FEV. 1: The union “doesn’t like expanded playoffs” in the league’s proposal, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. There is no certainty that the union will present a counter proposal, according to Heyman.
JAN. 31, 20h56: According to several reports, one of the MLBPA’s other concerns about the league’s offer is that players believe Commissioner Rob Manfred would have too much extra power to modify the schedule (or cancel games immediately). Players are under no obligation to negotiate any type of procedural change for the beginning or duration of the 2021 season and, therefore, without a new agreement in place to modify the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, players would normally proceed in relation to beginning scheduled spring training and the first opening day of April
1:32 pm: MLB and the Players Union continue to discuss the conditions and rules for the coming season. On Friday, the MLB made another attempt to find an acceptable solution, submitting a proposal to the MLBPA for a season of 154 games with no proportional payout to the player, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) The proposal also includes delaying the season by one month and expanding the playoffs. Joel Sherman of the New York Post add that the designated universal hitter is also included in this offer. The MLBPA leadership is brooding over the offer this weekend.
Apparently, this agreement has everything that both sides want: payment for the full season for players, expanded playoffs for owners and a delayed start for the health and safety of everyone involved. Those are the basic conditions that we have been walking all the time, or so it seems. After all, while the MLB was never in favor of pushing the playoffs until November, this year there is a particular benefit in pushing the season in that direction. This would almost certainly mean that more participants – and fans – were vaccinated against COVID-19. November baseball may be colder, but it is almost certainly safer too.
And yet, for players, there are still some long-term implications that may prevent them from simply signing on the dotted line. As noted by Atlético Eno Sarris (via Twitter), giving in to the expanded postseason gives players very little influence to enter the CBA negotiations at the end of the 2021 season. In addition, the MLBPA represents a large body of players, most of whom have prepared for a season to begin. time, as MLB Player Agent Rafa Nieves (via Twitter) Altogether, expectations are that the MLBPA will reject this new proposal, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.