So much for no more proposals from MLB for a 2020 season: Reports have MLB officials outlining a 76-game season with prorated salaries but additional playoff pool money, culminating in a Sept. 27 end of season and October World Series.
The initial response from the MLB Players Association (MLBPA): Thanks, but no thanks, while reporting that yet another counteroffer would be presented from the players come Wednesday.
Overall, the potential payoff to players for a 76-game season is $1.432 billion, which is $200 million over the previous MLB offer but about half of what the players asked for, $2.87 billion, in a 114-game season.
There was one other concession offered by MLB: the elimination of direct draft-pick compensation, which is seen as suppressing the offseason free-agent market. While teams would still receive a compensatory draft pick after the loss of a free agent, teams signing the free agent would not forfeit a draft pick.
As noted, the players say they will present another offer on Wednesday, June 10. The shorter the time between now and September would seem to increase the chances of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred imposing a 50-game season, which would appear to conform to a March agreement between players and owners that called for no salary cuts this season.
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