TV revenues in 2021
– Forgiveness of salary advance for Tier I-III players
– Universal DH
– Mutual waiver of grievance— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 18, 2020
Per source, union proposing season to start 7/19, end on 9/30. Spring training would begin 6/26-28. Asking for $50M posteason pool if full playoff is staged in ‘20 and 50/50 split of incremental TV revenues for additional postseason games in 2021.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 18, 2020
Players counter (cont.):
•50/50 split of incremental TV revenues for any additional post-season games in 2021
•Neutral site/quarantine framework if needed to maximize likelihood of 2020 postseason
•Salary Advance forgiveness for all Players in Tiers I-III of March Deal (cont.)— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 18, 2020
UPDATE 3: Not sure how practical this will be in a situation where things have gotten so bad nationally that a solution like this is even necessary, but at least they’re talking about ideas:
If COVID-19 threatens the cancellation of the postseason, the union is proposing a neutral site and quarantine to assure the World Series is played.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 18, 2020
UPDATE 4: Not sure why anyone would expect the owners to cheer a proposal that costs them 10 more games worth of salary:
Owners are not responding positively to players counterproposal. Owners believed they’d had a meeting of the minds and the number was 60 games.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 18, 2020
Which is to say, of course this is their response. Par for the course. They want to pull on every lever they can to get the money down, even if it means more hostility. Just the way it goes.
UPDATE 5: This may strike some as weird, but this leaves me feeling much less optimistic – just the fact of this statement being released:
Thought Manfred's statement yesterday was odd. In isolation, think this one is odd, too.
But take 'em together & you can see now they are just more pleasant versions of what we've seen – & been exhausted by – for months: "negotiating" by way of letters to build grievance record. https://t.co/iHcQCk9cJB
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) June 18, 2020
UPDATE 6: I expected exactly this, but it still perturbs me beyond belief that this can’t just be treated, quietly, as a damn negotiation, instead of all the ridiculous hyperbole:
Source on owners' side, asked whether today's MLBPA proposal might move toward resolution: "It went backwards."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) June 18, 2020
One owner’s response to players proposal today: “DOA”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 18, 2020
Is it me, or is it weird that three owners immediately responded that they were INCENSED, given that everyone knew there would be additional negotiation on the number of games. I think it's weird. Odd. Strange. https://t.co/nn617iWTpN pic.twitter.com/Ajqteq7WoC
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) June 18, 2020
UPDATE 7: We’re going in a circle:
Players proposal of 70 games and other concessions could lead owners back to option of Manfred imposing season of 50-something games.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 18, 2020
Remember, the predicate for the latest back-and-forth was this: if the owners impose a 50-game season, they get backlash from all sides and also a winnable grievance from the players.
The point was to negotiate your way OUT of those two problems. Hence: just settle at 66 and play ball.
UPDATE 8: If this is accurate, then the angry owners have their beef with Manfred, not the players:
Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark today released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/MNAVfzx75C
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) June 18, 2020
That said, it’s almost comical how embarrassingly bad these sides are at communicating clearly with each other. I guess that’s what happens when there is no trust.