What I'm Hearing: Our MLB Insider Bob Nightengale details how Rob Manfred could implement the unilateral decision to start a 48-game season if a deal isn't reach soon. Nightengale believes that doomsday scenario could finally lead to a deal. USA TODAY
Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young winner,just threw another pitch high-and-inside directed at Major League Baseball owners.
Some owners have mentioned owning a team isnt very NET profitable," the Washington Nationals ace tweeted on Wednesday. "You know what other company isnt very NET profitable? Amazon."
With MLBand the players' union still at odds over an economic agreement, Scherzer took aim at the financial profits the owners are claiming during the ongoing labor negotiations.
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MLB insiststhey will lose $640,000 per team for each regular-season game played in empty ballparks because 40% of revenue is tied to gate. The union disputes thesefigures but claims it has not been given the data it needs to make a full evaluation.
Earlier this week, St. Louis Cardinals owner Bill Dewitt Jr. discussed the cash-flow problemamong teams.
"The industry isn't very profitable, to be honest," DeWitt said on 590TheFan in St. Louis on Tuesday. "And I think they (the players)understand that. They think owners are hiding profits. There's been a bit of distrust there. It's a bit of a zero-sum game. They have by far the best deal of any players in any sport."
Max Scherzer helped lead the Nationals to a World Series title last season.(Photo: Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports)
DeWitt's comments echo the sentiment from Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts last week.
"Here's something I hope baseball fans understand," Ricketts told ESPN. "Most baseball owners don't take money out of their team. They raise all the revenue they can from tickets and media rights, and they take out their expenses, and they give all the money left to their GM to spend.
"The league itself does not make a lot of cash. I think there is a perception that we hoard cash and we take money out and it's all sitting in a pile we've collected over the years. Well, it isn't. Because no one anticipated a pandemic. No one expects to have to draw down on the reserves from the past. Every team has to figure out a way to plug the hole."
Scherzer, who isamong eight playerson the MLB PlayersAssociation executive subcommittee, has been very vocal during negotiations. On May 27, he issued a statement on Twitter calling the league's proposal for more salary reductions a non-starter.
After discussing the latest developments with the rest of the players theres no need to engage with MLB in any further compensation reductions, Scherzer tweeted. We have previously negotiated a pay cut in the version of prorated salaries, and theres no justification to accept a 2nd pay cut based upon the current information the union has received.
The two sides likely have another week of negotiations before MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred could exercise his right to implement a deal to start the season without an agreement with the union. MLB negotiated for the right in the March 28 deal.
Before the MLB draft on Wednesday,Manfred vowed there would be a season even if an agreement is not reached.
I can tell you unequivocally," he said,"we are going to play Major League Baseball this year.
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Nationals ace Max Scherzer takes another jab at MLB team owners on Twitter - USA TODAY
