Blake Snell has a simple message for the owners. I’m not taking a pay cut.
The ace of the Tampa Bay Rays staff made his thoughts clear on Major League Baseball’s 50-50 reported revenue split proposal during a social media video posted on Wednesday.
“Y’all gotta understand, man, for me to go — for me to take a pay cut is not happening, because the risk is through the roof,” the 2018 American League Cy Young winner said as he answered questions on Twitch. “It’s a shorter season, less pay.
“No, I gotta get my money. I’m not playing unless I get mine, OK? And that’s just the way it is for me. Like, I’m sorry you guys think differently, but the risk is way the hell higher and the amount of money I’m making is way lower. Why would I even think about doing that?”
Snell and the rest of the major leaguers are being asked to think long and hard about it as the sport tries to come up with a way to get back on the field as the country continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
The owners reportedly approved a plan earlier this week that commissioner Rob Manfred is trying to sell the players on that calls for the two sides to split the revenue generated by a pandemic-shortened campaign. The proposed plan would have teams restarting spring training in June and an opening day target of July 4.
The owners want to convince the players — who had already agreed in March to pro-rate their pay based on how many games would be played in 2020 — that they need to renegotiate salary again because now the most likely scenario is that games will be played without fans. The owners expect profits to nose dive without folks buying tickets and shelling out for hot dogs, peanuts and beer.
For the players, a 50-50 revenue split sounds an awful lot like a salary cap which the union has fought against in the past.
Snell, who went 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA in his Cy Young season, isn’t willing to risk his health to pay for less money.
“Bro, I’m risking my life,” the lefty said. “What do you mean it should not be a thing? It should 100% be a thing. If I’m gonna play, I should be getting the money I signed to be getting paid. I should not be getting half of what I”m getting paid because the season’s cut in half, on top of a 33% cut of the half that’s already there – so I’m really getting, like, 25%.”
Throw in taxes and you get why Snell isn’t wild about the owners’ plan. Pre-pandemic, Snell was scheduled to earn $7 million in 2020.
Snell defended his position in text messages with the Tampa Bay Times.
“I mean, honestly, it’s just scary to risk my life to get COVID-19 as well as not knowing and spreading it to others,” he told the newspaper. “I just want everyone to be healthy and get back to our normal lives ’cause I know I miss mine!”
