MLB Negotiations: An Obvious Solution is at Hand, But Will the Owners Agree?

Major League Baseball, "led" by the borderline-sinister Rob Manfred, proposed a 60-game season yesterday. The Major League Baseball Players Association and union chief Tony Clark, continuing to be the more reasonable party, countered with a 70-game proposal this morning. The thoroughly obvious compromise is a 65-game season, if only the owners will just say "yes" already. But can't you see the negotiation continuing this way, and exactly this way?

Players: "You offered 60 games, we counter with 70, so let's split the difference with 65."

Owners: "61."

Players: "64."

Owners: "62."

Players: "63."

Owners: "62, dammit!"

Players: "Fine, for the good of the country, we'll take 62 games. Thank you. Tell us where and when."

Owners: "60 games, take it or leave it. Or your first born male child. Be grateful we don't demand both."

Look, this should be over and done with today, OK? The players have forfeited their right to file a grievance, which could have led to a nine-figure settlement. Or a 10-figure settlement. They've agreed to put their bodies on the line, as well as the health of their loved ones. They've been the good guys from start to finish, or wherever it is we are right now.

The owners and Rob Manfred have been and continue to be, quite frankly, full of it.

The perfect example of the owners' dishonesty, with a rather large assist from a group of national reporters, can be illustrated with a couple of tweets. I apologize in advance for picking on Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman, both of whom I admire, because others fell for it, but here goes:

Tweet # 1:

Here we go again: MLB believes deal was agreed to; union says it wasn’t. From last night, with @EvanDrellich: https://t.co/I5J6S1MBEA
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 18, 2020

Tweet # 2:

Players are expected to counter MLB by suggesting about 70 games instead of 60. Owners thought they had an understanding at 60 so unlikely to accept 70. Union saw the 60 as a proposal though. At least we appear to be moving.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 18, 2020

Comment: No, no, no, no, no. C'mon, people. The owners didn't think they had an agreement in place for a 60-game season. Manfred was the lawyer in the room -- Clark is a former-player -- and he knew precisely what was agreed upon and what wasn't. Manfred knows precisely, down to the final syllable uttered or actually put to paper. He knows precisely.

And please don't talk to me about "framework" unless you're prepared to quote Webster's.

The owners did not think there was an agreement Wednesday. They're saying they thought there was an agreement Wednesday. Which should be obvious to even the most gullible of situation watchers. And the players know that's exactly what happened.

In other words, the major leaguers are the reasonable, adult party of 750 men. The 30 owners and their commish are, and have been, trying to get over on them throughout this process.

Again, an obvious compromise is at hand and this should be over and done with today. My guess is MLB will continue to be difficult and it'll be up to the players to give some more. Which they'll do, because it's the only way forward.

And remember, glove conquers all.

Howard Cole has been writing about baseball on the internet since Y2K. Follow him on Twitter.