[Shaikin] Coming grievance: MLB arguing players didn't negotiate in good faith over salary, MLBPA arguing owners didn't negotiate in good faith over length of season. And then comes the start of talks for a new CBA, between negotiators who spent the last two days torching one another.

means exactly what is written in it

yes...which is why MLB can implement a 48 game schedule but can't demand players accept less than full pro-rated salaries. Who is denying this?

nothing more and nothing less

it's hard to argue that when there's an incoming legal case over who was and was not arguing in "good faith" during negotiations.

However, if they had agreed that this was a temporary agreement that would be renegotiated, representatives on both sides actually know words like "temporary" and "renegotiate" and would have included them in the agreement

It was obvious to a any random layperson in March that they were going to go back to the negotiating table. It was also a pretty obviously time sensitive negotiation given they were in the middle of spring training.

They have language laying out covid state of play that needed to occur and it was a pretty ambitious bet given projections.

from the AP

There must be no government restrictions on mass gatherings or travel restrictions throughout the U.S. and Canada, provided the commissioner will consider “appropriate substitute neutral sites where economically feasible.” The commissioner must determine, after consulting with the union and medical experts, “that it does not pose an unreasonable health and safety risk to players, staff or spectators to stage games in front of fans in each of the 30 clubs’ home ballparks.” MLB and the union will discuss the economic feasibility of playing games at neutral sites or without fans. The commissioner has the right to suspend or cancel games after the start of the season if government restrictions or travel conditions change.

would have included them in the agreement

I'd argue the march deal was pretty favorable to players.

Only looking at MLB & MLBPA's public negotiation posture & leaks to reporters, it really looks to me like MLB significantly underestimated how much leverage they gave up with the combo of 5% of player salaries up from + the initial pro-rated salary agreement.

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