There will be baseball

[vegandork]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/...20-season.html

[Boondock Saint]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/...20-season.html

Am I reading things wrong here, because what I'm reading is that the proposal was voted down by the players.

[A. Cavatica]

Am I reading things wrong here, because what I'm reading is that the proposal was voted down by the players.

Yes. You are right that the players rejected a slightly different 60-game proposal (which included, for example, expanded playoffs and DH in both leagues). Which means the commissioner can impose a schedule unilaterally without rule changes. It’s complicated.

[voodoochile]

And then we find out if we really will have baseball or the players will simply go on strike.

[vegandork]

And then we find out if we really will have baseball or the players will simply go on strike.

Jeff Pasan is reporting that the players are going to respond favorably to the plan.

[vegandork]

Am I reading things wrong here, because what I'm reading is that the proposal was voted down by the players.

Not exactly. They're just going to play out the season as prescribed by the original March agreement. It will be full prorated salary for remaining games played. The commissioner had this power at any point, it was a waiting game to get the total number of games down as much as possible. My best guess is the MLBPA will sue saying the owners weren't negotiating in good faith and that the commissioner used his power to weaken their bargaining position. But at least we'll have games.

[Krs1]

So, essentially we get to see a 4 month divisional race and tournament? I'm game.

[Chez]

Let's see if Uncle Covid is on board. I hope I'm wrong, but suspect he may have different ideas about all this.

[PaleHoseGeorge]

With every other sport already live or well underway to going live, it should be obvious to everyone (even the idiot sports media) that MLB is in a unique situation different from the others. I would like to think they're just tough or principled sides in this fight but given baseball's history I suspect the real issue is the CBA negotiation for 2022 which haven't even begun yet.

Is this just a proxy war for the owners & players over anything besides the pandemic's delays? It sure looks like it. Sad for this sport.

[berwyn]

It's a travesty, but if that's all you can get, it'll do. You all knew we'd have games, didn't you? C'mon.

[Kittle42]

There won’t be a season. I’ll take any bet. COVID.

[vegandork]

With every other sport already live or well underway to going live, it should be obvious to everyone (even the idiot sports media) that MLB is in a unique situation different from the others. I would like to think they're just tough or principled sides in this fight but given baseball's history I suspect the real issue is the CBA negotiation for 2022 which haven't even begun yet.

Is this just a proxy war for the owners & players over anything besides the pandemic's delays? It sure looks like it. Sad for this sport.

You're exactly right. And there will be a strike or a lockout or both in 2022, and the sport is going to be worse off for it. What's really sad is that 2022-2023 is supposed to be our window.

[TDog]

There probably shouldn't be a season in 2020 because of the pandemic with looming labor issues. MLB and the union should be using this time, not to complicate the upcoming labor contract with the short-term need for a shadow of a season, but to work out the next deal for a time when there isn't a health crisis that threatens fans attending games as well as players participating. Baseball without fans isn't going to help the sport. Increasing divisions with labor over a temporary health crisis will hurt the game in years to come.

I don't have any problem with the players' position against the management proposals and don't see it as greed. Players weren't organized, for that matter American labor wasn't sufficiently organized to strike in 1919 after baseball imposed its authority over the shortened 1918 season. It wasn't a question over the nature of the shortened season. That had more to do with Woodrow Wilson than the pre-commisioner league presidents. It had to do with how the players were treated as employees. There was no strike, but it led directly to the Black Sox scandal. Sadly, the White Sox window for greatness would have been in the early 1920s.