It only took a matter of weeks for Major League Baseball to go from near certainty that some kind of 2020 season will be played to the entire year — and the future of the game — hanging in the balance.
Is your head spinning? Mine too.
On Monday, commissioner Rob Manfred said he’s “not confident” the season will happen, and to say that players are furious is an understatement, with some like Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer calling Manfred out for shady negotiating tactics (and check out how many other players agreed with Bauer’s thread).
So let’s look back at how this all completely fell apart:
March 12: MLB announces its season start will be delayed “at least” two weeks
Remember when it felt like the delay of sports could be weeks and not months? That was quick.
March 26: The league and the players association agree to a bunch of terms on the season
Per USA TODAY Sports, it included agreements on players getting service time credit for a full year, a reduced draft and more. But it was in that agreement that players thought they would be paid pro-rated salaries based on the number of games. The owners thought otherwise (more on that soon).
April 7: The Arizona bubble plan is reported
ESPN’s Jeff Passan detailed a lengthy plan that would have all 30 teams play in Arizona separated from their families and the rest of the world for a few months, although MLB released a statement saying “MLB has been actively considering numerous contingency plans” for the return of the 2020 season.
April 28: Another plan gets a lot of attention
MLB divisions would be realigned based on geography, and the Dodgers and Astros would be in the same one. Again: this was just an idea that never really seemed to get off the ground.
May 11: MLB owners approved an 82-game plan
This was the time Nationals closer Sean Doolittle voiced concerns about “health protections for players.”
From a money point of view, this was the 50/50 split of revenue proposal. The union, per The Athletic, “believes such a system amounts to a salary cap.” Uh-oh.
May 19: The disagreement over how players will be paid gets ugly
The New York Post reported on “an email version of a smoking gun” in which it appeared MLBPA officials were aware that a second negotiation over how salaries would be paid was necessary. The reason? The March 26 agreement, the league claimed, was made with the assumption that fans would be in the stands.
May 26: Players are reportedly furious at the owners’ proposal of pay cuts
From USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale:
The plan, three people with knowledge of the proposal told USA TODAY Sports, proposes to pay players a prorated percentage of their salaries, with the players who make the most taking the biggest salary cuts. The three people spoke only on the condition of anonymity because negotiations are ongoing.
Younger players who make the least amount of money would receive most of their guaranteed prorated salaries. The proposal also includes a sliding scale of compensation that guarantees players a percentage of their salaries at different intervals of the season, through the postseason.
May 28: Players respond publicly
This season is not looking promising. Keeping the mind and body ready regardless. Time to dive into some life-after-baseball projects. Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Brighter times remain ahead!
— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) May 26, 2020
— Max Scherzer (@Max_Scherzer) May 28, 2020
Could the 2020 season be canceled entirely? It was around this time that it became a possibility, and there was a Passan report that some owners would rather see the season not played at all.
May 31: The MLBPA delivers a 114-game counterproposal
The players dig in on getting prorated salaries.
June 8: MLB proposes a 76-game season
Nightengale reports the union thought it was a “step backwards” because it guaranteed players would get 50 percent of prorated salaries with the chance to earn more if there was a postseason.
June 9: MLBPA comes back with 89 games
But again, full prorated salaries are called for.
June 10: Manfred says “We’re going to play baseball in 2020, 100 percent”
Well … that’s something?
Rob Manfred last Wednesday: “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.”https://t.co/m8rTDH4f3l
— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) June 15, 2020
June 12: MLB makes another offer
It’s for 72 games, and players would get 80 percent of their prorated salaries and up to 83 percent if there are playoffs.
June 13: The union says “further dialogue with the league would be futile”
The statement from Executive Director Tony Clark added “It’s time to get back to work. Tell us when and where.” That’s referring to the fact that owners can actually set a season, but per The Athletic, “the commissioner’s office is loathe to impose a season on players against their will when the Players Association likely would counter such a move by filing a claim for financial damages.”
Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark today released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/d1p3Oj4K70
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) June 13, 2020
June 15: Manfred now isn’t “confident” there will be a season
WELP.
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