Major League Baseball’s (MLB) planned initiative to overhaul the minor leagues (MiLB) was first made public in October 2019. Since then, the controversial negotiations between major league and minor league officials have resulted in a major public relations battle.
The MLB sent out a contentious letter earlier this week, responding to a message from minor league officials which pointedly questioned the possibility of forging an agreement regarding their future relationship.
Both parties have yet to reach an agreement even after a number of negotiation sessions. The deadline for an agreement to be made is September 2020, when the Professional Baseball Agreement that manages the leagues’ relationship with each other is set to expire.
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The next negotiation session is set for February 20. As accusations between parties begin to mount, the tone of the discussion is becoming more contentious. The deputy commissioner of the MLB, Dan Halem, also serves as its lead negotiator. According to Halem, such statements from the MiLB, as well as its president Pat O’Conner, were harmful because they attacked the MLB publicly instead of engaging in discussion.
The MiLB’s commitment to waging a battle with the MLB in the court of public opinion, said Halem, has only strengthened the MLB and its 30 teams, who resolved to be unified in their negotiating position.
A key contention between the MLB and MiLB is the MLB proposal that would enact sweeping changes that the MiLB believes will weaken their position tremendously. One of the proposed changes include severing major league ties for up to 42 minor league affiliates, replacing them with teams that would compete in a “Dream League”, where no major league players will be able to compete.
Last week, MiLB sent a letter expressing their opposition to the proposed changes to Rob Manfred, the Commissioner of the MLB, which was then leaked to the public. MLB’s changes have drawn negative attention, including from members of congress.
Halem’s response criticised MiLB’s tactics stating that their public statements often contradicted what they expressed within the confines of the negotiating table. The MLB is steadfast in their position that restructuring the MiLB would not negatively impact minor league baseball in the teams’ bases.
Halem also implied that MiLB owners were being disingenuous, as they themselves leave the teams’ bases when it is economically expedient. Halem also criticised the MiLB’s use of public pressure through their statements to support their position, saying that exchanging letters is not a good way of reaching a mutually beneficial agreement between the two parties.
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