Yes, both sides (MLB and MLBPA) have their agents and PR reps out pointing fingers at the other, but which side is to blame? Union vs Management is a strange concept in my mind. I am neither pro nor anti union. I’m anti wage garnishment for employment. It is humorous to me that the argument against “Right to Work” is that it will destroy the Union. Why? A Union should have to compete for my membership and money (dues). It should not get them simply because I chose a profession based on my passions or skills. If you can prove to me that you’re able to negotiate for me a better compensation package than I can on my own, you provide me job loss security, or better retirement, something that I believe is worth my contribution, then sure, I’ll join. I’m a member of AAA. I have no problem paying to join groups I believe benefit me. Now if AAA dues were a requirement to have a driver’s license, then I would take issue.
Now that my perceived animosity towards organized labor has been dealt with, lets discuss the MLB situation**. Most of us would fawn at any of the figures being bantered about by Management, our eyes absolutely bulge at the Players’ proposals. A minimum salary of 700+ thousand per season, which isn’t even a full year of work!? Yes, sign me up. That is the mindset of poor boys from poor families. And MLB is counting on that sentiment to help keep the fans on their side. MLB also offered to increase the pre-arbitration (wtf is that? Well, if a player has less than 3 full season he was formerly in-eligible for arbitration and was therefore a “pre-arbitration” player. Players with 3+ years to <6 years could seek salary arbitration prior to becoming a free agent >6 years of service.) So now MLB is giving these young rookie and “noobs” an arbitration pool for the first time. This will affect the top % of players in this category, MLB offered a 30m dollar pool, MLBPA wants 100m. The players in my opinion are dancing a tight jig on this one. The fans will consider a 30m dollar offer generous, rejecting that because you want 100 and are unwilling to come down to any semblance of a reasonable number (50,60,75?) to resume negotiations seems risky.
The owners (management) will undoubtedly be the villains in most Union strongholds around the country that no matter the workers’ demands, they are right. But, some of the players’ desires aren’t so onerous as to be dismissed out of hand. For instance, the minimum salary. It is one of the lowest in the major pro sport leagues (sorry WNBA, MLS, and DRL). According to Spotrac the NFL and NBA minimum salaries are 705K & 925k respectively. The NHL has a current minimum of 750K. Keep in mind all three of these leagues have a salary cap and yet a higher league minimum for players with 0 accrued years than in MLB. Although I would jump at 675 per year, a pro athlete of one of the major four sports leagues that has presumably already spent time earning peanuts in the minors may desire more. This is an area the MLBPA should stand firm, but it may mean compromise elsewhere.
Unfortunately this is not how the MLB or MLBPA considers compromise. It should not be on every issue (i.e. on min salary, on pre-arbitration, etc) but both sides should look at the areas where they are being petulant and concede. MLB should increase the min salary to be more in line with the leagues they are competing against. The MLBPA should realize if they receive an increase in the minimum commensurate with the other leagues this would negate the need for an increased pre-arbitration pool. Accept the 30m but designate it only for “Super 2” players, that pool should be large enough to adequately pay players that excel in their first 2 years of service to get paid a reasonable salary in their 3rd and final year before being arbitration eligible. The increased min salary will cover the remaining 0-3 year players fairly. Football is an outlier both in terms of the brevity of the season, shortness of career, and likelihood of serious injury. Take the average between NBA and NHL (838K) and have that be your starting min and go up 10% every year until a player receives arbitration.
I know there are other issues, but these seem to be the ones with the most contention and largest gaps. If they can agree on financial terms, I believe the DH and playoff scenarios will iron themselves out quickly. As well as the draft lottery. If baseball cancels a substantial portion of this season, more than they lost in 2020 for instance, the game may not recover for decades. The owners have more to lose, because these players will be gone with their riches while the owners and teams will be left trying to rebuild.
**Statistics and information taken from online sources and may not be accurate.
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