League & Union Reportedly "Closing In" On Deal For 2020 Season

[jsnpritchett]

Another wrinkle that could slow things down.  Then again, since the start of the season keeps getting delayed due to the "negotiations," I guess they'll have plenty of time to clean...

[Angel Oracle]

Hasn’t every athlete recovered just fine from it over the past 3+ months?

[Tank]

4 hours ago, JustATroutFan said:

What a disgrace to see Trout losing over 100 games in a season of his prime to a bunch of BS. It could even be twice. We don't even know about 2022 either. He might end his career at a .299 average, 690 home runs, and 1,900 RBI's. Put asterisks next to those numbers. 

You’ve been indoors too long. Go outside for a few hours.

[zenmaster]

I think some don't understand why some want asterisks in records books. It's not to highlight things about good players who may have missed some time due to what's going on in the world. 

[Angel Oracle]

Does anyone have any idea why 37% is so sacred to the owners, where they absolutely won’t budge?

[Fish Oil]

38 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Does anyone have any idea why 37% is so sacred to the owners, where they absolutely won’t budge?

I think it has to do with astrology. Or maybe phrenology.

I thought oracles were suppose to know this stuff?

[ScottT]

Lol

[m0nkey]

Hopefully Heymans wrong again

 

[Tank]

so after all is said and done, the commissioner can just simply put out whatever schedule he wants and everyone is back to work? am I missing something?

[AngelsLakersFan]

3 minutes ago, Tank said:

so after all is said and done, the commissioner can just simply put out whatever schedule he wants and everyone is back to work? am I missing something?

He can. The union can also file a grievance. It sounds like the union thought the threat of the grievance would net them more than an extra 10 games. 

[Inside Pitch]

10 hours ago, Tank said:

so after all is said and done, the commissioner can just simply put out whatever schedule he wants and everyone is back to work? am I missing something?

He can but it would result in the grievance....  That's why when and where was said.  Basically, the players said enough of the BS, let's play and we will take our case to court.    It's also why the owners attempted to continue to negotiate (ignoring the when and where).   The March 26 agreement is also why you're suddenly hearing about guys testing positive and why the players are taking time to discuss what to do next...  They aren't going to talk about the 60 games, they are going to listen to their attorneys tell them whether or not the can win a grievance if Manfred were to try to argue they shouldn't play for safety or health reasons and cancel the season... Again, bc the language in the March agreement allows him that power too.

If they cancel the season, it's because the two sides couldn't bridge a 10 mil gap per team.   

 

[jsnpritchett]

Interesting that they've now decided not to wait until the COVID-19 protocols are established.  Wonder if that's an indication that the MLBPA leadership knows the most recent proposal is going to be rejected regardless, so why not just get it over with now? 

[Claude]

33 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Interesting that they've now decided not to wait until the COVID-19 protocols are established.  Wonder if that's an indication that the MLBPA leadership knows the most recent proposal is going to be rejected regardless, so why not just get it over with now? 

 

Or they’ll vote to accept the latest proposal and make sure that every team mails it in and ends up at .500 just to F the commish. 

[Stradling]

Not a single human with an ounce of integrity or competitiveness would actually believe or think something like that.  

[DMVol]

1 hour ago, jsnpritchett said:

Interesting that they've now decided not to wait until the COVID-19 protocols are established.  Wonder if that's an indication that the MLBPA leadership knows the most recent proposal is going to be rejected regardless, so why not just get it over with now? 

Foregone conclusion.....

[Inside Pitch]

13 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Not a single human with an ounce of integrity or competitiveness would actually believe or think something like that.  

Some people assume everyone thinks and acts like they do.  

[Inside Pitch]

2 minutes ago, DMVol said:

Foregone conclusion.....

Guessing the attorney's gave them the worst case scenario regarding the grievance.

[Stradling]

Any chance they accept the deal because of the recent increase in positive tests so it guarantees them something?  Or are the positive tests to change the narrative?  I don’t see the positive tests as being anything the owners would want to see out there because it makes the players appear to be risking themselves more.  The owners have done a decent job of making the players appear to be greedy.  

[Chuck]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

Any chance they accept the deal because of the recent increase in positive tests so it guarantees them something?  Or are the positive tests to change the narrative?  I don’t see the positive tests as being anything the owners would want to see out there because it makes the players appear to be risking themselves more.  The owners have done a decent job of making the players appear to be greedy.  

If the owners thought players and staffers wouldn't have had tested positive for Covid they're incredibly naive. 

[Inside Pitch]

Just now, Stradling said:

Any chance they accept the deal because of the recent increase in positive tests so it guarantees them something?  Or are the positive tests to change the narrative?  I don’t see the positive tests as being anything the owners would want to see out there because it makes the players appear to be risking themselves more.  The owners have done a decent job of making the players appear to be greedy.  

Well -- this is Freedman's take..  https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-threat-of-a-grievance-likely-spurred-mlbs-latest-offer-to-the-players/  

Barring a government authority closing ballparks to games entirely, even in the absence of fans, or all domestic air travel being grounded, the Resumption of Play provisions can no longer be invoked to defend successfully against a grievance. If there had been a reasonable argument for the commissioner to cancel the season using his discretion before, he’s greatly undermined it now. It’s a surprising misstep given that rising COVID-19 case rates in several of the states that are home to major league franchises suggest that an argument for a shortened schedule or cancelled season centered around player safety might have been persuasive.

Basically he's trying to say that by offering the 60 game deal the commissioner essentially believed the situation was safe enough.   At least that's the angle the MLBPA's lawyers would likely take.  
So, if I had to venture a guess, the players will follow whatever advice their legal team offers.

[Inside Pitch]

3 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

If the owners thought players and staffers wouldn't have had tested positive for Covid they're incredibly naive. 

Yep, similarly naive to believe teams weren't aware of guys who tested positive before this weekend.   It's just suddenly become useful for them to get that information out.

[Chuck]

@Dollar Bill is your 99.9% that there will be baseball this year still on or did that .pct go way down?

[fan_since79]

If a significant number of players test positive right now, I would think baseball is done for this year.

 

[DMVol]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

Any chance they accept the deal because of the recent increase in positive tests so it guarantees them something?  Or are the positive tests to change the narrative?  I don’t see the positive tests as being anything the owners would want to see out there because it makes the players appear to be risking themselves more.  The owners have done a decent job of making the players appear to be greedy.  

As my Dad used to say (in memory of him on Father’s Day), the chances are slim and none and slim just left town....

[Claude]