Baseball's devolution from National Pastime to quaint regional sport was sped by work stoppages and scandals, but the game might never have faced existential threats like the ones that have arisen in the past six months.
The past three World Series featured a team later accused of using technological espionage. The Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox appear to have stolen championships.
Major League Baseball, already losing quality athletes to other sports, decided to shred its vast minor league system, potentially robbing itself of proximity to fans who don't live in big-league cities, and of developmental opportunities for young players.
Because of the pandemic, baseball likely will not play minor league games this year, will limit its draft to five rounds this summer, and will limit signing bonuses, again risking pushing young players toward other sports or professions.
And now, as hockey, basketball and football plan to return in the coming months, baseball has positioned itself to become the one major sport that can't get its act together.
The owners and players initially agreed to a deal in March that would pay players a prorated portion of their salary based upon games played. The owners' latest proposal asks for further pay cuts, and attempts to cut large salaries at a higher percentage than lesser salaries — an obvious attempt to sow discord in the ranks of the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Unfortunately for the owners, the MLBPA might be the best organized union in America.
The players won't cave in, and will likely respond with a plan that ignores the owners' proposal.
