114 games or 50 games? That's a drastic disparity ...

So, the Major League Baseball Players Association extended an offer to the owners over the weekend. Among the highlights:

• The union proposed a 114-game regular season -- a significant increase over the 82 games previously proposed by owners. The 114-game plan calls for Opening Day to occur June 30, with games running through Halloween, with postseason to follow. (How is that going to work in northern cities? Have you been in the Midwest in November?)
• The union offered up to $100 million in salary deferrals, should the postseason have to be canceled because of the public health crisis. The owners are very worried about a "second wave" of COVID-19 appearing in the fall that stops baseball from being played -- most of the money owners would make this season would come from postseason TV contracts.
• The union is amenable to expanded playoffs not only this year, but also in 2021. More playoff games, of course, means more revenues, and both sides want that.

Of course, the owners are never going to agree to this plan. They'll say the 114 games is too much, especially with the players continuing to stick to their guns on demanding prorated salaries.

But strangely, I'm reading reports this afternoon that owners are going to counter with an offer that includes only about 50 regular-season games. 

Wow.

I guess that would be good for flawed, underdog teams like the White Sox. If you get hot for three weeks, you're in good shape to make the playoffs in an expanded format. But for just that reason, is there really much integrity in a baseball season that is that short?

Obviously, we won't get the meritocracy that comes with the usual 162-game schedule this year regardless, but don't you think we need to see at least a half-season of games to feel as though the results are legitimate?