The Major League Baseball Players Association has rejected a proposal from MLB to shorten the 2021 season to 154 games. MLB recently proposed and offered the changes to pay players for the usual 162 games in exchange for an extended 2021 post-season. In response to the union’s rejection, MLB now says the 2021 season will begin on time and as planned.
The union released the following statement on Monday evening:
At the end of last week, for the first time in this low season, the MLBPA received a proposal from MLB to delay Spring Training and Opening Day by about a month.
According to the proposal, the end of the season would be postponed by a week, the regular season would be shortened to 154 games and all thirty teams would have to play different doubleheaders. Players should also accept previously rejected proposals linking extended playoffs with designated hitter expansion.
While players’ salaries would not initially be calculated on the basis of a regular season of 154 games, MLB’s proposal does not provide salary or service protection in the event of further delays, interruptions, or cancellations of the season.
The MLBPA board and player leadership discussed and discussed the owners’ proposal over the weekend and today. The clear result of these deliberations is that players will not accept MLB’s proposal, instead continue preparations for a timely start to the 2021 season, and accept MLB’s commitment to re-instruct its clubs to prepare. on a timely start. .
We are not taking this decision lightly. Players know firsthand the effort it took to complete the shortened 2020 season, and we realize that there are significant challenges ahead. We look forward to rapidly finalizing improved health and safety protocols that will help players and clubs meet these challenges. “
MLB then responded with its own statement:
“On the advice of medical experts, we have proposed delaying the start of Spring Training and the regular season for a month to better protect the health and safety of players and support personnel. A delay in the season would allow for the level of COVID. -19 reduce infection rates and add time for vaccine distribution, as well as minimize potential disruptions to the 2021 season that all sports are currently facing.
“The offer included starting the regular season on April 29 and playing a 154-game schedule that would pay players in full as if they were playing 162 games. We also suggested two changes from the 2020 season that were overwhelmingly popular with our fans – for this season only, with a custom extended post season (seven teams per league) and the universal designated batter rule.
“This was a great deal reflecting the best interests of everyone involved in the sport by pushing back the calendar of the season by one month for health and safety reasons without affecting the rights currently held by the players or the clubs. have under the Basic Agreement or Uniform Player Contract for Payment and Service Time.
“In light of the MLBPA’s rejection of our proposal and their refusal to rebut our revised offer this afternoon, we are moving forward and instructing our clubs to register in good time for spring practice and championship season, subject to reaching an agreement on health and safety protocols. Our 2020 season has taught us that when the country faces a crisis, the national game is as important as ever, and there is nothing better than hitting a ball. We could have a 2020 season through tremendous efforts and sacrifices made by our players, club staff and MLB staff to protect each other. We will do this again, together as we work towards another safe and entertaining season in 2021. “
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, a number of players believe it is too late in the off-season to review the schedule, which partly explains the reasoning behind the union’s rejection. The two sides could rethink the idea of extended playoffs and the universal DH, but the union remains opposed to the idea of extended playoffs, according to Rosenthal.
David Samson has broken down the final MLB / MLBPA negotiations for the latest episode of Nothing Personal with David Samson. Listen below:
It should be noted that the MLBPA has recently declined an offer that would have given them the universal DH in exchange for an extended late season. The new 154-game season proposal is essentially the same offering, only with eight fewer games and a delayed start.
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According to the league plan, spring training would have started on March 22, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, and the opening day would have been moved to April 28. The Wall Street JournalJared Diamond adds the extended post season would have included 14 teams, not 16 like the 2020 season.
MLB’s proposal seems fair enough at first glance, although the MLBPA wouldn’t get anything as valuable as the extended post season is for the owners. An extended late season equates to tens of millions of extra income for MLB. The union is already entitled to full payment by 2021, meaning they wouldn’t have gotten much out of the rejected proposal.
However long the postponement of the season would be for health and safety reasons, it comes down to money. MLB wants to play as many games as possible with fans in the stands, and postponing the season would help that now that vaccination distribution has begun. The MLBPA wants a full pay, regardless of the length of the season.
Spring training camps start in mid-February and Cactus League and Grapefruit League play on February 27. The regular season opener is scheduled for April 1. To hear both parties tell now, that’s the schedule they’ll be sticking to. to.