Baseball players will take at least a few days and possibly until next week to respond to Major League Baseball’s proposed salary-slashing plan for a pandemic-delayed season.

The main issues the sides face is how to play baseball amid an ongoing global pandemic and how to divvy up a shrinking pile of money.

Major League Baseball did not include an economic proposal during its opening presentation to the players’ union on terms to start the coronavirus-delayed season.

Players unlikely to respond immediately, but owners’ proposal effectively starts an imaginary clock ticking for this season to be saved.

A plan to open an abbreviated season over the Fourth of July weekend isn’t exactly set in stone, and whether it actually happens is far from guaranteed. But the fact that there is a date at least offers hope.

Whenever baseball returns after the delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic, there’s an element that might come into play like never before: the sound of silence.

Fans should be prepared for a significantly shortened season if baseball is able to come back at all this year, and the 1981 campaign may be the most relevant comparison available.

A person familiar with the deliberations tells The Associated Press that Major League Baseball owners will discuss the number of rounds the amateur draft, which is likely to start on the original date of June 10.