Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
The Players Association has passed the ball right back to the owners.
Which, of course, means there still is no deal and no official return of baseball. Instead, the two sides likely will not reach a pact, meaning it’s up to Rob Manfred to install a shortened (54-60-game) regular season, and all this haggling has done little more than infuriated both sides and the fans watching from afar.
On Monday, the players union voted against accepting Major League Baseball’s offer of a 60-game deal, multiple media outlets, including ESPN, reported. The players sought a 70-game season with full prorated pay, the owners desired a shorter season that would help the chances of getting to postseason play. With no pact being reached, the players may seek a grievance against the owners for not in good faith trying for as long a season as possible.
“While we had hoped to reach a revised back to work agreement with the league, the Players remain fully committed to proceeding under our current agreement and getting back on the field for the fans, for the game, and for each other,” the union said in a statement that did not mention the owners but did mention next finalizing the health protocols.
According to reports, the union’s executive committee voted 33-5 to turn down MLB’s proposal, allowing themselves grounds for the grievance, a bit of hope that the owners would cave on the 70-game season and further isolating the two sides. If MLB and the union could not agree on a pact to put baseball back on fields during a pandemic, it bodes comically poorly for CBA negotiations after the 2021 season.
With Manfred expected to install a season, there is wonder whether some players would choose to sit out rather than rejoin a league whose owners they detest during a pandemic while playing a season many feel would require an asterisk.
It’s now up to Manfred to decide what’s next, and assuming he forces the issue, baseball’s return could not come on a colder note.