With both Major League Baseball and the Players' Association reluctant to budge in negotiations, some are losing hope that the 2020 MLB season will be played.
The most recently reported proposal from the owners includes a 76-game season that would end Sept. 27. Players would receive 75 percent prorated salaries. For many players, however, that offer appears to be a non-starter.
Sam Kennedy is an optimist, however. The Boston Red Sox CEO believes despite the tug-of-war between owners and players, we indeed will have baseball back in our lives sooner rather than later.
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“It’s incredibly frustrating for our fans, for our players, for our front office,” Kennedy told WHDH 7 News’ Chelsi McDonald on Monday. “We’ve had a very difficult time. We’re an industry of routine, and schedule and certainty. But I will tell you, and I want our fans to know I’m very optimistic we will play baseball this year. I really do believe that.
"I do feel that the owners and players are going to come together. … We’ve obviously committed to playing at least a 50-game schedule and hopefully we’ll make progress sooner rather than later because, boy, I think the country needs baseball."
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Well, at least someone is optimistic.
If MLB fails to reach an agreement, it will be the only major sports league without a plan to play in 2020. The NBA reached a deal to resume its season next month with 22 teams reporting to Orlando, Fla., the NHL agreed on a 24-team return-to-play format, and MLS is set to kick off a summer tournament.