Baseball Had a Successful Season. The Tricky Part Is Doing It Again.

John Mozeliak, the Cardinals’ president, told reporters that the team’s 2021 payroll was likely to drop. In a letter to season-ticket holders after the season ended, the Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort wrote: “It will take time to rebound, and in some cases, these losses will never be recovered. As a result, there will be nothing normal about this off-season as the industry faces a new economic reality, and each club will have to adjust.”

Hundreds of nonplaying employees across the sport have had their pay cut, been laid off or furloughed. In this off-season, over 30 players — such as Cleveland’s Brad Hand, who led the major leagues in saves — had their 2021 team options declined. Players and agents fear that a larger than usual number of players eligible for salary arbitration will be cut loose by teams.

Clark, whose union has been skeptical of the league’s accounting in the past, said that this off-season’s market “will really distinguish ownership groups that want to compete and grow their fan bases and ensure the long-term well-being of their franchises from those who are willing to continue to sacrifice winning in order to maximize the short term.”

Clark also said that while debt could be a “scary word and proposition” for individuals, it was a tool for corporations, particularly during an economic downturn when interest rates are low. He added, “So while I appreciate the assertions that have been made, we don’t accept them at face value.”

In response, Halem said that M.L.B., like any businesses that relies on public gatherings, has had its “normal economics” upended by the pandemic.

“Everyone associated with baseball is unfortunately feeling the effects of that,” he added. “We view the players as partners in our business, and this season was only possible because of productive collaboration between teams and players. We look forward to having positive dialogue with the players about how, together, we can take the field again in 2021 in a way that prioritizes health and safety and puts the industry in the strongest financial position possible for the future.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/05/sports/baseball/mlb-negotiations-2021.html