2020 MLB season in doubt as MLBPA and team owners fail to reach middle ground

2020+MLB+season+in+doubt+as+MLBPA+and+team+owners+fail+to+reach+middle+ground

LM Otero | Associated Press

In this Nov. 21, 2019, file photo, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to the media at the owners meeting in Arlington, Texas. It’s been over three months since the commissioners of major sports cancelled or postponed events because of the coronavirus. Enough time for us to grade them on how they’ve handled the virus so far.

By Justin Kelley

DeKALB — After weeks of negotiation, the MLB team owners and the players are nowhere close to a deal for a 2020 season. This comes after MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark’s meeting on Wednesday.  

The offer by the owners is a 60-game season that will have extended playoff teams and the use of Designated Hitter in both leagues. When it comes to the contract portion of the offer they will be completely prorated. 

Today the players will vote on that deal, but on Thursday their counter offer of 70 games was declined by the MLB. 

Manfred requested to meet with Clark to discuss the new offer from the owners, according to Dayn Perry of CBS Sports.com. The meeting looks to be a saving grace move by Manfred after going back on his guarantee of a 2020 MLB season. 

Right before the MLB draft, Manfred gave a 100% guarantee that there will be a baseball season. Not even a week later he went back on his word during an interview with ESPN’s Michael Greenberg. 

“I can’t tell you that I’m 100% certain that’s going to happen,” Manfred said. “ We had a couple of the developments over the weekend that were negative in terms of our efforts.”

According to Manfred, those developments were caused by the MLBPA; the first being the players walked away from in good faith negotiations due the lack of progression of monetary issues according to Manfred . The other development was caused by one of the lawyers for the MLBPA, where they would file a grievance for one billion if the MLB issued a schedule. 

Clark was not happy by Manfred’s comments and said that the players are disgusted with Manfred. Clark added the whole time during negotiations the MLB have been acting out of bad faith since the start.