With the season in jeopardy the MLB owners have come up with a plan for the players to decide on with the 2020 season fate in the balance.
The new proposal would see a shortened 82 game season ultimately ending with a 14 team playoff. A universal DH would be in place meaning the National League would no longer have to use a Pitcher in their batting lineup. Home stadiums that have local and state government approval would be set up for play, likely with no fans . With Arizona and Florida being open for pro sports the MLB should use the Grapefruit and Cactus League systems similar to Spring Training.
With an upcoming collective bargaining agreement coming next season the MLB and its owners could be up to something fishy with their new fifty fifty revenue spilt for this proposed 2020 season, with players making basically half of their salaries. Rays star pitcher Blake Snell spoke out on his about the idea of making less money saying “I’m not playing unless I get mine”. Snell also spoke about his health concerns being a factor with playing at a lower rate as well as the risk of the corona virus. Although the players do make a lot of money it would be like my job asking me to take a 50% pay cut on top of being in a high risk environment. Snell has received some heat for his comments but eventually one of the players was going to speak out, it just happened to be a Tampa Bay Ray.
As a new season ticket member it sucks that I will miss out on my first season but I rather have a season done right than the teams and players rush everything just to cram in a 2020 season that will eventually have an asterisk next to it. I am already signed up for 2021 so I am willing to wait a little longer for my Rays baseball, no matter how much I miss it right now.