Pittsburgh Pirates News: Players Turn Down the Owner’s Latest Offer

After the MLB Player’s Association voted no on the latest offer from the owners, it now appears the fate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the rest of the MLB for 2020, will hinge on commissioner Rob Manfred and implementing a mandated season

Last week, there appeared to be a reason for optimism among Pittsburgh Pirates and MLB fans in general. It appeared that a deal could be close between the MLB and MLBPA to draw up a plan for the start of the 2020 season coming out of the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, talks would go south.

Over the weekend, commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA leader Tony Clark met in person and appeared to be closing in on a deal. Then, on Sunday, Manfred changed the wordage of the deal that was being discussed and the player’s did not vote on the deal.

That vote would then take place on Monday. The players vehemently voted no, and now it is back to the drawing board for determining how a 2020 MLB season will be played.

Now it appears that the negotiating has ended. All signs point toward Manfred mandating a 2020 season. According to Bob Nightengale of the USA Today, that season will be 60 games which would be the shortest season in MLB history.

Nightengale also reports that this 60 game mandated season will begin on July 29. There is no way around it, this is a total and complete failure by Major League Baseball.

With the amount of bad blood there is between the players and owners, in addition to players concerns over COVID-19, it is certainly possible that there are players who sit out this season. the MLBPA will also likely file a grievance against the owners, making the relationship between the two even worse.

Odds were high that there would be a lockout when the current CBA expires on December 1, 2021. Now, that is all but a given. But, at least it appears there will be baseball this year. Even if it is the shortest season in MLB history.