Major League Baseball is expected to soon present the MLB Players Association with a proposed format for a shortened 2020 season, with the proposal coming perhaps as early as Tuesday. Though the owners’ reported desire to ask for a further reduction in player salaries is expected to be the major negotiation point (or roadblock) in any proposal, we have also heard that health and safety are naturally the largest concerns on the players’ minds given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cardinals’ Andrew Miller and the Yankees’ Chris Iannetta (both members of the MLBPA executive board) recently went into further detail about these concerns in a chat with ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers. As Miller put it, “I don’t think anything can be done” until a concrete plan is put forth about how players, coaches, clubhouse members, and others can be protected from the threat of coronavirus infection.
“We want to put a good product on the field, but that’s totally secondary to the health of the players,” Miller said. “We are generally younger and healthier, but that doesn’t mean our staff is, that doesn’t mean the umpires are going to be in the clear. It’s not hard to get one degree of separation away from players who have kids who may have conditions, or other family members that live with them.”
The health question ties into the revenue question. The owners’ reported argument for a further reduction in player salaries is that teams are facing a massive revenue shortfall by playing games without any fans in attendance at ballparks. However, Iannetta argues that players, coaches, and staffers face “an intrinsic risk” by coming together to play games, “and we should get fairly compensated for taking that risk for the betterment of the game and the betterment of the owners who stand to make a huge profit off the game.”
It should be noted that players have already agreed to give up a substantial portion of their 2020 salaries. Under the terms of the original agreement made in March between the league and the players’ union, players received a $170MM lump sum to be paid out over April and May, with different amount going to players based on service time and contract status. The most any player could have received is roughly $300K, the total going to players on guaranteed MLB contracts or players who had become eligible for salary arbitration.
The $170MM would be the only money received by players if the 2020 is canceled, though if games are played, the $170MM would then become an advance on players’ actual salaries, which would then be prorated based on the number of games played. To use Miller himself as an example, if an 81-game schedule takes place, he would receive roughly half of his $11.5MM salary for the 2020 season. So if owners push for an even larger salary reduction, Miller would lose even more than the $6.25MM he has already lost to the coronavirus shutdown.
The MLBPA’s stance is that the March agreement settled the matter of 2020 salaries, which the league disputes due to clause in the agreement that (depending on your interpretation) may or may not open the door to further negotiation based on the likelihood that games will be played without fans. While teams will undoubtedly take a major hit from the loss of ticket sales, concession sales, parking, and other revenue tied to having fans attend ballgames in person, there will still be revenue coming to the league and the 30 individual teams via TV and broadcast contracts. Miller also made the point that player salaries “are not tied to revenue in any way. If the owners hit a home run [with a new revenue stream] and make more money, we don’t go back and ask for more on our end.”
It remains to be seen how this issue will be resolved, or if it will necessarily be as big of a stumbling block as it appears to be at this juncture. As Joel Sherman of the New York Post points out, the general public won’t look kindly on the possibility of a financial argument scuttling a possible 2020 season. Sherman also suggested a potential answer to the salary question, which is simply to defer owed salaries into future seasons. This is similar to how the league will pay out bonuses to prospects taken in this year’s amateur draft, though obviously we’re talking a much higher overall dollar figure when it comes to big league contracts.
“ and we should get fairly compensated for taking that risk for the betterment of the game”
Is Ianetta serious? Completely stopped reading here. Almost no one who has gone back to work is getting hazard pay and this clown thinks they need to be compensated extra for any perceived risk to going back to work?
I’m not one to side with owners, but that’s unreal and reeks of entitlement.
The baseball field isn’t a hospital. You’re not directly exposing yourself purposely to the virus. Someone needs to check his privilege.
Has the league clarified how it will proceed if a player or coach tests positive? It will happen just as it has elsewhere. I don’t think European Football has figured that one out as they are dealing with some of this and are closer to play resumption. It would be chaos if the team had to self isolate for 14 days.
spain’s la liga’s first and second divisions have found 5 infected players. they are not going to bring the games back until everyone is safe and they can test players, coaches and support cast are all tested daily.
They keep talking about it, it’s not going to help, just get it done. Is it that hard?
It’s Rob Manfred. So yes its extremely difficult. It went from April 7th to May 2nd to late July then Memorial Day. Now it’s early July
Yes it is that hard. The CB players are trying to maximize every penny they can squeeze from the owners. The owners are trying to squeeze out every penny they can in order to off set lost revenue. To ask both sides to stop the greed is a very difficult thing.
My opinion… and I usually side with the owners…. is pay the contracts. Unless there’s wording in the players contracts regarding games being missed or something to that effect – I think they should honor the contracts. That being said… the owners will simply have to learn to be more careful in the future. Stop going crazy in the contracts they agree to with feee agents and such. Stop giving the huge bonus money to draft choices. Draw a line.
Again…. I’m no lawyer nor a contract expert. If there’s done wording regarding revenue sharing.. then I can see reduction of payment. Can share revenue that doesn’t exist.
@bigjon You’re dreaming. There’s no way these contracts don’t include force majeure clauses and there’s nothing arbitrary about prorating salaries based on games played.
How bout the old coaches and ump wear protective gear?
in 130 degree in texas they will collapse.
Don’t both stadiums in Texas have roofs to help with the heat like in Arizona?
well if they had the 3 state plan in place that goes out the window, but its also a cop out simply to say ” they wolnt be able to play because its too hot.”
“old coaches and umps?”
rangers stadium has no air conditioning around playing surfaces,
This isn’t hard. Take each player’s salary and divide by 162 games. Pay them their average per game salary for the number of games they decide to play this season.
the thing is the owners are also concerned about the loss in attendance money.
The thing is the owners assume all the risk in this situation, which they love to hold over the players during negotiations. Now they can enjoy that position
Has that risk ever been fairly recognized ?
Certainly not by fans thats for sure!!
@DerekBells The owners assume all the risk?? Do you really think there’s no force majeure clauses?? Be serious now
This is where the owners have to tap into their equity to save the product.
They already agreed to do that, and are now reneging from that agreement and asking for additional salary reduction.
Maybe Chris Ianetta should be paid 2 million times his WAR for 2020… oh wait, then he’d owe the Yankees money.
id imagine a lot of this is rhetoric. as much as both sides arent going to cave, id imagine both will likely concede something easily enough simply to get some money rolling in. its early in this process but that things are moving forward so far is a good sign.
I would think millions of dollars to play a game would be sufficient “hazard pay”, apparently not.
again, its nothing about hazars pay. its about making guys take less money and then making them put those close to them at risk.
Nobody is “making” them do anything.
what in earth do you mean? they’re not individually choosing whether or not to take less money.
It means that nobody is forcing them to play baseball. That’s their choice. If they don’t think it’s worth the risk, they don’t have to play.
Kids play games.
These guys are professional men. They compete in contests for money.
im surprised anyone who comments on a sports site doesnt realize this fact. yes its a game but there is billions upon billions in it. finances are clearly a big concern.
I keep hearing “guarantee of everyone safety” and “everyone is safe”. No one is ever safe in life.
Honestly this is going to boil down to money. Some players may scoff at playing during this but in the end the money will dictate everything. Safety of personnel involved with the teams putting on games will be a close 2nd.
Plus whose to say that these players and families won’t wile out after some restrictions get lifted. I could see at least a handful of players getting Rona because either they or a family member can’t social distance or stay at home more often than not. Which is what we should all still be doing for the most part. Even if beaches and parks are open.
Ianetta seems to have hit a nerve, but stripped of the adrenaline it caused, he has a point. Thirty players in a clubhouse, plus coaches, trainers, service people, etc does enhance the risk each player takes. And while the odds of a young and healthy athlete suffering serious illness are certainly less than a senior citizen, they are not nil. If someone is infected, it’s going to spread, and MLB is going to need a protocol for dealing with that, given that a 14 day self-quarantine is normally indicated. It will only take one high profile serious illness to be a both a human and a business disaster. Let’s stop making the players the bad guys here. The owners want something more from the players than was previously bargained for,…what are they prepared to give in return? And, ask yourself seriously, if you could throw a ball 98MPH or hit one 450 feet, wouldn’t you want to be paid, especially when your contract says nothing at all about attendance?
Put payroll caps in and split revenue down the middle like the other pro leagues.
@brucenewton Maybe they can split capital expenses down the middle too… in fairness
if so, isn’t it fair for players to get a part of capital gains? angels were purchased in 2003 for $180 mil. it’s worth $ 2 bil now!
Good point Viz– players aren’t entitled to revenue splits anymore than they are entitled to capital gains
Chris Ianetta can’t even hit a baseball anymore, so it makes sense he’s trying to squeeze out every penny possible before he is forced to hang the spikes up.
Ianetta better not be asking for one red cent more then was agreed to. Baseball players are not necessary like doctors and nurses, and thus should not collect hazard pay ( or whatever he wants to call it). If they are concerned about Coronavirus, then just refuse to play, and we will see you in 2021. I can get my sports fix with NASCAR and in June golf ( and hopefully) hockey. Of course, they better not expect free agency to be like 2019.
You have it exactly backwards. Iannetta is asking for what was agreed to, while the owners are asking the players to take less than what was agreed to, yet the majority of people seem to be taking the owners side.
I have said it before and I will say it again: The owners and players agreed on something and that is fair. But for the same reason, I oppose the players getting more, I oppose them getting less. Which is? A deal is a deal, and no one forced either side to sign. But the players have to understand that there will be a 20% Unemployment Rate in this Country and teams are going to take a financial hit. Which means James Paxton is not getting $25m a year ( or more) for 6 or 7 years, no matter how much his agent Scott Boras complains about it.
James Paxton wouldn’t get an AAV of $25M at 6-7 years pre-pandemic. poor example.
going on 32 yo injury prone SP who’s never pitched more than 161 IP in a season – are you nuts?
Boras wasnt the problem last time, he had all the peasants doing his bidding for him
This is the problem I foresaw with the “union”. Some reps simply do not want to play, and that is their right, but I’d be willing to bet the majority of the league wants to play.
Every time I see a player speak out about “risk vs reward” it’s a guy like Trout (300 million plus contract) Kershaw (200 million plus) Miller (70 million), Wheeler (who just secured over 100 million dollars). Unless I missed something, I haven’t heard an Alonso, Alvarez, Tatis etc saying they don’t want to play.
IMO, the union needs to do the right thing, which is let the players who want to play play. In turn, the owners need to do the right thing as well and pay the players their entire game checks.
I get that teams are not going to make as much money as they have in the past… too bad. You gave contracts to players to PLAY THE GAME! Not a single player has a clause in their contract that says if attendance drops below X or the profit margin isn’t Y they make less. They are paid to play. Plain and simple and there is no more argument about it.
so eff the players who have paid their dues and earned their exorbitant salaries. don’t hate the player, hate the game.
Dear Andrew Miller,
I really hope MLB figures out a way to guarantee your safety.
Sincerely,
Everyone currently deployed and working overseas in a hostile environment who’ve been involuntarily extended.
“We are generally younger and healthier, but that doesn’t mean our staff is, that doesn’t mean the umpires are going to be in the clear. It’s not hard to get one degree of separation away from players who have kids who may have conditions, or other family members that live with them.”
It’s right there. Miller is pretty clear that he realizes players are low risk, but there are staffers or family members who may be higher risk that are more likely to get exposed. Way to take what he said and mock him as if he’s focused exclusively on his own personal safety.
Oh yeah? You mean the umpires who ALREADY have an agreement with Major League Baseball?
Miller has no right for starters to talk about Umpires and Staff because NEITHER are covered by the PLAYERS UNION.
you’re angry at him being concerned for the safety and security of others simply because the union he represents doesn’t cover them?
but you have the right to talk about the subjects as someone who belongs to none of the groups? hypocrisy at its finest.
talk about yourself!
100
People pushing for baseball players to play during a pandemic seem to think it’s their god-given right to play baseball. Those of us with non-essential jobs that involve contact with other people need to stay home.
For those who are on the front lines—postal and delivery workers, first responders, grocery and supply chain workers, first responders, military—I thank and salute them, hope they stay safe, and think they should get paid a heck of a lot more.
Baseball is non-essential.
(“right to watch baseball”, not “right to play baseball”)
I’m generally with the players on this one.
I think they should get a full prorated pay for the number of games played. They signed a contract and there is no profit sharing. If you choose to buy a baseball team and sign players to multi million guaranteed contracts that’s a risk you took on… and for this year it’s going to cost them. If they need to cut costs they can start in next years free agent market.
Having said that the idea of “guaranteeing” players safety is laughable. With front line health care and grocery store workers getting paid far less every day to do their essential jobs with much higher risk… a “safety guarantee” is impossible to provide and ridiculously selfish to ask for. Steps should be taken to limit the risk for sure… but that’s really the best that can be done. If the players don’t like the steps taken (provided they’re reasonable) then opt out for 2020. Team doesn’t have to pay you for this season, gets the opportunity to void your entire contract and see what you can get in next years severely impaired free agent market.
EXACTLY!!!!
See how many of these turds speak up when the train starts running down the track
Let’s be real. Does anybody think the LA Angels are going to play without Trout? Dodgers without Kershaw? Etc. If they refuse to play, then cancel the season. Otherwise any “Title” won by some team,,will be even less valid then Barry Bonds steroid aided “Records.”
i think the actal number of guys who would consider holding out is lower then their words suggest. when push comes to shove most guys will probably give in if the rest of the union decisively adopts an agreement. maybe there is somebody that holds out, but im sure the owners would be glad to make money and not pay that guy over paying that guy and not making money.
Maybe if you are Baltimore and not wanting to pay Chris Davis that is true. But do you think that applies to the Yankees and Gerrit Cole?
Or the Dodgers and Mookie Betts? Those teams want titles.
“If the owners hit a home run [with a new revenue stream] and make more money, we don’t go back and ask for more on our end.”
Uhh… but you could. “Normally we suck as a union” is a hell of an argument.
No they couldn’t. They would have to wait until the next CBA to negotiate that, and as we all know owners would fight tooth and nail to prevent players from getting a cut of new revenues
no. unlike nba or nfl, baseball’s ancient structure doesn’t allow players to get more when revenue increases.
Yep gotta say for Mr Miller, open mouth and insert foot… MLBPA, has no say in the umps and coaches and Mgrs… work the problem and stop the BS dancing already.. amazing
Ianetta and Miller are saying what I’ve said all along. These guys (including umps and staff) are real people with real families, and their families’ health comes first. There’s no way baseball is being played in 2020, nor should it.
No one disputes that Ianetta and Miller are real people, and maybe the season should be cancelled ( especially what is happening with La Lega ( Spanish Soccer) having players catching Coronavirus). But if that happens, do not expect big contracts in free agency or in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement and above all no more cries of wolf oops collusion:
A FRIGGIN MEN NY Yankee….
And furthermore no crying down the line when basketball and football puts you completely out of sight-
Baseball is dying and the players have a lot of blame on their shoulder
Fans as always are being used as the pawns
didn’t realize so many baseball fans across the nation were part of the 1% and felt so entitled over the players to have a sport to watch. Players can do whatever the hell they want with a majority union, and you don’t have to like it. Comparing it to the private sector where many jobs don’t have unions, CBAs and are at will employment states, is a false equivalency.
Do you also begrudge your colleagues who earn more than you or negotiate for higher comp based on experience, achievements and skillsets?
this entire board reeks of bratty privilege, but everyone loves counting other people’s money.
one small point: if Miller loses half of 11.5 million that’s 5.75 million not 6.25 million
The last I heard player contracts were per season, not 162 game season but per season. I realize there is an argument to be made for salary cuts due to the shortened season but I don’t see a legal ground for owners to force that to happen. I’m open to other opinions though.
the players have already agreed to take massive pay cuts prorated to the number of games played. The owners want to renege on that deal and force the players to take even less money. Somehow most people see this and think it’s the *players* who are being greedy.
The players are not facing massive pay cuts. I have no sympathy for someone going from $5m to $2.5m when 20% Unemployment is projected, and some minor leaguers are getting getting $0.00 this season.
.
neither do i have sympathy on billionaire owners trying to be cheaper than polyester suits!
Some of those same Billionaires will be broke at the end of all this-
Their own business and now the org is losing millions every week
This isnt a case of im going to hate on who has less money, this is not the winter of 2018 again
Should we just cancel everything everywhere?.
Seriously, this is something that is now part of our lives forever. There will be treatments and vaccines over time but like any other virus never a cure. Everyone is always going to be at risk, not just today but tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, next decade. This idea that we can hide forever is foolish.