The chances that the 2020 season will be canceled increased substantially after Rob Manfred told ESPN that he is "not confident" that there will be a season as long as there is no dialogue between the owners and players. 
The confessional by Manfred comes days after he told the Press that he was 100 percent certain there would be a season this year, and that he would mandate a 50-game schedule even if the players union and the owners couldn't come to terms on a deal. Now the Commissioner's office has done a complete 180, and the prospects of Major League Baseball in 2020 looks even dimmer.
The confessional by Manfred comes days after he told the Press that he was 100 percent certain there would be a season this year, and that he would mandate a 50-game schedule even if the players union and the owners couldn't come to terms on a deal. Now the Commissioner's office has done a complete 180, and the prospects of Major League Baseball in 2020 looks even dimmer.
Things were not helped by the fact that Major League Baseball issued a statement early Monday that it was "disappointed" that the players union chose "note to negotiate in good faith over resumption of play after MLB has made successive proposals that would provide players, clubs and our fans with amicable resolution to a very difficult situation caused by COVID-19...".
It continued: "The MLBA's position that players are entitled to virtually all the revenue from a 2020 season played without fans is not fair to the thousands of other baseball employees that Clubs and our office are supporting financially during this very difficult 2020 season."
Pressed by ESPN's Mike Greenberg about the optics of the situation, Manfred was contrite saying that having no baseball in the wake of the first wave of the Coronavirus is a "disaster for the our game."
The Players Union through President Tony Clark responded Monday, stating: "Players are disgusted that after Rob Manfred unequivocally told players and fans that there would 100 percent be a 2020 season, he has decided to go back on his word and is now threatening to cancel the entire season. Any implication that the Players Union delayed progress on health and safety protocols is completely false as Rob has acknowledged the parties are very, very close."
Over the weekend the Players Union rejected MLB's proposed 72-game season with 70 percent prorated salaries, and didn't make a counter offer, instead putting the ball in Manfred's court to make a decision. Back in March, the players and owners agreed to give Manfred power to restart the season on mandate if necessary.
The owners were never going to allow a season to happen this year without a gate. With no gate, the couldn't justify paying players in full, hence the reason they kept suggested prorating the salaries down, inspite of a prior agreement in March not to do so. Rob Manfred answers to the owners, not the players. And now the entire season looks completely lost, barring an 11th hour miracle at this point.
Even the players themselves have taken to social media to blast the baseball Commissioner. Cincinnati Reds starter Trevor Bauer, not one to be shy with words, posted to Twitter: "So, Rob, explain to us how you can be 100% sure that there's going to be baseball but not confident there will be baseball at the same time? hmmm. What changed between those statements? Players told you to set the season, but it's too early to set the season right now."
With the uncertainty of a season in 2020, combined with increased uncertainty about what might happen in 2021 should a second and third wave of the virus hit before a vaccine is said to be ready next spring, and the fact the sport faces a year of CBA strife in 2022, who knows what kind of shape baseball will be in for years to come.
Right now the sport is suffocating. Fallout from the Astros and Red Sox scandals last season was enough of a black eye for the sport. Now the league looks a petty group of billionaires and millionaires who lets money corrupt the sport when millions of fans - many of whom are out of work due to COVID-19 - clamored for its return.
The NBA and NHL have tentative plans in place to re-start their seasons, as foolhardy as it might be at this point. The players, owners and commissioners appear to be in lockstep in those leagues.
The NFL is teetering on the brink of disaster with the threat by players to kneel before the National Anthem, again, in the wake of George Floyd's murder. The story that players on the Texans and Cowboys may have contracted COVID-19 isn't helping either. But at least the NFL is a billion dollar behemoth that can, and has withstood Roger Goodell's incompetence many times over.
So where will baseball be a week from now? Two months from now? A year from now? It's anyone's guess. But no baseball in 2020 can only spell doom for a sport that has been slowly dying at the box office and in TV ratings.
If the Coronavirus lockdown has done anything to hurt the sport of baseball, it has given fans reason to look toward other avenues -- other than sports -- for a night of entertainment. Netflix, Apple TV, HBO Max are all destinations for adults and families alike with something for everyone. Fans are getting used to a world without sports. And when the NBA, NHL and NFL comeback before baseball does -- one dares to say that all three could eclipse baseball in importance, especially if the players and owners can't get their act together on labor peace.
Comments