MLB Players Counter With 70-Game Season, Owners Expected To Reject Proposal
NEW YORK (AP/CBS) — Baseball players proposed a 70-game regular-season schedule Thursday, leaving them and management 10 games and about $275 million apart on plans to start the coronavirus-delayed season.
As part of the union proposal, players would wear advertisement patches on their uniforms during all games for the first time in major league history.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Major League Baseball and the owners are expected to swiftly reject the union's proposal. Owners don't appear to be happy with the proposal, as "three owners told USA TODAY Sports they were incensed by the terms, believing the gap may be too deep for the two sides to reach a quick compromise."
After baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred met with players' association head Tony Clark in Arizona, MLB said Wednesday that there was a framework for the season, but the union said only that there was no agreement. That proposal included a 60-game regular-season schedule that would have $1.48 billion in salaries plus a $25 million players' postseason pool, people familiar with that proposal told The Associated Press.
The union proposal would have $1.73 billion in salaries, plus a $50 million postseason pool, people with knowledge of that plan said.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcements of the details were made.
Both MLB and the union proposed starting the season on July 19, and players said it should end Sept. 30, three days later than management.
Players said pitchers and catchers should report for the resumption of spring training on June 26, followed two days later by position players.
Both sides would expand use of the designated hitter to games involving National League teams, and both sides would expand the playoffs to 16 teams this year.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
