Yankees' Randy Levine urged a march back to the negotiating table to settle health and safety protocolsGETTY IMAGES
Following several “ugly days of absolutes and lines drawn in the sand” from both MLB and the MLBPA, it appears MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and the owners “are hoping to restart negotiations over a deal for the 2020 season,” according to Dave Sheinin of the WASHINGTON POST. It appears that Manfred “doesn’t have the 23 necessary votes among the owners to implement” the proposed season of around 50 games, which could reflect some owners’ “fears of losing the union’s threatened grievance.” That could come “with a penalty of up to $1 billion.” It also may reflect a “growing awareness that some veteran players -- including some prominent stars -- might choose to sit out rather than risk their health for the chance to earn less than a third of their original 2020 salaries.” Those reasons might explain why MLB “suddenly wants to reignite the stalled negotiations, in hopes the union will drop the grievance threat and come back to the table.” However, some observers believe there are “at least a handful of owners who never wanted to play at all in 2020, at least not if players continue to insist ... on receiving full, prorated salaries” (WASHINGTON POST, 6/17).
LEVINE URGES MORE TALKS: On Long Island, David Lennon reports Yankees President Randy Levine yesterday “urged a march back to the negotiating table in order to settle the necessary health and safety protocols” (NEWSDAY, 6/17). Levine said, "I talk to Rob just about every day, and he’s very dedicated -- he wants a season. We all want a season, all 30 owners want a season. I know the players want a season. ... Let’s get in a room and do it” (NEWSDAY, 6/16). ESPN's Jeff Passan noted Levine was part of MLB's team that negotiated the '96 CBA, so he is "someone who is well versed in labor relations." Passan: "If everyone in baseball acted like Randy Levine is talking, the game would be back on the field right now. Baseball owners need to put their money where Randy Levine’s mouth is. They need to show that they want to come back" ("Get Up," ESPN, 6/17).
COMMON GROUND IS ESSENTIAL: In Minneapolis, Phil Miller reports it is clear that Manfred “has no intention of unilaterally imposing a schedule on his sport.” Even if Manfred can “arm-twist his way into ratification by his side of prorated salaries -- which the players have not wavered on -- over a schedule of his choosing, it’s unlikely that the strategy of ‘tell us when and where’ could ever become reality.” Finding common ground with the players “appears essential,” as MLB “still needs to broker a deal over health and safety” (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/17). USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale wrote, “It’s time for everyone to play nice and negotiate a settlement, one that neither side will find particularly satisfying, but knowing that the consequences of the sport being shut down over economics would be devastating” (USA TODAY, 6/16).
PLAYING THE STALL GAME? In Philadelphia, Scott Lauber noted Manfred “must run about 10 days off the calendar before MLB can reasonably claim that there just wasn’t enough time to play more than one-third of the schedule.” That is when Manfred can “take out his calendar, count backwards from Sept. 27, raise his arms in exasperation, and declare the unsatisfying 50-game season that everyone has been expecting” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 6/16). In Toronto, Scott Stinson notes the “longer this stretches on, the more likely that MLB will be able to proceed with its preference to play as few games as possible -- and to pay its players for as few games as possible -- while still having a season” (TORONTO SUN, 6/17). Meanwhile, in S.F., John Shea writes, “This no longer is a coronavirus delay. This is a work stoppage. Players say they’re ready to play, and owners won’t schedule a season or arrange a spring training” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/17).
ONE MORE THING TO CONSIDER: Dr. Anthony Fauci said MLB “would be wise to wrap up the postseason in September” if the league’s “sole factor is minimizing risk” for coronavirus. Fauci said, “I would try to keep it in the core summer months and end it not with the way we play the World Series, until the end of October when it’s cold." In L.A., Bill Shaikin noted team owners have “expressed concern about an increase in coronavirus cases, notably in the home states of nine of the 10 teams that would be grouped in the Western region” (L.A. TIMES, 6/16).
