The Major League Baseball Players Association rejected an MLB proposal to shorten the 2021 season to 154 games. MLB recently proposed the changes and offered to pay players for the usual 162 games in exchange for an expanded 2021 postseason. In response to the union’s rejection, the MLB now says the 2021 season will begin on time and as planned.
The union released the following statement late on Monday:
“At the end of last week, the MLBPA for the first time in this off-season received a proposal from the MLB to delay the spring training and opening day by approximately one month.
According to the proposal, the end of the season would be postponed by one week, the regular season would be shortened to 154 games and all thirty teams would be forced to play several doubleheaders. Players would also be required to accept previously rejected proposals that link the expanded playoffs with the designated hitter’s expansion.
Although players’ salaries were not initially prorated for a regular 154 game season, the MLB proposal does not offer salary protection or length of service in the event of further delays, interruptions or cancellation of the season.
The MLBPA Executive Board and the players ‘leadership reviewed and discussed the owners’ proposal over the weekend and today. The clear result of these deliberations is that the players will not accept the MLB proposal, instead they will continue preparations for a 2021 season start and will accept the MLB commitment to again direct their clubs to prepare for a match. punctual.
We did not make that decision lightly. Players know firsthand the efforts that were required to complete the shortened 2020 season, and we recognize that significant challenges lie ahead. We hope to promptly finalize the improved health and safety protocols that will help players and clubs meet these challenges. “
The MLB later responded with its own statement:
“Following the advice of specialist doctors, we proposed a one-month delay at the start of spring training and the regular season to better protect the health and safety of the players and the support team. A delay in the season would allow the level of COVID 19 infection rates to decrease and additional time for vaccine distribution, as well as minimizing potential outages for the 2021 season that currently face all sports.
“The offer included starting the regular season on April 29 and playing a schedule of 154 games that would pay players in full as if they were in 162 games. We also proposed two changes from the 2020 season that were extremely popular with our fans – for this season only, featuring a modified expanded post-season (seven teams per league) and the universal designated hitter rule.
“This was a good deal that reflected the best interests of everyone involved in the sport, merely delaying the season’s calendar by one month for health and safety reasons, without affecting any rights that players or clubs currently have under the Basic Agreement or Uniform player contract for payment and length of service.
“In light of the MLBPA’s rejection of our proposal, and its refusal to counter our revised offer this afternoon, we are moving forward and instructing our clubs to report for a timely start of spring training and the championship season, subject to reaching an agreement. about health and safety protocols. Our 2020 season taught us that when the nation faces a crisis, the national game is as important as ever, and there is nothing better than playing ball. We managed to complete the 2020 season with effort and Herculean sacrifices made by our players, Club staff and MLB staff to protect each other. We will do this again, together, as we work to play another safe and fun season in 2021. “
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, several players believe that it is too late in the off-season to revise the schedule, which partly explains the reason for the union’s rejection. The two sides could revisit the idea of expanded playoffs and universal DH, but the union remains opposed to the idea of expanded playoffs, according to Rosenthal.
David Samson broke the most recent MLB / MLBPA negotiations in the last episode of Nothing Personal with David Samson. Listen below:
You should observe the MLBPA recently rejected an offer that would give them universal DH in exchange for an extended postseason. The new proposal for the 154 game season is essentially the same offer, with just eight games less and a late start.
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According to the league plan, spring training would have started on March 22, according to ESPN Buster Olney, and the opening day would have been moved to April 28 The Wall Street JournalJared Diamond adds the expanded postseason would have included 14 teams, not 16 like the 2020 season.
The MLB proposal seems reasonable on the surface, although the MLBPA does not receive anything as valuable as the expanded postseason is for homeowners. An expanded postseason equals tens of millions in additional revenue for MLB. The union is already entitled to full payment for 2021, which means that it would not have gained much from the rejected proposal.
As much as delaying the season makes sense for health and safety reasons, it all comes down to money. The MLB wants to play as much as possible with the fans in the stands, and delaying the season would help that now that the distribution of vaccination has started. MLBPA wants full payment, regardless of the length of the season.
Spring training camps are scheduled to open in mid-February and the Cactus League and Grapefruit League games will begin on February 27. The opening of the regular season is scheduled for April 1st. for.