It remains unclear whether MLB and the players will agree to a new collective agreement tonight.
And if there’s no deal tonight, MLB could push the deadline…again.
MLB has given PA another deadline, sources tell @TheAthletic. If union declines to pick one of three options regarding int’l draft, league believes there is nothing else to discuss. Union position is that league said it would give full counter today.
—Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 9, 2022
At the heart of the debate: the international repechage.
What we know is that the players are against the idea. They don’t like it at all, to be honest.
In the players’ internal discussions, they are resoundingly against the international draft.
—Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 9, 2022
And in the file, we do not know who is telling the truth. The players say they have always refused it.
Among the bosses, it is said that they have always accepted until very recently. Who knows.
An MLB official said the league has included the international draft in every relevant proposal. A union official says the international draft has been rejected every time it has been raised.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) March 9, 2022
What MLB is prepared to do, to force the decision of the players, is to postpone their decision by offering them possibilities.
The first one? Remove the qualifying offer for free agents and give guys the chance to take the international draft (from 2024) by November 15, 2022. If the players refuse? We open the collective agreement after the 2024 season.
Re: option MLB proposed that would include potentially reopening CBA if the int’l draft isn’t agreed to. The deadline for players would be Nov. 15, 2022, MLB official said. If at that point players didn’t want the draft (which would begin in ’24), MLB could reopen CBA after ’24.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) March 9, 2022
That said, the players don’t like the idea that the bosses can reopen the convention. It gives them power.
It is understandable.
Otherwise, we are talking about choosing between the “qualifying offer and international draft” combo and the “neither one nor the other” combo.
Being the players, I would choose the status quo option.
3 options
1) International draft in exchange for eliminating direct draft pick compensation.
2) status quo on both: No draft, QO system stays
Best Option for MLBPA
3) Eliminate direct draft pick compensation give players until Nov. 15, 2022 to agree to an international draft. https://t.co/1e69043Qoh
—Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) March 9, 2022
Clearly, it’s midnight minus one for everyone. It is said that all that is missing is the repechage to get along.
Idea: postpone the problem until later. Keep the situation as it is. It takes the ball.
Players are adamant against an international draft. So owners are saying if you don’t want it then we have to re-open negotiations in 3 years. But the CBA would be up in 5 years!! So waiting an extra two years is a deal breaker?! Just wait till next CBA!
Drop it and sign it!
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) March 9, 2022
If there is no agreement, the situation will get worse and the players will want to negotiate to be paid for 162 games, even if Rob Manfred will cut a second week of games.
Sign the contract, no matter what. After nearly 100 days, it’s time.
If an agreement is reached today, the tentative plan is for Opening Day to be April 6-7, with the regular season extended by three days. The other missed games from the week-long delay would be made up in doubleheaders during the season.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 9, 2022
