Rob Manfred has completely botched the 2020 season

Rob Manfred and Major League Baseball could have saved face and earned the favor of the public months ago. Instead, the commissioner has completely botched the 2020 season.

Back when spring training was suspended in March, everyone was hopeful that Major League Baseball would return in relatively short order. There were a few hot spots for the COVID-19 pandemic stateside, but it was not that widespread then. The hope was that the game would be back shortly, with Opening Day possibly happening on Memorial Day.

Well, Memorial Day has come and gone. Meanwhile, MLB and the Player’s Union have argued about compensation, with the owners trying to squeeze more money from the players than what had been agreed upon on March 26. The back and forth, and the animosity of these discussions, have reached a point where Manfred is no longer confident that a season will take place this year.

Not only are the players and owners fighting over compensation, but there are other obstacles to overcome. States that have reopened have seen a spike in cases. Beyond that, the league and players need to figure out roster size, playing locations, how large the taxi squad will be, and safety protocols. There is a lot to figure out in order for the season to happen.

But it did not need to be this way. When the number of cases continued to climb and states were mandating lockdowns, Major League Baseball could have taken that time to say that they would be back in 2021. Everyone would have understood – the safety of the players, fans, coaches, umpires, and employees came first. It would have been a noble gesture, and one that would have given the league a great deal of good will.

Instead, all Manfred has done is unify the players and drive a wedge between the Player’s Union and the owners. With the current Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire after the 2021 season, the labor peace that the league had enjoyed for the past 25 years may be a thing of the past. And to what end – to save a few extra dollars this year?

Now, if MLB does not return, the damage will be incalculable. Fans could simply turn away, as they did during the disastrous strike in 1994. What would have been understandable in March will now be a position built upon greed.

And if the league creates a 50 game season over the objection of the players? Yes, there will be a “season,” but how valid will it actually be? And will the players even want to suit up, especially given everything else happening in the country, even if we ignore those increased outbreaks? It would be well within their rights to refuse, citing safety concerns that still have not been adequately addressed.

But it did not have to be this way. Instead, Rob Manfred and Major League Baseball have botched the 2020 season where it may have done irreparable damage to the game we love.