After saying last week, on Thursday, that they would make a competitive offer to the Players Association, MLB dropped the ball again on Saturday in the latest meeting between the two sides.
Currently negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement, the league and the union met over the weekend, but it resulted in another bitter disappointment for fans.
We can now say with some confidence that, while there hasn’t been an official announcement, the season likely won’t start on time.
MLB didn’t come through and made another non-competitive offer, one that certainly didn’t satisfy players.
Yet Another Uncompetitive Offer
The Athletic’s Evan Drellich detailed the league’s latest proposal.
On league minimum salary, MLB made two proposals. One for a flat amount of $630,000 (and teams could pay more if they wish).
Or tiered proposal with an increase in year 3: now, $615k for 0-1 service time, $650k for 1-2 yrs, $725k for 2-3 yrs. Increase is in 2-3: used to be 700k
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) February 12, 2022
“On league minimum salary, MLB made two proposals. One for a flat amount of $630,000 (and teams could pay more if they wish), or tiered proposal with an increase in year 3: now, $615k for 0-1 service time, $650k for 1-2 yrs, $725k for 2-3 yrs. Increase is in 2-3: used to be 700k,” he tweeted on Saturday.
The league is still far from the players’ ideal scenario of increasing the minimum salary to $775,000, and the flat $630,000 for the first three seasons of team control is extremely disappointing.
Lots of players don’t make it past a year of service time, so the tiered proposal is not without flaws, either.
For reference, the league’s minimum salary was $570,500 in 2021.
Drellich also reported details about the league’s latest offer when it comes to the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT): “As part of MLB’s CBT proposal, thresholds go to: $214m, $214m, $216m, $218m, $222m (previously: 214, 214, 214, 216, 220).”
As part of MLB’s CBT proposal, thresholds go to: $214m, $214m, $216m, $218m, $222m.
(Previously: 214, 214, 214, 216, 220)
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) February 12, 2022
The MLBPA has said in the past that it wants to see the CBT significantly increased so teams aren’t capped at the time of offering contracts.
Last year was $210 million, so the increase is very much insufficient.
The developments that took place over the weekend have reinforced the notion that spring training likely won’t start on time this year.
The Sides Are Too Far Apart For The Season To Start On Time
It feels inevitable at this point.
The league presented a calendar to the union highlighting the dates in which they would have to be in agreement for the season to start on time.
MLB today presented the MLBPA with a calendar: i.e., to start regular season on time, a deal is needed by X day. Not known what specific days/deadlines MLB suggested. Unknown yet if MLBPA agrees with the calendar as MLB sees it. Union has to review it all. TBD.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) February 12, 2022
The exact dates aren’t known at this point, but the topic is the same: the start date of the regular season is officially in jeopardy.
There is just no way that both sides can overcome their substantial differences in just a couple of weeks when they have had months to talk about the same topics and haven’t been able to make a breakthrough.
For example, a bonus pool for players with 0-3 years of service time was discussed a couple of weeks ago.
MLB wanted to put $10 million in the pool and the players wanted more than $100 million.
Over the weekend, the league raised its offer to $15 million.
That’s likely the perfect example of how far the two sides are at the moment, with just a handful of days to go until the previously set date for players to report to training camps.
Sentiment among the players is one of disappointment: they didn’t get their hopes particularly up after hearing MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred saying they would make a good offer, but they had some hope nonetheless.
— Jake Diekman (@JakeDiekman) February 12, 2022
This is, unfortunately, far from over.
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