Many MLB players said they would be willing to play more day-night doubleheaders this yearGETTY IMAGES
MLB players are "willing to extend the season as long as needed to cover as close to a full schedule as possible," according to Ronald Blum of the AP. That sentiment stands even if the season "involves neutral sites in warm-weather cities and domes," or if it "involves playing in empty ballparks." That also could mean "lots of day-night doubleheaders," and "expanding the playoffs from 10 teams." MLBPA Exec Dir Tony Clark said, "Players want to play. That's what we do." Blum noted it remains "unclear what the minimum number of games needed for a season would be." Clark: "We haven't discussed an exact number" (AP, 3/27). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Joel Sherman noted the MLBPA "received its key concession" in a deal with the league on economic issues -- that players "will get service time under every scenario, including if there are no games" this year. If that were to occur, players "would be credited for 2020 the same service time as in 2019." MLB's key in the deal was "cash flow and not wanting to pay out too much when no revenue is coming in." MLB also "wanted the right to erase the draft at least this year as a way to save further." What was "addressed only in broad strokes and not fine detail was what to do about an abbreviated regular season -- if such a thing could be played." There was a good faith understanding that the sides "would attempt to play as many regular-season games as possible." Players are paid based on those games, and MLB's "highest revenue period is during the summer after school lets out" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/28).
A NEW DEAL: In N.Y., Kristie Ackert noted the deal between MLB and the MLBPA "gives players some pay and full service time for a full season on the roster -- no matter how long the season ends up being or if it is canceled" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/28). In Boston, Peter Abraham noted in the deal owners paid the players $170M now, but "that is the extent of their obligations if no games are played." Players with guaranteed contracts "would receive $150,000," and if games are played, salaries "will be prorated." Abraham wrote the victory for the players was in "gaining the service time and securing their future earnings" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/29). Also in Boston, Sean McAdam wrote MLB and the MLBPA "essentially agreed that free agency will remain unchanged." In terms of the competitive balance tax, if no games are played this year, "no teams will pay any overages for the CBT" (BOSTONSPORTSJOURNAL.com, 3/28).
FINE PRINT: ESPN’s Jeff Passan said there is a “caveat” in the agreement “that says ‘at the discretion of the commissioner’s office.'" Passan noted that means MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and the "people around him are going to get to determine whether they can play in stadiums, whether they have the” NIH and CDC “telling them that this is okay to bring fans back out." Passan: "If not, they are going to look to play potentially in Arizona at spring training stadiums there or at even neutral sites in non-baseball cities. This does not mean that the season is canceled until public health officials come out and say there can be gatherings. What it does is it gives baseball flexibility to consider the financial implications of going out in stadiums with no fans" (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 3/27).
HELP FROM CHASE: D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall said that his organization is "more than willing to allow the ballpark to play an expanded role in baseball once the 2020 season gets underway." Hall: "If they need to find neutral places or warm places to play, we're volunteering. We're going to do whatever it takes." Hall added that if a particular market "isn't ready to host large crowds or even smaller groups of people at the beginning of the season," the D-backs "would have no issue if teams wanted to play at [Chase Field] or in the teams' own spring training sites." Hall also said that Chase Field "could be a potential site for games in November or even December if the season and/or postseason were to get pushed back that far" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/28).
RISKY BUSINESS: Dodgers P Clayton Kershaw said of a potential short offseason, "Once you start getting into playing longer in the year, that starts affecting next year. I think you get a little risky the further you go in the season." Kershaw added, "Expanding it maybe a couple weeks on the back end, but if you go any further than that, you start talking about Thanksgiving and December for a World Series, that gets a little iffy, in my opinion" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/28). In L.A., Bill Shaikin wrote under the header, “Why MLB Should Start The Season With The All-Star Game At Dodger Stadium.” It “would be shortsighted of the league to call off the All-Star game so each owner can make money off one more home game and each player can get another two games of prorated salary.” Shaikin: “When baseball comes back this year, assuming it does, the return should not be an opening day in Cincinnati or Miami. The return should be an Event, with a capital E.” Use it as an opportunity to “celebrate the doctors, nurses and scientists that have led the response to the coronavirus outbreak.” L.A. is the “perfect city in which to start this season.” The start of every MLB season is an “exercise in hope and faith, but never will that ring as true as this year, and never has Dodger Stadium been better suited for a starring role” (L.A. TIMES, 3/29).
A CLEAN SLATE? On Long Island, David Lennon wrote MLB and the MLBPA’s agreement is “nothing compared to the logistics of cobbling together a championship season under this current COVID-19 cloud.” Lennon: “Personally, I just don’t see it happening. Right now, this feels like the first inning or second inning, and we’re just too far away from getting a solid handle on the coronavirus to make long-term plans” (NEWSDAY, 3/29). In Pittsburgh, Jason Mackey wrote even if MLB does play this season, the MLB-MLBPA deal “does zero favors to the Pirates, a team desperately in need of upping its talent quotient and one that, because of financial constraints, needs to do that through the draft and the international signing period” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 3/28). YAHOO SPORTS wrote under the header, “Baseball Brainstorm: Save The Environment, Ditch MLB's Traditional Three-Game Series," in which its baseball staff discussed what “experiments could baseball run in 2020 that might stick around” long term (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/27).
MONEY MATTERS: In N.Y., Tyler Kepner noted MLB teams “used to draft as many players as they wanted,” but recent drafts have been “capped at 40 rounds.” In the new agreement, MLB “holds the right to shorten the draft -- which could take place on its original date, June 10, or later in the summer -- to as few as five rounds this year, and as few as 20” in ‘21. Player bonuses also will be “largely deferred: Draftees will get a maximum of $100,000 immediately, and the rest in equal installments” in ‘21 and ‘22. Bonuses exceeding $20,000 for undrafted players “would count against each team’s bonus allotment,” where previously, undrafted players “could sign for as much as $125,000.” The ramifications of these changes “could be significant, and the deal could ultimately make it easier for the league to implement its proposal to reduce the number of minor league affiliates starting next season.” With far fewer players “entering the pro ranks, organizations would have to keep players they otherwise would have released in order to keep all their current farm teams fully staffed.” With a truncated draft and “such little financial incentive for undrafted players, more high school players could opt to play in college.” But undrafted college juniors “could clog those roster spots by choosing to return for their senior seasons.” Kepner: “In other words, there might be a lot more players than available spots next season” (N.Y. TIMES, 3/28).
