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New York. The negotiations lasted an hour on Saturday when Major League Baseball (MLB) made a new proposal that the players’ lawyers thought was just a tiny move.
MLB has eliminated the penalty on a third-round amateur draft pick for exceeding the luxury tax cap.
Management stood by its plan to raise the luxury tax threshold from $210 million to $214 million in both 2022 and 2023. MLB raised its proposed threshold to $216 million in 2024, followed by $218 million and $222 million in the last two years of the proposal.
No real progress was made today, with players saying they were unimpressed.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 12, 2022
Bruce Meyer, the union’s chief negotiator, arrived at the MLB office with two attorneys for the meeting, held just four days before the start of spring training.
It was just the fifth trading session on the economic core since the ninth lockout in MLB history began on Dec. 2, following the expiration of a five-year labor contract.
The clubs made a 130-page offer that they hope could be the structure of an eventual memorandum of understanding.
MLB also proposed raising the minimum salary from $570,500 to $630,000 or, alternatively, a staggered minimum of $615,000 for starting players in the majors, $650,000 for players with one year of service and $725,000 for those with two years – the latter, an increase from the $700,000 that was in the previous proposal.
MLB today presented the MLBPA with a calendar: i.e., to start regular season on time, a deal is needed by X day. Not known what specific days/deadlines MLB suggested. Unknown yet if MLBPA agrees with the calendar as MLB sees it. Union has to review it all. TBD.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) February 12, 2022
What’s more, offered to increase the pre-arbitration bonus pool from $10 million to $15 million. The union is requesting $100 million.
To address union accusations of service-time manipulation, MLB offered to award two draft picks — one amateur and one international — for rookie achievement, instead of one. The union opposes an international draw.
Additionally, to discourage roster manipulation, MLB proposed a limit of five optional minor league assignments per year for each player.
The meeting between MLB and the MLBPA is over. The meeting lasted less than an hour.
As expected, there’s no deal
– Joon Lee (@joonlee) February 12, 2022
The clubs also offered to guarantee a player chosen in the draw who participates in the pre-draft physical program a contract of at least 75% of the value assigned to the ‘slot’, with the stipulation that a player who passes a physical exam prior to the draft draft cannot be disallowed based on his post-draft physical. This would address the Mets’ decision not to sign Kumar Rocker in the future.
MLB valued its offer above the minimum fund, and before the bonus pool, at $200 million more in player value over five years than the previous deal.
The players’ attorneys said they plan to discuss the offer with the union’s executive board.
