This Sneaky Detail About MLB's Latest Proposal Proves Players Were Always Destined to Reject it

On Monday, it was reported that MLB owners made their latest offer to the players. On the surface -- the proposal included a 76-game season and 75% prorated salaries -- it seemed like progress was finally being made.

However, that was anything but the case.

Remember a month ago when MLB brashly proposed to split revenues down the middle, establishing a precedent that no player wanted? Well, this new offer basically holds basically the same financial ramifications. At maximum, players' salaries for the truncated season would stand at $1.432 billion. The league's projected revenue comes to a total of $2.87 billion. When you calculate the difference, it's literally a 50-50 share.

Outgoing revenue, of course, does go beyond player salaries. MLB estimates ~$500M in additional player costs: benefits, buyouts, signing bonuses, etc. When included with $1.432B salary, amounts to ~$1.93B, or ~70% projected revenue. The union disputes the $2.75B revenue number.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 9, 2020

Considering the disgust that players showcased on social media after this news dropped, fans were forced to assume that there was an underlying detail that repulsed them. This is a big part of it, along with a lack of guarantees unless a postseason is played.

Just when you thought that the owners were showcasing a newfound willingness to actually negotiate, right? ESPN insider Jeff Passan has been the lead reporter on this financial squabble and he, like most fans and analysts, is growing increasingly fatigued after months of zero headway being made.

my head hurts just play baseball plz
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 9, 2020

We are approaching mid-June and MLB remains without a realistic blueprint for the 2020 season. It's just the same offer in different packages. What's worse than that? That this latest proposal proves that both sides are back to square one on the negotiating front.

Back to the drawing board we go.