Will Baseball Start On Time?

The MLB has released its schedule for the 2020 season, but with the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, will baseball start on time?

The 2020 Baseball Season

It’s no secret that Major League Baseball has been trying to figure out how to start their season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Players have been working out at home, and some have even been taking batting practice and fielding drills in their backyards in an effort to stay sharp. But with the pandemic raging on and no end in sight, it’s looking less and less likely that baseball will start on time.

Will Baseball Start on Time?

The current Coronavirus pandemic has presented a major challenge to baseball. The traditional start to the baseball season is March 26th, however, it is currently unknown if the season will start on time. There are a number of factors that will determine whether or not baseball will start on time. Let’s take a look at some of those factors.

The global pandemic

With the global pandemic continuing to rage on, it’s looking more and more unlikely that baseball will start on time.

This is a huge problem for baseball fans, as the sport is one of the most popular in the world. If baseball doesn’t start on time, it could have a ripple effect on other sports as well.

There are a lot of unknowns right now, but one thing is for sure: the global pandemic is going to have a major impact on baseball this year.

The financial state of the game

With spring training set to begin in just a few weeks, many baseball fans are wondering if the season will start on time. The short answer is that it’s too early to tell.

The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the financial state of the game, with revenues plummeting and losses mounting. Major League Baseball (MLB) has proposed a number of cost-cutting measures, but the players’ union has so far been unwilling to make any significant concessions.

If an agreement can’t be reached soon, it’s possible that the season could be delayed or even cancelled. However, there are also reports that both sides are close to a deal, so it’s still possible that we’ll see baseball this summer. Time will tell.

The player’s perspective

The MLB has been in a continuous state of labor negotiations since the last Collective Bargaining Agreement expired on December 1, 2016. The two sides have been unable to agree on a new CBA, and the impasse has led to a number of issues. The most significant issue is the compensation players receive for their service time.

The current system gives players two options for their service time: they can either sign a one-year contract with their team for the league minimum salary, or they can sign a multi-year contract that will pay them more money but will also bind them to that team for the length of the contract. The league minimum salary is $535,000 for 2019, so most players opt for the multi-year contracts.

The problem with this system is that it incentivizes teams to keep their best young players in the minor leagues until they have accrued enough service time to be eligible for free agency. This “service time manipulation” has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, as teams look to control costs and get more value out of their young players.

The MLB Players Association has been pushing for changes to the service time rules in order to prevent teams from manipulating service time. However, the owners have been resistant to any changes that would increase costs. As a result, the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement on this issue, and it remains one of the major stumbling blocks in negotiations.

With spring training set to begin on February 21, it seems unlikely that a deal will be reached in time to avoid a delay to the start of the season. If no agreement is reached by March 1, there is a real possibility that baseball could be delayed or even canceled altogether.

The player’s perspective
From the player’s perspective, it makes sense to want changes to the service time rules. They believe that teams are unfairly keeping them in the minor leagues and manipulating their service time in order to save money. Changes to the rules would allow them to reach free agency sooner and get paid more money for their talents.

However, it’s important to remember that any changes to the rules would likely result in higher salaries for all players – not just those who are affected by service time manipulation. This would increase costs for team owners, who are already opposed to any changes that would raise salaries. Unless both sides can find common ground on this issue, it’s hard to see how an agreement can be reached before spring training begins.

Conclusion

It’s looking more and more likely that baseball will start on time this year. That’s good news for fans, who have been eagerly awaiting the start of the season.

There are still some details to be worked out, but it appears that both sides are committed to making it happen. So barring any unforeseen circumstances, it looks like we’ll be able to enjoy America’s pastime once again.