The Murky Future of the MLB
Three long months have passed since we last saw a player take the mound, hit one to the upper deck, or fight with an umpire. Obviously, this was due to the coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the world and grinded everyone’s lives to a halt. Slowly, though, the world has begun to reopen, attempting to return to some semblance of a normal life.
While businesses begin to return, the major sports leagues attempt to devise a plan to finish out or start their seasons. The NBA and the NHL have been successful in quickly creating strategies that will allow them to return to play in late July, where they would have a shortened season and rapidly begin an expanded postseason.
For weeks we’ve watched a pissing match of epic proportion unfold between the MLB and the MLBPA. This began on May 20th, when the MLB sent a formal proposition to the MLBPA. Originally, on May 11th, the owners agreed to a deal that included an 82-game season, a 14-team postseason, and the idea of a 50/50 revenue split between owners and players. This deal didn’t sit right with the players, though, who had agreed to prorate their salaries based on the number.
The MLBPA responded to the MLB’s deal by asking for an increase in protection against the coronavirus, which would involve frequent testing, protection for high risk player’s, and constant sanitization of equipment and facilities.
