MLBPA Demands Full Prorated Pay with 89-Game Season

The MLB players’ association, in the latest developments of the MLB-MLBPA negotiations, called for full part of their prorated salaries with an 89-game regular season. It’s been a long time since the two sides have constantly been of the opposite views over the proposals coming from either side. The assortment of changes has already taken place at various levels of the negotiation, but the decision is still looking to be at the loggerhead.

The recent proposal coming from MLB was the 76-Game Season paying 75% of the players’ prorated salaries. While this initially looked like an optimistic move in the direction of the final decision, this proposal too was repudiated by the union. The players called this proposal worse than previous ones. It looked more like a risk-sharing scheme — if because of the coronavirus spread, the postseason gets canceled, players will get only 50% of their prorated salaries.

The contrasting views coming from both the sides — MLB holding firm on not beginning the regular season before September 27, and the union not agreeing on anything less than 100% of their prorated salaries — it is hard to guess when can we see a full stop to this long-standing negotiation.

Countering the last MLB’s 76-Game Season proposal to the Players’ Association, the union has proposed the league for an 89-game regular season with players getting 100% of their prorated salaries. But, the league does not seem to agree on this proposal coming from the union. It is the full part of the prorated salary, stretching the regular season to October, and forcing some chunks of the postseason into November, have been the issue of disagreements so far for MLB.

MLB has professed that it is going to lose a huge part of the money if it pays full prorated salaries to all the players. It says that the players could earn even more when taken in total with the 76-games proposal cut, that they would make with a 50-games season. The proposal has been so designed that the season will conclude on October 11, beginning from July 10. The later part of MLB will coincide with that of the NBA Finals concluding games. This will further help MLB avoid competing directly with the NBA playoffs.

MLBPA 89-Game Season Proposal.

This 89-Game Season Proposal coming from MLB Players’ association looks like a compromise from the union's end. However, the union has been steadfastly insisting on the full part of their prorated salaries. The players feel that they should be paid a full amount for the game, they are playing — on the other hand, MLB has been constantly demanding extra pay cuts, other than prorated salaries, throughout the negotiations so far.

Let’s have a look at the recent developments in MLB-MLBPA negotiations:

May 26: The 82-game season proposal from MLB with a sliding salary scale.

May 31: The 114-game season with a full prorated salary proposal coming from MLBPA.

June 1: ML agrees for full prorated salaries on the condition of a 48-54 game season.

June 8: A 76-game season with a 75 percent prorated salary proposal coming from MLB.

June 9: A 89-game season with a full prorated salary proposal from MLBPA.

This most recent MLBPA proposal also talks about social justice initiatives — a $5 million fund should be allotted to assist charitable organizations and minor leaguers. There’s nothing better than a HOPE. Let’s hope for the best for everyone — the league, players & the baseball fans.