You are more optimistic than I am. I just can’t see a path to opening day right now unless one side folds in the next week. Especially for a July 4th start.
The MLBPA is apparently going to submit their own counter-proposal to MLB and it won’t address salaries at all. They feel that the point was already litigated and settled in good faith, so they don’t want to litigate it again.
A former Deadspin writer said on Twitter that if he were an MLB owner and wanted to pin all the blame on the players if the season were lost, this is exactly what it would look like.
Good old Trevor Bauer focuses his rage in a new direction:
Which is why every leak has come from the owners. They’re trying to bust the union while making it look like they just want to play ball.
From what I can tell, they’re right. They’ve already agreed to a significant pay cut. That should have settled the dispute.
I have heard reports that the March agreement contained a clause providing for additional good faith salary discussions in the event of a season without fans. If that’s true, then the owners might have a point. But the owners’ total lack of transparency, and the one-sided media strategy, makes it hard to give them the benefit of the doubt.
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The owners fucked up. They never should have made an offer before knowing the full details of any truncated season. When they made that offer they must have envisioned fans in attendance, otherwise it makes no sense. But the fact is, the offer was made and accepted in good faith. If there was an agreement to reconsider, that should be in the forefront now. Where is it?
Completely agree. Fuehrer Trump would love to “order” a season given the politics but this would be at that last ill-advised agreement. One risk here is if there is no season and the players then sue in Federal Court, if that lawsuit is still unsettled by next Spring I could see a lockout by the owners. The owners know the U.S. legal system is set up to protect the 0.0001% and all they need to do is to eventually find a Republican judge along the appeals court route if not the SCOTUS itself. I wonder how many years of being paid $30 million to hit .270 Bryce Harper is actually willing to give up.
Well, I guess if there is a plus to a shorter season, our pitching staff should be fresher than last year if we make the playoffs. Verlander looked tired in the playoffs to me. Hopefully he’s ready for opening day if/when that happens.
Yeah, can we get that Lance McCullers innings limit to stretch out past the World Series…
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Sounds like the owners are capitulating. Glad to hear it. What’s the catch?
(Only) 50 regular-season games? As I understand it, proration only covers regular season.
50? Really? Why not just have a season-long round robin playoff, then plaster asterisks all over the season records.
Or just cancel it, since Betts is a one year contract and scuttle the Dodgers’ season. That alone would be worth it
I want to remind all you supposed fans of the Houston Astros that the Houston Astros happen to feature at the moment a world historical offense. Any (safe) opportunity to see them run roughshod over MLB is an opportunity worth cherishing.
ET omit the unfortunate “riot”.
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Things not looking good at this point.
https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1268704655405723654?s=20
This is sad. Especially since our window of opportunity with our core players could potentially be coming to an end with Springer and Correa getting closer to free agency and their future with the team up in the air. Verlander and Greinke aren’t getting any younger either. A lost season and opportunity for sure.
I wonder if the union would consider/allow a contract carryover if this whole year is lost.
I’m guessing there are a bunch of players who’d be opposed to that.
The service time is gonna be a real interesting thing to see played out.
I do not do Twitter, but apparently something called “Baseball Quotes” has this:
“The first trailer for Long Gone Summer, which details the great 1998 home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, is out!”
Disgusting. Vilify the Astros, and glorify the Steroid Twins.
Someday there will be a movie about the 2017 Astros, with The Rock playing Jose Altuve.