Another Big Week Looming for the Yankees and MLB

Answers could come soon about the Yankees and MLB returning

Now that the calendar has turned to June, we should find out in the next week if we will see the New York Yankees and the rest of Major League Baseball back on the field this summer. If last week was a big week for MLB, this week should be deemed as critical.

Last week, MLB sent a proposal to the Major League Baseball Players Association that included an 82-game schedule and pay reductions for top players’ salaries that would be scaled to reflect the number of games played. Gerrit Cole would take one of the bigger hits on the Bombers. Of course, that proposal was not accepted very well by the MLBPA.

On Sunday, the players association sent a proposal to MLB with the desire to play 114 games that would begin on June 30 and end on October 31. It also includes an expanded playoff that would be played in November. Also included was guaranteed full prorated salaries, a tier of salaries that could be deferred if there are no postseason games.

Players who don’t want to play this year because they qualify as “high-risk” or live with somebody with underlying health conditions would receive their full salaries. Players who don’t want to play and don’t qualify as “high-risk” would not be paid, but get their service time.

Owners have been leary for some time that pushing the playoffs into November could be troublesome because of a predicted second outbreak of the coronavirus by the Centers of Disease Control in the fall. Losing the playoffs and TV revenue could be devastating to the owners, even if there are no fans in the stands.

The NHL and NBA have tentative plans in place for a return for the end of July. The NFL is planning on opening training camps at the end of July as well. Major League Baseball is going back and forth with their players about beginning a season and the major negotiating chip surrounding money.

At a time when the United States is in dire straights when it comes to unemployment, a majority of the people don’t want to listen to millionaires and billionaires squabble over money. It has been widely reported that some owners would not mind canceling the season to lessen the risk of losing more money.

If MLB wants to keep their fans and not get lost in the shuffle of the NHL, NBA, NFL and possibly even college football in the fall, then it’s time to come together to an agreement and play the 2020 season. If the season is lost because of money issues, it could have a long-lasting effect on the game. With the first soft date of June 1 gone by the board, the hard date of June 8 is coming quickly. We should know in the next week or so if the Yankees and baseball will get on the field in 2020.