Insider Reminds Us That Imminent MLB-MLBPA Agreements Can Still Blow Up at the Last Minute
By Michael Luciano
MLB is about to force the players to accept a 60-game season after months of negotiations, even after Tony Clark and the union rejected the league's proposal. Even though this development makes it sound like baseball is coming back, ESPN's Jeff Passan reminded us that there is still time for these enemies to screw things up.
Passan claims that nothing should be considered final at this point, as the health and safety issues -- expected to be approved Tuesday, we will say -- could still cause either the union or the league to refuse to move forward with the plan for a truncated 2020 season.
As I’ve learned over the last three months, never, ever, ever, ever think MLB and the MLBPA are close to anything until the ink is dry on an agreement. Health-and-safety issues could cause a snag, and the whole thing could cascade. But the optimism and motivation are both there.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 23, 2020
Not only are coronavirus cases in several warm-weather states, like Florida and Arizona, starting to climb in recent weeks, but MLB has yet to finalize an agreement that states how players will be protected from and tested for the virus.
In a perfect epitome of how unproductive these negotiations were, the two parties were unable to have two conversations at the same time, and the lack of a 100% finalized health and safety protocol is a major concern.
The fact there was no agreement between #MLB and the union means that 19% of all players will be playing for virtually free this year, earning $25,000 or less since they already received their advance money before May 24. Also, there will be no postseason shares for any player.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 23, 2020
While most of the baseball world seems to think that the hay is in the barn and baseball is officially coming back, Passan knows that any little problem could eventually become a major sticking point that could force one of the two warring parties to balk at the agreement to get the season started.