Chipper 'less optimistic' about MLB season due to pay squabble

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Atlanta Braves legend Chipper Jones is losing hope that Major League Baseball will have a 2020 season due to the growing divide between team owners and players.

"In all honesty, I'm a little less optimistic than I was 10 days, two weeks ago after listening to some key players coming out and speaking out on it," Jones said, according to Matt Snyder of CBS Sports. "They continue to squabble over dollars and cents, salaries, revenue sharing and all that kinda stuff. There's 30 million people out there that's outta work and the last thing they wanna hear is a bunch of millionaires and billionaires squabble over maybe getting 30-35% of their salaries this year.

"Squabbling over money is probably seventh or eighth on the list of most important things to talk about first. Obviously the health measures and whatnot are the most important thing."

The Hall of Fame third baseman highlighted Blake Snell's recent comments decrying a potential revenue-sharing plan as the wrong angle to take.

"Snell came out last week and, as a former player, it was not a great look for the players," Jones said. "I think if he would've stuck to the narrative of the health issues and his concerns over that as opposed to 'I'm not gonna play because I'm not gonna get my money,' that was a little bit of a bad look."

Jones added that despite his waning optimism, he still hopes all sides can find common ground so a season can get started in July.

The eight-time All-Star retired in 2012 after a 19-year career where he hit .303/.401/.529 with 468 home runs, 549 doubles, and 1,623 RBIs. Jones won the 1999 NL MVP and was a key part of the 1995 World Series champion Braves.