The only way we are going to see a season played in 2020 is if the owners and the players can collectively bargain a deal that is satisfactory for both sides. The MLB was first to come up with a proposal to start the season, submitted their plan to the MLBPA 10 days ago.
Now according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the MLBPA has come up with a counter proposal of their own that they have submitted to the league office.
While most of the rumblings of contention have been centered around the financial side of the bargaining table, Passan’s reporting seems to indicate that the player’s main concern is their health and safety.
Players reportedly want to see more protection put in place for high-risk players and family members, as well as increased sanitization and medical personal available at the stadium. They also want more testing and an enhanced protocol for when their is a positive test.
The New York Post’s Joel Sherman is reporting that the players hope to see daily testing take place to provide comfort that everyone can remain healthy. The question remains if daily testing is feasible at this time and if that would take away from the COVID-19 tests needed around the country. If the MLB can at least make the players feel comfortable that their health is not in jeopardy, maybe we can see some traction towards a deal being struck.
While the health risks are clearly a prominent aspect for any deal between the MLB and the MLBPA to be ratified, the financial element of these negotiations is still a big cause for dispute.
We will see if these two sides can find some common ground through these negotiations over the coming weeks.
