The unfortunate reality is that we’re all but certain to see fewer Major League Baseball games than usual in 2020. That could have an effect on many different aspects, including players’ service time. That’s always a contentious issue, evidenced in part by Kris Bryant’s battle with the Cubs during the offseason, though it does seem the league and the players are coming together on the matter during this time of crisis.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription link), MLB is going to grant a full year of service time to all players who remain active throughout the upcoming campaign, no matter how many games are played. That could obviously have an impact on teams’ decisions to promote their prospects if a 2020 season takes place, not to mention the effect on upcoming free-agent classes. It’s no doubt welcome news for someone like all-world Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, a contract-year player who needs 102 more days of service time to reach the open market. Considering the current circumstances, neither Betts nor anyone else may be in position to accrue 102 days this year.
In the event of a coronavirus-forced worst-case scenario that would rob us of baseball in 2020, how would the sport proceed with respect to service time? That’s unclear right now, per Rosenthal, who writes that the league and the players remain hopeful that “as many games as possible” will occur in 2020.
The sides continue to negotiate on various matters, reports Rosenthal, who adds that the union sent its latest proposal Tuesday. The United States is amid a national emergency, thus giving commissioner Rob Manfred the right to withhold players’ salaries. But the league’s not doing that as of now. Rather, it offered a lump-sum advance of over $150MM (more than $125K per 40-man roster player) during earlier talks with the union, Rosenthal relays. However, the parties are still trying to hammer out an agreement that works for the two of them.
Sad situation all around not even 102 days of ball will be played, 2/3 of a season. What does that mean tho as they mentioned Betts, does he still stay in LA next year?
I think the key is whether they withhold salaries are not. For every Betts there is a Yasmany Tomas whose contracts are a burden. One cannot automatically say that a team will have to pay a one year salary for two years now just because this year there is a shutdown. If there is a season, discussion is probably about whether it is counted as a full season with full financial obligations. If there is no season, discussion is probably about how will players get their money and how will this affect contracts and service time. That is what the talks are probably about.
So Betts does stay in LA? Just the money is the debate? I’m still lost as far as what happens to any player who would be a free agent at the end of season, fo the hit the market?
If any games are played according to the article Betts becomes a FA
Do some of you not even read the article and just comment? Your question is clearly answered in the article.
BK, sadly, thats most of the commenters on here. And, most of those clowns think we, the readers, are just waiting to read and consume every word of opinion they write. Thinking, before typing, only delays the finished product, quality be damned.
Imagine the season being wiped out and Betts becoming a free agent without playing one game for the Dodgers. Do the Dodgers get compensated by the other teams?
The article says that hasn’t been decided yet. My guess is if no games are played then no one accrues any service time and there’s no free agency. It’s like 2020 never existed. Everyone stays put and their contracts pick up in 2021… There’s no fair way for everyone but that’s my guess. No clue what they’ll do.
bklynny67, That seems to make the most sense, even though it would suck for guys like Betts. What happens with FA, though, may depend on how much players are compensated. If they’re basically just getting these (relatively) small advances, then it sucks that the Dodgers are out the players on the trade for Betts, but at least they wouldn’t be out of the money. Whatever’s agreed to has to be done with the MLBPA and they’re not going to want to see every player have his FA delayed by a year. Hopefully, it won’t come to that and we’ll still see ~100 games this year.
I get it now a full year of service no matter how many games get played, “welcomed by Betts.” It was a bit confusing to me they shoulda just said they would count the year in full if they play any games. Thanks for those who tried and no thanks to the “higher ups” who only like to talk smack.
If they make service time a full year for any one who stays on the roster all year and it goes by days for anyone who doesn’t, then every major league team should option anyone it can at least once to save massive amounts of accrued service time, especially if they play an 81 game season or something. Teams would get an extra year of control on everyone and still get their services for pretty much the who season.
It would also mean prospects who are ready for the majors but would have had to spend time in AAA for service time reasons (Dylan Carlson, Nick Madrigal, Nate Pearson) would spend a week in AAA and then get called up.
I would love to see the Cubs option Kris Bryant. He still has an Option left.
As with a normal year, I’d expect there would be a 2-week minimum in the minors unless they’re playing fewer than 81 games. Also, can you imagine the blowback from those moves? The MLBPA would trip over themselves in a rush to file grievances and the arbitrators would, in most cases, have to concede that the teams acted in bad faith. With the upcoming CBA negotiations, that’s not the mood you want to set going in if you’re the league.
Tony Clark would explode
the real question is where that 150 million is going to come from. Revenue Sharing? Central Fund? The goodness of the owners heart? (oh ya…).
I can see lower revenue teams really getting clobbered, with less welfare money headed their way. It’ll make for an interesting 2020-2021 off season.
That had to be expected. The bigger issue is players that don’t spend the full season in the bigs. Gotta think they’d prorate the 2020 games to a normal season… ie: 50 games in an 81 game season would equal 100 days service time.