The Major League Baseball Players Association announced Monday that it has rejected Major League Baseball’s latest (and purportedly “final”) proposal regarding the implementation of an international draft. The MLBPA’s statement reads as follows:
“The Players Association today rejected what MLB characterized as its “final” proposal to establish a draft and hard slotting system for international entrants.
Players made clear from the outset that any International Draft must meaningfully improve the status quo for those players and not unfairly discriminate between those players and domestic entrants. To this end, the Players Association made a series of proposals aimed at protecting and advancing the rights of international amateurs.
Our draft proposals — unprecedented in MLBPA history — sought to establish minimum guarantees in player signings, roster spots, infrastructure investments, playing opportunities, scouting opportunities as well as enforcement measures to combat corruption. We also made proposals to compensate international signees more fairly and in line with other amateurs, and to ensure that all prospects have access to an educational and player development safety net.
At their core, each of our proposals was focused on protecting against the scenario that all Players fear the most — the erosion of our game on the world stage, with international players becoming the latest victim in baseball’s prioritization of efficiency over fundamental fairness. The League’s responses fell well short of anything Players could consider a fair deal.”
An MLB spokesperson released a statement of their own (relayed by James Wagner of the New York Times):
“MLB has worked to reach agreement with the MLBPA to reform the international amateur system in ways that would address longstanding challenges and benefit future players. We are disappointed the MLBPA chose the status quo over transitioning to an international draft that would have guaranteed future international players larger signing bonuses and better educational opportunities, while enhancing transparency to best address the root causes of corruption in the current system.”
The system for acquiring international amateur players has remained a topic of negotiation between the league and union going back years. It was a particularly prevalent point of discussion in the most recent collective bargaining talks, with the league’s desire for and the MLBPA’s opposition to an international draft emerging as a late sticking point in the parties’ efforts to finalize a new CBA last spring. Eventually, the parties agreed to temporarily table international draft discussions while ratifying the remainder of the CBA and ending the lockout. The sides gave themselves until July 25 to agree upon a draft, with the condition that the qualifying offer system for free agents would be eliminated if a draft were implemented.
It would appear that no draft will be put in place, although the July 25 deadline was a mutually agreed upon date between the league and union the parties could revise if they wanted to do so. The “final” terminology of the league’s proposal indicates no additional discussions are on the horizon, but it’s at least worth remembering that in March, the union rejected multiple CBA offers MLB had presented as its last proposal before the sides eventually agreed to circle back and reconvene in time to avoid the final cancelation of regular season games.
That certainly doesn’t mean the same process will play out in this case, however, particularly since it seems the parties weren’t anywhere close to agreeable terms. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports (on Twitter) the MLBPA leadership was so dissatisfied with the league’s offer they never brought it to the players for an official vote, as the union leadership has authority to do. Union leaders did inform player reps they planned to reject the offer before officially doing so, according to Heyman, to which there were no objections.
There indeed seemed to be a large gap between the sides to bridge, primarily on the amount of money that would be allotted for signing bonuses. The league’s “final” offer involved the creation of a $191MM bonus pool to be distributed among the players taken in the 20-round draft; the MLBPA had been seeking $260MM. The league wanted fixed, hard slots associated with each selection that could neither be exceeded nor undershot; the union wanted slot values to serve as a floor but afford the flexibility for teams to go overslot. Additionally, there was a reported gap in the proposed maximum bonuses for undrafted free agents — with the league offering $20K and the MLBPA proposing $40K.
MLB has maintained that even a $191MM bonus pool would be a boon for players relative to the status quo, claiming it’d result in more than $20MM extra going to international amateurs than had been the case under the existing system. The union has countered the bonuses for the top international players would still fall short in comparison to those of domestic draftees and that any overall financial boost would be more than counteracted by international players’ forfeiture of their ability to choose their first team.
The league has also expressed concern about the current system’s incentivizing teams and players to verbally agree to deals well in advance of players reaching their 16th birthday. A hard-capped draft would all but eliminate that occurrence, but the union has expressed its belief that tighter enforcement against verbal agreements would achieve the same purpose without necessitating a draft.
If this truly marks the end of negotiations, the status quo for both the international amateur setup and the qualifying offer will remain. That’s a notable development for upcoming free agent markets, as teams will still have to forfeit draft picks and/or international signing bonus space to sign players who received and rejected the QO. The MLBPA has sought to remove that non-monetary cost associated with adding any free agents, but that hasn’t proven a sufficient enough inducement for the union to agree to the league’s vision for an international draft. Even if this closes the book on the issue for a while, it stands to reason the league’s desire for a draft will come up again during future CBA negotiations.
Not a surprise. MLB offers equate to: Handful of s#!% or Scoop of poop? Final offer.
Owners are greedy pigs. They care more about their profits than the exploitive, corrupted system against international players.
NICE
No surprise here. Unions generally are pig organizations, run for and by pigs, and of those pig orgzniationa MLBPA is among the worst.
Maintaining the current sleazy system of luring young boys to favor its bebeficiairies, as opposed to a more transparent draft system fits entirely in keeping with a sleeve outfit that constitutes MLBPA.
Were it not for the union movement in this country, there’d be no Social Security, Medicare, unemployment compensation, overtime pay, job safety laws, minimum wage, paid vacation, or whistleblower protections. It’s pathetic to witness how thoroughly Americans have been brainwashed into buying the corporate demonization of unions and conned into voting against their own and their families’ best interests.
@Fink: What I really care about is if the Braves can beat the Phillies tonight.
I don’t phollow the Phils, but from what I’ve heard, if the Bravos hit the ball anywhere except right at the Phillies phielders they should be phine.
Right. It’s very strange how negatively many Americans view workers collectively bargaining for wages, benefits and work conditions. It’s just smart business.
Correct, and the brainwashing began 30 years ago; coinciding with the advent of right-wing radio and media..
I’m sure players are not greedy at all, they offer to play for 25 dollars an hour all the time and when they don’t perform, they offer to give the money back.
I’m sure you return your salary to your boss when you’re sick or just have an unproductive week or they don’t have anything for you to do that day. You wouldn’t be a hypocrite, no way. Just because your company agreed to give you the money doesn’t mean you’re going to keep it if you’re not able to perform up to expectations.
Is this another pretend final proposal? I definitely wouldn’t be surprised. Is anyone really shocked about baseball being the 5th top sport now? There’s definitely reasons for it. Smh Thank god for women’s volleyball, for something to get all excited about.
Enjoy your qualifying offers then players.
The players association messed up
No surprise….. MLBPA, only strategy is to refuse every offer…. just say no… like the failed do not do drugs program, from years back… MLBPA is such a joke. Too bad Marvin Miller is not still alive to help MLBPA do something right.
May the trades officially start. Finally.
Still too early unfortunately. The Vogelbach was a early treat. Be lucky to get a handful in the next 3 days.
You’re probably right. I figured there had to be at least one deal ready to go that was just waiting on the QO ramifications. Guess not.
Interested to see who Cashman is getting after holding Dominguez, Breau, and Sweeney out. My quess is Castillo!
@slider32- don’t be shocked if they make a play for Soto either. I definitely think those players are the ones that the Reds are scouting right now, and have interest in. Probably Luis Castillo’s last start at home on Wednesday unless he’s moved tonight or tomorrow. Doubt it, we’ll see.
Shocker! Oh well, no one actually thought MLB was serious anyway. If they couldn’t figure out how to make more money off the deal, it was never going to get done. Status quo it is. On to the trade deadline!
I’d sure like to know the Unions proposal to prevent verbal agreements and to enforce it. I need a good laugh!
The Qualifying Offer system will remain as a result.
So the MLBPA said MLB’s offer didn’t qualify.
There should be a hard slotting system for every draft. Period.
MLBPA would never allow it
But why? They don’t represent these players. They don’t represent minor league players. Why is the players union even involved in this? It’s stupid
MLB’s anti-trust exemption is not absolute. Things like the draft are violations of anti-trust laws unless they are collectively bargained. Since the MLBPA is the recognized bargaining agent of the players, it falls to them.
I wished we lived in a world where pro sports owners were people who had a passion for the sport and not greedy business owners looking for an extra profit.
If you don’t like what they are selling, don’t buy the product. Otherwise maybe you should just go buy a straw
So if u were a team owner you would give any profits back to the players?
and if you were a team owner and got a hard cap that’s less than current payrolls, you’d cut ticket prices to reduce profits?
yeah, didn’t think so.
GoRav1142 hours ago
So if u were a team owner you would give any profits back to the players?
==========================
I would not only give them my profits, I’d give them all my personal assets as well. Just like every other business owner in America does. I still remember my last employer giving me access to his private jet, and even offering to let me fly it.
I wish we lived in a world where commies didn’t exist.
What does this even mean?
I wish we lived in a world where $440M was good enough to sign someone like Soto… but alas, too many players want the moon… yet, still get paid when hurt or worse yet, their abilities decline to mediocre yet they still get $30+M AAV.
Lol. Had months to figure it out and once again, these two clowns don’t get it done.
There is only one clown the greedy owners
If the players don’t like it, buy a team. Wait Jeter did that… how’d that go?
Gotta disagree with you, Hideki. While it is a sport for us, it is a business for the owners.
Lots of owners want to win. I doubt they get into it to make some obscene amount of profit. Most of them already own businesses that do that for them.
I thought maybe they might find a path at the last moment, but this is also a significant issue, probably best resolved as the central component of the next CBA. The system in Latin America needs to be resolved. Both sides recognize that, but that’s also not an excuse to simply implement a draft that MLB ownership wants that could crush a great talent pool that has fed MLB for decades. The amateur draft destroyed baseball in the inner cities as the money went to Latin America, leading to a great reduction in the Black American talent pool, it hurt the talent pool in Puerto Rico, and it could and likely would do similar in Latin America. This is all about money.
Hopefully some positive progress occurred that will lead to an eventual deal down the road. It’s clear though that the PA, while carrying about the QO system, cares more about the creation of an international draft without necessary safeguards.
I cannot believe we are reliving this again. A back and forth between the MLB and PA. How long will it go on this time ? Honestly I cannot stand all this drama. I am glad the season is not on the line this time. But it’s still a bad look on both parties parts. Didn’t rob man say after the fiasco earlier in the year he was going to work on the relationship between the two parties ? What has he done ?
Taco, I guess the good news is it’s over for now, unless they both agreed to reopen it in the offseason. If not, the current system remains in place and it will become an issue again in 4 1/2 years (or is it 3 1/2?) for the next CBA.
Thanks rob
Tacoshells3 hours ago
Honestly I cannot stand all this drama.
=================================
You serious? I didn’t even sweat the work stoppage, and that would actually impact me negatively if they had no baseball.
But getting upset at whether they have controlled international free agency or a draft? I pay exactly -0- attention to the issue. Even in the US draft, I only know maybe 2-3 rounds of names.
Why would anyone even care about this?
Blah blah money blah money money blah…
The next person who calls them the “Trashstros” or hypocritically refers to the “cheating” (all teams “cheat”), there’s going to be a problem.
Ok, Trashtros…. 🙂
Nothing wrong with calling them cheaters because they did get caught cheating. Of course all teams cheat. If you are not cheating you are not trying. Lighten up Francis
I disagree. The angels cannot cheat and be that terrible!
Cheating Trashtros
Trashtros
Hey fellas stop disrespecting the Trashtros like that. It’s a beautiful thing to win a World Series cheating and get nuttin’ but a slap on the wrist for it. They should put Trashtros on that trophy, what a class organization.
@Savos: You keep posting this. I’m guessing you’re not an Astros fan, but rather someone trolling them.
I mean, we could also call them the Asterisks, if that’s what you prefer? Personally, I think Trashtros just sounds better and is obviously the most appropriate.
Though my favorite thing to call them, would get bleeped out on here, so Trashtros it is!
Uh, Trashtros. Waiting for the problem.
Speaking of block this Cheating Trashtro spammer has to go.
Like I said, I don’t think he’s an Astros fan. He posts this in every forum just to get responses. He is why the mute button was invented.
Wow, guess I am old…Figured someone would throw out a Sargeant Hulka like “Lighten up Francis” by now….?
Trashastros. What are you going to do about internet tough guy?
There is no deal. There was never going to be a deal. Lol
Owners still have another 7 final offers to offer.
LOL! kind of like the 683 final offers I have received to get that extended warrantee…………….
I won’t argue that the owners are greedy, but I don’t think the fault is entirely theirs. Part of the issue is some of these guys are signing at 16 or 17 vs 18 or older in the US. That naturally puts more projection on the table, which increases risk. Increased risk = lower investment. To think that the owners are going to shell out the same $8+M for the #1 overall international pick and then have to both wait longer and take on more risk isn’t going to fly. There are a few guys worth that level of investment, but not many.
Plus, it’d be unfair in favor of the rebuilding teams to have two drafts. Getting the #1 pick in both drafts is huge. Instead, I wish they’d combine them into one big draft. Put it back to 40 rounds, give teams more money. Maybe the slot for the top overall pick remains about where it is, but the slot value goes down more gradually or something. If a team wants to invest heavily on the int’l market, it can. If it wants to go with college juniors and seniors because they’re closer to the majors, it can.
And can’t the sides at least agree on trading draft picks? Every other major sport does this. It’d add some interest to draft night and open up another venue for teams to go all-in or rebuild.
Perhaps the slot value should be adjusted by age. Do it in both drafts — that might encourage more American players to go to college, too, if teams have more money they’re allowed to offer a college pick than a high school pick.
The players worked to have the 19 games against each team in the division cut. That was overdue. They had it cut down to 13 games. And they wanted the playoffs expanded. That’s fine, like the other sports MLB is heading on a path to make the regular season pretty much meaningless.
But where they messed up was getting each team to play at least one game against all teams in MLB. This sounds wonderful. But what it means is yet more travel, more going into a city for a short series, and even more confusion if a short series game is rained out. Then there’s the TV viewership. With more games in a different time zone, fans will either not watch those games or only watch a few innings. Advertisers will see the decreased viewership and will refuse to pay the premium fees. In turn the TV contracts teams sign will have to be adjusted downward. And of course the players will talk about the “greedy owners” while they expect their salaries to continue to go up at rates that outpace inflation……while complaining about excessive travel.
So what’s new?
I liked the unbalanced schedule. It’s not fair to the wildcards, but if we wanted fair we’d have no playoffs and crown the winner of a 162 game 30 team division and play all games at neutral sites with climate control and assign hits based on exit velocity.
What really matters is what’s the most fun, and I find it a lot more fun to watch my Blue Jays play the Yankees and Red Sox than to watch them play the Pirates and Diamondbacks. MLB will be degrading their product with the new schedule.
I’ve seen some people ask why the union is getting involved. My guess is they’ve seen MLB consolidate control over the minor league teams, and they feel they need more say over how MLB treats the international and minor league players, to protect those players. Eventually they might push for including those players in the union.
@Samuel: the players weren’t the ones calling for expanded playoffs. That was the owners.
Wow there is someone left who hasn’t blocked Samuel!
I’m guessing he blocked me, because I can’t reply to him directly.
He has the least amount of knowledge of anyone on here. When someone proves him wrong and makes him look foolish he blocks you. It would still be fun to prove him wrong by replying to other people’s replies but they have blocked him so it’s rare to find someone who hasn’t blocked him so I blocked him as well. His only value was as a punching bag so no need to see what he says if you can’t beat up on him.
Of course they did
Hey is anyone interested in joining a second half roto league 10 teams get to play with the champ ill drop the link if you let me know you are
Take the 191 million, precedent will be set on the league willing to increase spending and use it in future negotiations. Sick of the pissing contest.
Neither side is going to get everything they want. Compromise, but get something in place that will benefit these amateurs and make them less likely to be preyed upon. US amateurs don’t get to pick who drafts them, so I don’t understand the concern for the International player by the union. Just like for US players, set slot amounts and allow teams to go over or under as long as the total is no more than 5% above. If this wouldn’t work, explain why not.
A millions years from now MLB and PA will be arguing over the intergalactic draft. And stat geeks still won’t know how to value fielding. Sigh.
I find it weird that a player can come from another country you may have seen in person or some players that you may only have newspaper clippings or some nothing at all but a promise that they are good. Get a 5/60 million contract and start as a “Rookie”, still don’t get that. Sometimes not getting checked out health wise until after they sign. But a college player can get drafted say 3rd and get a 6 or 7 year contract at 9 million. So the standard contract is longer here and you have a hard salary cap on them? Your harming the players in this draft as well let’s not forget about that. You locked them out of pay for 2020. Sad to say but I don’t see the MLB being a thing in 20 years. The next 2 years we get to look forward to Advertising on the Jerseys. Killing baseball itself. Not the business side, not yet. If it wasn’t for the Stadiums, the staff working to supply customers at games, the actual players, the fans, the love people have for the game, there wouldn’t be an MLB. The Greed with this leadership group is beyond noticeable. Feels like what is about to happen to the NCAA. What does MLB actually do? Like for real? It seems to me the entire MLB office can fit into a Replay room. This replay system is a shame and seems heavily biased sometimes. As well as no accountability for anyone. Not you, not your office, definitely not the umpires union who seems to be in bed with MLB. Thought they were supposed to be separate? Just poor visuals and points you follow. When is Atlanta getting the All Star Game next since you decided to play Virtue King and pull the game and take it to an even worse place to prove your point? I have heard no announcement on how you are going to make it up to Atlanta and it’s players and fans? Major league baseball is truly proving the movie Baseketball true. Sooooo greedy!!
I got lost on which sport you were talking about. Players from the MLB draft get a signing bonus. They don’t get multi year contracts.
Lighten up, Francis. I’ve been hearing about the demise of baseball (and The Bronx) almost my entire life. Still hasn’t come to pass.
IRT the ASG, I found it humorous that the MLB moved the game from perhaps the blackest baseball city to perhaps the whitest baseball city.
Enough nonsense. Get rid of the QO policy and have one large draft of ALL players eligible. If your team is so bad that it needs compensation picks for someone signing elsewhere, that’s bad management. Find ways to keep your stars or do what Tampa does and work your magic with data. If the team can’t compete in this league, they should be demoted to a AAA-level team for one of the Big Boys of MLB.
i’ve said it before and ill say it again, MLB should be moving away from drafts not doubling down.
There is an argument for that and to overhaul the entire system.
Without a draft system the richest clubs would sign all the best players out of college or high school. There would be no competition just the richest clubs in the World Series year in and out.
This isn’t true and it’s just the fear mongering by owners less inclined to spend, there are many ways to control the distribution of talent without a draft. But as far as drafts are concerned, they take the market away from the player, the one with the actual marketable talent and ties them to a team for the next decade. Imagine going to school, ascending all the way to the top of your chosen studies, you get your diploma and instead of being able to market your talents to the highest bidder or work in the area of the country you want, you get drafted to a company and are tied to them for the next decade. Let’s not forget you get screwed on your wages in comparison to your contemporaries and you have to find a different job for half the year, while remaining sharp, also at any time they can send you to another company without your consent.
So? Capalisim works that way. Are you mad Apple and Microsoft have a monopoly in their fields?
Do you draft engineers and doctors? So why do you draft baseball players?
This is a “Clown show bro”.
Combine the drafts. NHL & NBA have international players included with domestic. I don’t see why MLB can’t or shouldn’t.
Mlbpa has in mind the best interests of 16 yr old, non-drafted kids from Central and South America? Dont think so. BS is BS.
Leaving the vulnerable kids to the evil billionaires must be such a great thing for you!
Lots of positives for internationally signed players. Big payday comes at 16-17 instead of 18-22, also because you’re starting minor league time so young, there is more incentive for teams to push your advancement. This also pushes teams to add you to the 40 man roster earlier and give you big league playing time sooner, potentially reaching arbitration and free agency sooner.
It’s also more of a gamble signing a 16 year old instead of an 18 or 21 year old. Maybe the bonuses aren’t as high but it reflects the risk teams are assuming. If MLBPA really wants much more going to the international class, MLB should ask them to play in an actual amateur league for HS aged kids and only sign them at 17 or after two years in the amateur league. Let these trainers run a complete team and face off against other trainers’ teams.
Lot of people on here are real happy to spend other people’s money…
Once again the Union over reaches and screws things up. They didn’t even talk about the most important thing: making these international players wait until they are 18 to sign they coul
finish high school.
Tell all draftees to finish 4 year college! teams will try to lock them up into their system for Pesos!
I love the international talent. They essentially get a lottery ticket as compared to the high school prospects with options. Though not totally knowledgeable but the percent international that fail to progress is probably high. I believe this is where MLB and PA need to assist these kids. The teams won’t. They will move on.
Maybe just an idea but see if they would be JUCO eligible? Independent ball? Help keep baseball apart of these young men’s lives. The PA needs to support them in the options if they fail to advance in an organization. High school prospects end up in college and pursue other avenues. The international talent should be given this IMO