The players basically say to MLB let’s cut to the end of the game – the next step should be to tell the union how many games the owner is willing to play with a full diprator salary.

The union told MLB on Saturday that they would not make a counter to the league’s latest proposal. As a replacement, Union executive director Tony Clark said in a statement“Unfortunately, further dialogue with the league will be in vain. It’s time to get back to work. Tell us where and when. “

Commissioner Rob Manfred has the right through a March 26 party agreement to enforce any season as long as the players receive their full salary being provoked. The league insisted that it would be a last resort, but had indicated that such a season would be between 48-54 matches.

If MLB imposes a season, the union will almost certainly retaliate by disagreeing with any additional benefits that the league is looking for such as expanded playoffs and microphones on players during matches. The union might then submit a complaint claiming the owner failed to meet the conditions of good faith to try to play as many games as possible, leaving the arbiter in the hands of whether to give the players hundreds of millions of dollars in lost wages.

But players will be required to report to the camp, even if any player can opt out. Players who have been considered high risk for bad results if they sign COVID-19 can choose to leave and still receive salary and service time. What will be interesting is how many players are not at risk making a statement by moving away. Players who need service time to, say, reach free agents like Mookie Betts, James Paxton, J.T. Realmuto and Marcus Stroman might feel compelled to play. However, players who have long-term contracts and, as such, do not need to increase service time can stay away.

What would the sport look like – and how, for example, TV partners would feel – if suddenly the league would start again without players like Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer and Mike Trout? There are no players who openly say that he will not show up, so this is a part of waiting and seeing from the downfall if there is no agreement. And Saturday’s action brought MLB closer to completion and Manfred had to force the season after he openly declared there would be a match this year.

MLB’s third official proposal came on Friday for 72 matches with 70 percent of the salary being profiled with the potential to generate another 10 percent if the playoff was completed and then an additional $ 50 million in players for those who competed in the postseason. The total will bring players to 83 percent if the World Series is finished.

But in a letter to MLB deputy commissioner Dan Halem, union bargaining chief Bruce Meyer wrote that MLB’s first proposal was for 70 percent guaranteed and nothing had changed, unless the players had to risk the playoffs being concluded to receive more. Meyer said in his letter: “We have explained many times that the players do not want to receive less than the full salary of those who are diprators to play games.”

The exchange of information via e-mail and high-pitched letters (Halem sent one Friday) has continued the path of no formal negotiations and greater incendiary behavior by both parties. Neither side shows signs of concessions or a tone of peace. Both are acting now like forced seasons and complaints are inevitable and create legal cases to defend their position.

In his letter, Meyer denied the MLB description that the union knew the March 26 agreement was formalized with the player association understanding the players had to take salary deductions if the match was contested without paying fans. Meyer said Clark told MLB “every request for further salary cuts will be a significant challenge and will require full financial transparency (which we have not yet received) even to have meaningful discussions.” As part of the lack of information, Meyer entered The Post’s report on Saturday that MLB had agreed with Turner on a new TV contract, citing unions who were unaware of this despite requests that included notification of TV negotiations or ongoing negotiations.

Meyer also criticized “MLB’s underhanded tactics for avoiding unions” and lists the players’ views on the strategy of delay in negotiations. However, in the past 10 days, the two parties have gone back and forth in submitting bids, but have rejected each other’s proposals and submitted offers that they know the other party will reject. Until Saturday, when the union did not respond at all to the offer. Instead, the union challenged the MLB to say what it wanted to do for the salary that it received.

From Meyer’s letter: “In view of your continued insistence on hundreds of millions of dollars in additional payment reductions, we consider this negotiation to end. If it is your intention to force unilaterally the season, we again ask that you tell us and our members about how much the game you want to play and when and where the player has to report.It’s not fair to let players and fans depend on this point, and further delay the risk of endangering health and safety.We ask you to let us know about your plans for closing the business on Monday, June 15. “

MLB did not immediately respond to the ultimatum union.