TUESDAY CAT COUNTRY 98 COMMENTARY

(LISTEN FOR THE ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY DAILY AT 10:20 AM AND 5:20 PM ON CAT COUNTRY 98 FM)

I WISH WE’D MET UNDER BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES. HONESTLY IT SUCKS THAT EACH ONE OF THESE COMMENTARIES IS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC, BUT HERE WE ARE.

SO ON MONDAY, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL – WHO’S BEEN PERHAPS THE QUIETEST LEAGUE THROUGH THE PAST 60 DAYS – CAME UP WITH A PLAN TO RE-OPEN SPRING TRAINING IN MID-JUNE AND START THE 2020 SEASON JULY 4TH.

IT WAS A WONDERFULLY THOUGHT-OUT PLAN BY COMMISSIONER ROB MANFRED AND HIS TEAM, AND THE OWNERS GENEROUSLY OFFERED A 50/50 SPLIT WITH THE PLAYERS OF ALL REVENUES. THE UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THEY’RE ALL GOING TO GET PUNCHED IN THE GUT FOR A GOOD LONG WHILE, BUT AT LEAST THE OWNERS AND PLAYERS ARE PARTNERS AND IN IT TOGETHER.

THERE’S JUST ONE PROBLEM. THE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION GAVE THE PROPOSAL A FLAT-OUT NO, SAYING IT AMOUNTS TO NOTHING MORE THAN A SALARY CAP AND THEY’LL HAVE NONE OF THAT.

FANS OF M-L-B HAD THEIR HOPES DASHED IN ONE FELL SWOOP BUT THE FACT IS THIS NOTION IS GOING TO SWEEP THROUGH MOST OF PRO SPORTS. BASEBALL PLAYERS WERE JUST THE FIRST.

DO YOU RECALL CFL COMMISSIONER RANDY AMBROSIE BEING CRITICIZED LAST WEEK FOR NOT TAKING PLAYERS WITH HIM TO MEET WITH HOUSE OF COMMONS REPS REGARDING FEDERAL AID?

THE NOTION WAS THAT THE OWNERS WILL FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET BACK ON THE FIELD, AND THE PLAYERS, IN ALL LEAGUES, WILL GET A TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT OFFER. FRANKLY I’M OKAY WITH THAT SCENARIO, BUT THEN AGAIN I’M NOT A PLAYER.

AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHOSE SIDE I’M ON BUT IT’S BECOME CLEAR TO ME I DON’T NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT TODAY.

THIS SITUATION IN PRO SPORTS ISN’T GOING TO BE RESOLVED ANY TIME SOON.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.