The MLB Players Association has responded to the league’s proposed health and safety guidelines, Evan Drellich of The Athletic was among those to report on Twitter. Last week, MLB sent the union a 67-page document outlining suggested protocols for safely starting the 2020 regular season and minimizing the spread of COVID-19 once play is underway.
There’s no indication at present that there are any particular areas of tension, let alone intractable disagreements, in this arena. Matters of compensation remain to be discussed and carry much greater potential for serious clashes. (Indeed, the battle is already well underway.)
It seems the players are looking for a few changes after close review of the proposal. The players would prefer to have greater access to on-premises facilities (showers, etc.) as well as more frequent coronavirus testing, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links).
A spokesperson told ESPN’s Jeff Passan (Twitter thread) that the MLBPA has been conferring with health experts and, on Monday this week, held a 3.5-hour video conference with more than 100 players to discuss the league’s suggested guidelines. Some players had already pushed back against some of the suggested restrictions, both in on-record statements and anonymously.
Odds are the league will be amenable to discussing changes of this kind. Team executives told Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic that the 67-page, league-issued guidelines are viewed as a “first draft” — one that will need some workshopping as the two sides seek an amenable compromise that works for all parties involved.
Finding agreement on health and safety is obviously necessary if there’s to be a return to play in 2020. There’s plenty of optimism on that score.
Perhaps there’s even some hope that cooperation on this front will pave the way for better relations on the financial side. But we’ve yet to see evidence of that. As Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports today (Twitter links), an internal union memo derides “misinformation” from the league and says the MLBPA still hasn’t received information it requested in mid-March regarding the economic feasibility of playing without fans.
I’m risking my my life bro -Blake snell
Ya.. whether you think the players are wrong, the owners are wrong or you are just sick of both sides, Snell should not be the spokeman for anyone.
Not even for Snell. Dude is pretty tone deaf.
He’s only an athlete in prime condition in the prime of his life receiving amazon prime packages, I don’t think he’s ready for prime time maybe prime rib but that’s about it prime
Well said, im a rays fan, love the pitcher, very talented but should not speak ever
He could have articulated it better, but Snell isn’t exactly wrong for what he said. He has concerns about his health, rightly. I don’t see where wanting his full salary as compensation for that risk makes him a villain. I get frontline workers are risking their health, too. They should be compensated better as well. At the end of the day we all have to make choices we’re comfortable with personally. This is surely a risk Snell probably never anticipated. I don’t get all the bashing.
His March 11 Tweet doesnt help
“If it gets me it gets me”
@HumanRainDelay….most of America had the same mind sight back in March including myself!….No way in hell that should be used against him!..Not attacking you specifically lol, but have seen many say that
The bashing on the conversation you are posting in has only so far commented on his inability go articulate his position with any kind of grace.
Agree with front line workers should receive more pay, like soldiers in a combat zone.. We received extra. Police, fire, medical now should. I have a problem with all the chatter going back and forth regarding pay between mlb and the mlbpa.. They either show up and get paid, or they don’t get paid.
Some people are under the misconception that so called contracts signed, even “guaranteed” ones will get paid. They cancel this season, or play and some players decide they want to stay home? those contracts are not getting paid.
I have seen 1, or 2 members here post that in the event of a cancelled season 4% will be paid out of any amount due, but I am thinking there is going to be language in the general contracts absolving them for so called “Acts of God or war”.
I’m not a lawyer of course (thank goodness),but have a strong feeling everything was covered many years ago to protect the interests of the owners.
Nobody is under this misconception, and not especially the players, which makes it not a misconception at all, but a straw man.
I guess would he rather get 1/2 his salary or no salary? That’s what it comes down to
Well let’s face it, Blake lives in a nursing home
Not to change the subject on you anthony.. That dig of urs regarding snell lives in a nursing home i guess refers to the part of florida he plays at, which the so calledClearwater/sarasota /bradenton area has a LOT of retirees..
I’d like to point out tho, that ST facilities are located in so called deeply RED states and had ANY ST unfortunately been in some “other” type where they have no clue.. We wouldn’t be talking about players getting together at their own parks and working out again now would we?
It’s interesting that some players want more access to facilities which suggests a greater level of exposure to other players.
Maybe this whole thing is only about money?
It’s only about money for 99%. For those that live with high risk family members, they should be cautious- not shower in locker rooms etc. Snell should donate 90% of his salary to healthcare workers if he meant what he said
Or maybe more access to facilities has to do with the fact that most players don’t have a ice bath in there hotel room and they are equally concerned with chance of injury…go figure
My favorite Korean baseball player had a slight injury in last night’s KBO action. Everyone is wondering what he will do for treatment since hospitals ain’t got no time for baseball injuries right now.
most hospitals there have gone back to normal operation according to cnn.
According to me, currently living and working in Seoul, South Korea, real time reporting, hospitals here have not returned to regular operations. My father-in-law is in the hospital and we have to follow the nation-wide standard procedure of requesting permission in advance. Also, he is not able to get an elective procedure right now because the hospital has a prioritization system reflecting Covid19 concerns and i’m pretty sure a baseball injury wouldn’t top my father-in-law’s situation. Nope, we may have baseball back on our peninsula but in other ways Covid19 is still doing us up the bung hole without the common decency of giving a reach around.
Korea is doing good though and pretty much beating Covid19 but only because Koreans are willing to comply with rules and give up privacy freedoms.
Every where in public, people wear masks and no one selfishly refuses. Even out doors at places like parks. Most buildings won’t grant you access unless you are wearing a mask. You can’t go into a public space without being greeted by hand sanitizer.
They use military style social network analysis to find and fix on every person and place that comes in contact with a known case. Then they deploy hazmat teams to disinfect EVERY surface that a Covid19 case may have touched. Then they forcibly test every person who came in contact with a Covid19 case. If you’re positive then everyone you associate with is informed. Friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, local businesses.
Are Americans willing to do that in order and join the new reality? I’m American and I am. But I’m a military vet so I know I’m already a little crazy.
That must be a rhetorical question. Sadly too many Americans view caring about their fellow Americans as a sign of weakness.
im no expert here but at least i like the tone of the article. i think this may get ironed out quicker than most think.
Same impression.
Blake Snell should be more worried he is not a one-hit wonder like the group Looking Glass…Brandy (you’re a fine girl).
After the clunker he threw last year.
My life, my love and my lady is the sea
maybe, you should worry about your safety first.
Aren’t showers a good thing for health though? We are advised to wash our hands many times a day, a shower is a hand wash for the whole body.
Private showers yes. Ball park showers however are probably like health club showers which leave a lot to be desired if your trying to social distance.
ive always thought those showers to be revolting as someone with self-respect.
I’ve been in the home and visiting clubhouses in Anaheim and they were like really nice gym/health club setups. If guys went every other shower head it would be fine and I highly doubt all 25 head straight there after every game.
Big difference between a shower and washing your hands.
Showers create an aerosol-type mist in the air. Any virus that was on the body surface being blasted by the shower would become airborne, and thus able to be breathed in by anyone in the area.
Washing your hands does not do that, not to close to that extent. Think of fogged mirrors…
Good point. That steam tends to linger, too.
They will get it done in the end, it will just all be nasty
Like many have said they are missing a golden opportunity here
This will no doubt just spill into an even more nasty CBA
The only card the Fan holds at this point is BOTH sides know they cant go offline.
Its only 1 card we hold, but it is an Ace, and Ace high wins a lot of hands still
The leadership of this sport is drowning it year after year, such a shame
You put your finger on the real danger in the owners and players not coming to an agreement this year especially on the pay. It will poison the well for the negotiations on the CBA.
For the record I think they will play thru both, (unless C-19 worsens this year) They both know sitting out really isn’t an option long term, short term, or any term in todays current battle for viewership eyeballs
Perhaps the players get a token win next CBA (like NFL got w Pot), along with get a couple extra % points but the point I was trying to make is; it will all be nasty, drive away fans, and absolutely none of this dirty laundry needs to be shared with the public right now.
Its just pure destruction and chaos for zero cause in the end –
They could have fed us “Baseball and Apple Pie” this summer……..just seems like a more tastier dish that way 🙁
The incentive for everyone is playing some sort of baseball this year and by some sort I mean baseball that produces revenue and keeps the fans somewhat interested. It will really be joke baseball based on the format MLB has proposed but as far as everyone is concerned it’s better than nothing. It’s the fight over player compensation that has me worried for the future of the game. It seems many fans haven’t been around long enough to know or remember (or maybe care) how much damage was done to the game by the labor disputes of the past. I don’t have any faith in the team owners that they can see it coming, and even if they do, have the collective ability to head it off. Not much about how they’ve handled problems in the game recently suggests they won’t boot this one to hell and back too.
The MLB doesn’t realize how easy it is to export baseball and let a different league become the default destination for the world’s top talent.
All it takes is a few really good young guys to defect when they realize a smaller paycheck is better than no paycheck.
Even if a few geezers like Tony Bats or washed up guys like the Dark Knight came to Korea, we’d embrace them and pave the path for exodus.
The longer this goes the more I want to say to both parties – “Stay Home.”
If owners and players are more worried about money than health and safety just cancel the season. Whatever agreement they come to will most likely see big name guys sit out 2020.
While there are some fans who want to see younger players replace guys who choose to sit out majority of fans aren’t going to want to watch triple a guys or taxi squad guys play most the season.
Viewership for TV deals is the Rosetta Stone. If owners aren’t making “enough” off TV deals to justify footing the bill this year stoppage is all but guaranteed anyways if we resume.
Players are walking a dangerous line with their response. Demanding more testing makes them sound like what many of them are, prima donnas who think their lives are more valuable than other people’s lives. So they want unlimited testing, and they don’t care whether or not you and I have tests available should we need them. It’s a very bad PR stance. I’m not taking a side—neither owners nor players’ side—I’m just saying it is poor public relations on the player’s side. Yes, some of them have compromised immune systems and many more of them may have family members they want to protect because the family members are at risk (I’m in that situation where I’m trying to stay healthy for the sake of my daughter and mother-in-law, not necessarily for myself), but the majority of players still fall into the prima Donna-like category.
The money is going to ruin it….the Owners will lose less with no season most likely, players need to keep that in mind
Great post, that was the first thing I thought after witnessing the Snell interview….Owners don’t just own teams, they have multiple businesses….
So when Snell postures, he fails to realize the owners will lose money this year no matter what….however with no season, less loss for their baseball investment. Even then. they have many other financial ventures to lean on…
Very telling when the players throw up their hands over money, but not really any pushback on the player’s safety. Shows you where their minds are.
If players are afraid for their health, I fully respect them wanting to sit it out. But a few more million shouldn’t be the deciding factor, particularly when the ones complaining the loudest are already millionaires.
Major leaguers, particularly big stars, already have access to better health care than the average joe, working for employers who make their money based on the health of their players…
I can’t figure out what you think is telling.
Well if they’re not overly worried about contracting COVID then every day they delay is one less day they get paid.
And I also think whomever doesn’t want to play has the right not to, nor should they be penalized for not playing, nor should they be paid if they dont play.
Anyone who thinks this is a matter of only players or only owners losing their money is not looking at the big picture. The competitive advantage if large market vs small market is going to explode. Small market teams are going to take years to get back to where they were. Bigger market teams will recover quickly. Know who pays for that recovery? Fans.
Wait until you see ticket prices when fans are allowed back in. Whether its reduced seating driving a high demand vs low supply, teams trying to justify higher operating costs with lower occupancy, new insurances that will be required to avoid lawsuits if a breakout does happen at a stadium, higher debt loads causing much higher interest costs… get ready for it because the people who are going to pay most are you and I.
Hardly any deaths in under 45 age group (1% of all deaths), and those are mostly people with other conditions. I hardly think players are putting their lives at risk (but maybe their grandmothers). For these players its just a case of flu , which seems quite prevalent among players during the season anyways
I don’t understand on premise facility restrictions for players. This is just nuts.
Maybe they should eliminate tags, and mound visits to enforce social distancing, and make umps and players wear masks. I’m tuning out from the loony tunes.
why don’t you vilunteer at a n.y. hospital, mr/ms brave?
“Ladies and gentlemen, let the 2020 season begin and may the odds be in favor of your team !”
Can they share peanuts and Cracker Jack ?