Baseball Issues

It's been over three months since we've had live sports on TV from the major sports here in North America. Of the three sports that should be playing right now, we still have nothing and we won't until at least July. The one that looks like its going to happen first is Hockey. Basketball is next. The one that looked like it might come out first, Baseball, looks like its furthest away from coming back.

All three sports have worries about virus testing and where they're going to be playing and what not, which makes a lot of sense and I get that it can be a worry. Hockey and Basketball have plans I think in place. Hockey does, as the NHL appears set to go. Basketball is close but still trying to figure out how they want to finish the season. MLB hasn't come close to figuring it out, and what's stopping it is money.

Its driving me, and most baseball fans for that matter, crazy.

A lot of the high priced players like Bryce Harper are complaining about getting their salary cut again. According to Yahoo Sports, a revenue-sharing plan pitched by the league to the MLB Players Association on Tuesday reportedly had a harsh reception from players, with top-paid stars taking a larger salary hit than those making nearer minimum paychecks. Multiple reports said the proposal contained a sliding pay scale giving lower-paid talent about half of a season's pro-rated salaries while star players would take a more substantial hit, also per Yahoo.

There's a couple of things that bother me here. First and foremost is money. Baseball players make more money than not only the average person, they make better pay then some of their fellow athletes. This complaining about money makes them look really, really bad. If you're uncomfortable about playing right now because of health reasons with the virus, then that's a different story. This isn't about health issues, at least not what's being talked about in the press. Its about money.

Some of the players are trying to spin this like the owners are trying to put the players against themselves. Can we stop with that please. Look I'll be the first to admit I don't know exactly whats going on between the players and owners over money. I have no clue what exactly is being talked about. All I do know is this, there's no baseball being played right now, there's no timetable for when the game is coming back and it doesn't look good.

TV revenue is the only way, so far as I can tell right now, that anybody can make money. The way to do this would be to possibly try and split that money 50/50 between players and owners. Pay as you go, there's no way they're going to get the full salary because the league can't afford to do that at the moment, its not possible. Whatever money is still owed to the players, just tack it on in back payments. The players will still get what they were supposed to get paid, it will just have to be different.

I'm also really disappointed in the way this is being handled by both the Owners and the players union. No leadership is really being shown by either side. All the complaints from both parties are being leaked out and its making everybody look really bad. Basketball and Hockey may not have a great relationship between the players and owners either, but at least they keep it under wraps and got this done for the sake of the game. Baseball isn't doing that. They are so focused on money and complaining they aren't doing what's best for the game as a whole and its sad.