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Thread: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

  1. #1
    Member Ron Madden's Avatar
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    MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Looks like we're gonna have a lockout so I thought we could use this thread for discussion and to share any or all news about the lockout and negotiations.

    Major League Baseball could have a work stoppage on December 2: Here's what we know now.
    The sport’s collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1 and the expectation is the owners will immediately lock out the players. An offseason lockout would freeze all transactions on Major League rosters until new rules are in place and likely force the cancellation of the annual Winter Meetings (except the minor-league portion).

    The length of a potential lockout is unknown. The faster it’s resolved, the less it’s a threat to disrupt the 2022 season. Spring training is set to begin in the middle of February and the regular season is scheduled to start on March 31.

    What are the core issues between owners and players?

    There are a lot of issues for the owners and players association to solve. Four issues, however, seem to be at the forefront of the talks:
    1. Incentives to tank
    2. Service time manipulation
    3.Paying young players earlier in their careers
    4.Finding more value from free agency

    What are the major on-field changes?

    It’s widely expected there will be a universal designated hitter implemented for next season, so pitchers will no longer hit in the National League. Pitchers collectively hit .110 last season while designated hitters hit a combined .239.

    The playoffs will likely expand – ESPN already acquired the TV rights to the additional postseason round. It could be seven teams per league (three division winners and four wild cards) with a best-of-three series in the first round of the postseason, though the league had eight teams per league (three division winners, three second-place teams and two wild cards) during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

    Manfred, at the All-Star Game, said seven-inning doubleheaders and the runner at second base to begin extra innings were unlikely to remain in place.

    Could the lockout disrupt the regular season?
    Stay tuned.
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...nt/8748738002/
    Last edited by Ron Madden; 11-28-2021 at 04:32 PM.

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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Expanding the number of teams in the playoffs and playing two of three in the first round should lessen the incentive to tank as any team over .500 will be in the hunt for the playoffs.

    Increasing the major league minimums and setting a salary scale for pre-arbitration players will not only increase compensation for younger players, but also make marginal veteran players relatively more attractive in free agency. The combination of these two measures will provide additional incentive to sign veteran players in free agency.

    Replace current time of service requirements with a requirement that any player put on a major league active roster before the all star break is given credit for a full year.

    These changes could all be made without addressing the obvious inequities between large and small market teams.

    Now, let's play ball.

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  6. #3
    Member Bourgeois Zee's Avatar
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Which parts of this won't work?

    1. Incentives to tank
    My plan: Teams under the salary floor for their 40-man roster forfeit their right to their first three draft picks. All non-playoff teams left are put in a non-weighted lottery for first round draft pick order (to be televised on Memorial Day weekend). After the first round, it changes to won-loss record. Draft picks may be traded for players, but not cash or other incentives. In exchange, players will acquiesce to ownership making the draft international, with players eligible from age 18 or high school diploma/ GED completion.

    2. Service time manipulation
    Owners will agree to five years of control for high school draftees and three years for college players. After that time, they must be on the 40-man roster. Once on the 40-man roster, teams have six total seasons of control, the last three as restricted free agents. Player agents can work with any other team for a contract, but the controlling team has the right to match. If the controlling team choose not to match, they receive a draft pick after the 10th round, and the player may move to his new team. Unrestricted free agency begins after year six on the 40-man roster.

    3.Paying young players earlier in their careers
    Restricted free agency begins with year four on the 40-man roster. Arbitration continues, with automatic qualifiers that move players into tiers. Rookie of the Year or All-Star berths move players to a "Star" tier, while top-five finishes in MVP voting move them to the "Superstar" arbitration tier. Other statistical qualifiers-- a .300 BA, a .400 OBP, a .500 slugging percentage, top-10 finishes in ERA, WHiP, K:BB, holds, or saves-- move players as well. Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers do not qualify as statistics. If a team is found to have unduly manipulated playing time by an unbiased three-person tribunal, that team will lose the player to free agency immediately after the season.

    4.Finding more value from free agency
    Signing a free agent player to a contract 20% of team payroll or more means that team forfeits their first round draft pick. Team payroll will be assessed at the end of the season.

    For agreeing to these bargaining positions, team owners get:

    -- Expanded playoffs of 7 teams per league. Best won-loss record receives a first-round bye. All other teams play a best of five series to determine each league's top four seeds. The top team in each league then gets to choose which team they'll play. There will be no more divisions-- just 15 teams in each of the National League and the American League. 154 games, 11 games against each team. (The extra home game will be shifted each year.)

    -- Players will agree to a salary cap wherein they share all revenue based around the game of baseball (including concessions, parking, betting, naming rights, etc.) in a 50 - 50 split with owners. (This includes team appreciation.) Players and owners will agree on and create an unbiased branch of MLB to suss ownership accounts and determine the hard number/ cap. Owners who go over the cap will pay a 100% tax on the amount they go over.

    There will also be a salary floor, wherein ownership must pay players at least 75% of the cap. Any owner who falls below the salary floor will lose his first three draft picks. If he is under the salary floor two years in a row, all restricted free agents become unrestricted free agents. If an ownership group falls below the salary floor three years in a row, all owners must relinquish their teams for new ownership. If new ownership cannot be found, MLB can run the team as needed for a season, then that team will be contracted.

    -- The National League will implement the designated hitter. The three-hitter rules remains in effect for pitchers. The automated strike zone will be put in place with a human umpire behind the plate as a failsafe. If the human ump does not agree with the automated call, he can call for a slight delay (no more than 30 seconds) and check the location before calling the pitch. Managers will be allowed to challenge the call on the field, but should they lose the challenge, they cannot visit the mound for that half-inning (or the next, if they are in the field). Speaking of the field, there must be two infielders on each side of second base, and infielders may not be positioned in the outfield grass. (They may, however, move to the outfield grass as the ball is being pitched.)

    Most importantly, all large and small market teams will share equally in all revenue except parking, concession receipts, and naming rights. This includes local radio and television rights, but not team valuation. (That same unbiased branch of MLB will determine the valuation if teams are given part ownership in lieu of money.) There will no longer be draft picks tied to market size or small market welfare paid by large markets.

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    Member Ron Madden's Avatar
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021


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    I rig polls REDREAD's Avatar
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    The enforcement of the salary floor is an easy one. Suppose the floor is 100 million. A team spends 90 million. They have to pay 10 million in penalties to the players (in some way).
    That means there's no incentive to have a 30 million payroll, but if a team is at 96 million, they aren't necessarily frantically trying to acquire a 4 million dollar player, they can just pay the fine
    if they wish.

    I think more wildcards doesn't necessarily give teams an incentive to win. If anything, more playoff spots means teams can be more complacent and still sneak into the playoffs.

    I liked the guy on 2nd in extra innings. The 7 inning doubleheaders? I could take it or leave it, no strong feelings.
    [Phil ] Castellini celebrated the team's farm system and noted the team had promising prospects who would one day be great Reds -- and then joke then they'd be ex-Reds, saying "of course we're going to lose them". #SellTheTeamBob

    Nov. 13, 2007: One of the greatest days in Reds history: John Allen gets the boot!

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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Whatever is agreed on, Reds will find a way to save money and not do anything to TRY to win anything with this ownership..

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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Quote Originally Posted by REDREAD View Post
    The enforcement of the salary floor is an easy one. Suppose the floor is 100 million. A team spends 90 million. They have to pay 10 million in penalties to the players (in some way).
    That means there's no incentive to have a 30 million payroll, but if a team is at 96 million, they aren't necessarily frantically trying to acquire a 4 million dollar player, they can just pay the fine
    if they wish.

    I think more wildcards doesn't necessarily give teams an incentive to win. If anything, more playoff spots means teams can be more complacent and still sneak into the playoffs.

    I liked the guy on 2nd in extra innings. The 7 inning doubleheaders? I could take it or leave it, no strong feelings.
    I agree about the wildcards. They've created complacency. Being an 85 to 90 win team seems to be the goal when teams aren't tanking. I think teams should be aiming higher.

    Maybe I've been a Reds fan for too long and its not that way everywhere.
    All my posts are my opinion - just like yours are. If I forget to state it and you're too dense to see the obvious, look here!

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  14. #8
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    I don't think the question is as much IF there's going to be a lockout, but rather how long. Is it a quarter, half, or all of the season? Looking at this from another perspective. Let's assume ownership (across the MLB not just the Reds) is of the belief that there's going to be a lockout, that could last all off the season. Under that asuumption, does a Reds front office that already wants to off salary say, make moves to trade payroll. Why pay guys like castillo, gray, etc millions of dollars for no return (merch & ticket sales, TV revenue) when they can flip them for much cheaper prospects and save that money. Also why would other small to mid sized markets say why trade for higher salary guys when they don't even know how much of a season they're going to have, if any at all?
    Last edited by SidneySlicker; 11-29-2021 at 09:00 AM.

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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Quote Originally Posted by RED VAN HOT View Post
    Expanding the number of teams in the playoffs and playing two of three in the first round should lessen the incentive to tank as any team over .500 will be in the hunt for the playoffs.

    Increasing the major league minimums and setting a salary scale for pre-arbitration players will not only increase compensation for younger players, but also make marginal veteran players relatively more attractive in free agency. The combination of these two measures will provide additional incentive to sign veteran players in free agency.

    Replace current time of service requirements with a requirement that any player put on a major league active roster before the all star break is given credit for a full year.

    These changes could all be made without addressing the obvious inequities between large and small market teams.

    Now, let's play ball.
    Never happening. If you have to call up Joe Dirt to fill in for one week of games while All Star is injured you're going to award them a full year of service? Keep in mind, this happens dozens of times to every team every year.

    And don't get me started about expanded playoffs....why even have a season just put everyone straight into the playoffs.

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  17. #10
    Member Ron Madden's Avatar
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Buster Olney
    @Buster_ESPN
    It does seem more than a little weird that the owners and players are prepared to completely shut down a financial system that individual parties on both sides are exploiting in the last days and hours before the CBA deadline. Talk about mixed messages.

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  19. #11
    Member SidneySlicker's Avatar
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Well that's baseball for you, poor leadership that lacks any sense of foresight or self awareness. That goes for both the MLB ownership or the MLBPA.

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  21. #12
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Quote Originally Posted by Kinsm View Post
    Never happening. If you have to call up Joe Dirt to fill in for one week of games while All Star is injured you're going to award them a full year of service? Keep in mind, this happens dozens of times to every team every year.

    And don't get me started about expanded playoffs....why even have a season just put everyone straight into the playoffs.
    I think teams get around this by keeping AAAA players on their AAA rosters. Should these players reach arbitration, the team does not have to offer it. The player would probably move on to another team's system around this time anyway. Further, the arbitration award is not likely to be much above the ML minimum for such players. True prospects would not be brought up until they are likely to stick or until after the All Star break. The end result would be a kind of taxi squad at AAA which is similar to what exists now.

    I'm not a fan of extended playoffs either, but it is probably inevitable as it appeals to both sides.

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  23. #13
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    With the way the Reds are cough cough trying to get to the next level(bottom of the standings on the cheap) If they strike, and no season, I will get to the "Who cares" list real fast

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  25. #14
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Lorenzen the latest to jump ship.

    As a Reds fan, MLB might as well Lockout in 2021 because Reds ownership already has.
    "Lemonade requires a significant amount of sugar. Otherwise, you've just made lemon juice."

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  27. #15
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    Re: MLB Lockout Off-Season 2021

    Maybe MLB should have a Free Agent Signing Period with Deadline every year, it's been a Helluva interesting few days.


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