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As MLB and the MLBPA try to negotiate a plan to start the 2020 season tensions remain high. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

MLBPA internal memo: Owners 'railroading' players

By Zac Wassink | Last updated May 21, 2020 5:30 PM ET

Negotiations between MLB owners and the MLB Players Association regarding the start of the 2020 campaign amid the coronavirus pandemic seemingly grow uglier in the public eye by the day.

Earlier this week, Joel Sherman of the New York Post produced a so-called "smoking gun" email from March that allegedly proves the players understood an agreement about pro-rated salaries being paid by owners for a pandemic-shortened season would likely need to be amended to account for games played behind closed doors and without fans.

It's widely believed any baseball games completed this summer will occur inside empty ballparks.

On Thursday, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman tweeted information reportedly found inside an internal memo shared among union members:

Players union in internal memo says it is “livid” over so-called smoking gun MLB email becoming public in NY Post and is an attempt by MLB at “railroading” players. Union memo also noted it requested paperwork from MLB it has yet to receive March 13. So tension persists.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 21, 2020

The term “railroading” was a quote from a Deadspin article by @jessespector but it is clear in the internal union that the union leadership agreed with the Deadspin take https://t.co/XT7bCUGNLD
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 21, 2020

Note: The Jesse Spector story on Deadspin can be found here.

The players union memo, which was obtained here, begins thusly (and ominously) ... “As MLB misinformation continues to be pushed out through the media and various club personnel, we wanted to provide some straightforward facts for player reference ...” (cont for their facts)
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 21, 2020

The players union memo lists these as facts: 1) they are committed to getting an agreement but no deal or MLB proposal yet 2) no date has been set to resume spring 3) the union will provide time to arrange accommodations 4) MLB hasn’t responded to March 13 request for $ documents
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 21, 2020

One clarification: the union uses a quote from the @Deadspin piece saying it is “rightfully livid” at MLB and it is clear throughout the memo that they are indeed upset about what they call “misinformation.” But the word “livid” was from a quote from @jessespector in his piece.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 21, 2020

On Wednesday, Hall of Fame ace Tom Glavine warned the players they, not the owners, will be blamed among the majority of fans if the season is canceled.

Glavine told Steve Hummer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

"If it were to come down to an economic issue and that's the reason baseball didn't come back, you're looking at a situation similar to the strike of '94 and '95 as far as fans are concerned. Even if players were 100 percent justified in what they were complaining about, they're still going to look bad."

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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