I understand the DH is a done deal, but hitters designated to just hit batted .239 doesn't seem worth it. Nothing more exciting than a Tom Browning home run...except a perfect game (which he might not have had if he was facing designated hitters).
If they plan to let nearly half the teams in the playoffs, shorten the season.
Killing the unearned runner on 2nd is the only option, as was the 7 inning doubleheaders. Both altered far too much the dynamics of winning a baseball game.
elrojo (11-30-2021)
Continue reading: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb...?ocid=BingNewsWhat, might the owners want?
To pile drive free agency into further oblivion. Their gains on the edges in recent CBAs combined with significant aversion to competition by multiple franchises at a given time has inspired MLBPA executive director Tony Clark to call free agency broken and “a race to the bottom” for teams failing to compete. From an ownership perspective, the past five years have brought a level of salary containment unseen since the likes of Curt Flood, Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally fought in and out of court to eradicate the reserve clause that once tied players to their clubs in perpetuity.
The owners smell blood in the water and now seem intent on going for the kill.
But a bunch of guys just signed huge deals. What’s the problem?
That’s true. Top-shelf free agents such as Marcus Semien ($175 million, Rangers), Max Scherzer ($130 million, Mets) and Kevin Gausman ($110 million, Blue Jays) rushed to complete deals before a lockout can be imposed. Seven of the top 20 players among our 106 best free agents have already signed – not bad for late November.
Yet the tippy-top of the market (think: Correa) and the very bottom of it (think: Buckets of fungible relievers) will largely have to wait, and that’s a decent indication of what’s at stake. The Semiens and Gausmans aren’t re-setting any bars, nor are they borderline veterans who might be easily replaced by a minimum-wage rookie. Those deals tend to occur on the back end of free agency – and signing teams may want to survey the state of play in a new CBA before making any moves.
I just want my baseball. Who do I blame for all this?
In 2021-22, commissioner Rob Manfred will be playing the role of Selig, Clark will be fronting on behalf of the union, yet their trusted wingmen – Dan Halem on behalf of MLB, and longtime sports union bulldog Bruce Meyer for the players’ association – will likely be the key combatants. Semien, Scherzer and pitcher Collin McHugh comprise the most significant faces on the MLBPA’s executive player committee.
And while it’s easy to affix a “kick me” sign to the back of Manfred’s suit jacket, keep in mind that he works for the 30 owners, a collection of hedge fund and private equity vultures, business tycoons and nepotism lottery winners.
Sources: Expanded playoffs, draft lottery proposals in CBA negotiations
The format would call for 14 teams -- seven from each league -- to make the playoffs, four more than currently play in the postseason. The three division winners in each league would be joined by four wild-card teams to make up the playoff field. Here's how it would work:
The team with the best record in each league would get a bye into the best-of-five division series.
The remaining two division winners would get to pick their wild-card opponent from the bottom three wild-card teams. The division winner with the second-best record would pick first, then the No. 3 seed in the league would pick its opponent from the final two wild-card teams. The wild-card team with the best record would play the wild-card team that wasn't picked by a division winner.
Once matchups are set, the higher-seeded teams would host all three games in a best-of-three wild-card round.
Winners in the wild-card round would advance to the division series and the playoffs would continue as they have in the past.
One concern with the proposed format is the time off for the top seeds while the wild-card round proceeds, hence teams hosting all three wild-card games in consecutive days.The league is offering a system where all non-playoff teams would have a chance at the No. 1 pick -- not just the team with the worst record. The worst team would still have better odds than the second-worst team, and so on and so forth, but in theory, any non-playoff team could end up with a top-three pick.
The lottery would only be for picks No. 1 through No. 3, then the draft would continue as it has in the past, based on regular-season record. The playoff teams would pick according to how they finished in the postseason. The World Series winner would pick last.
Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. -- Carl Sagan (Pale Blue Dot)
Ron Madden (11-29-2021)
Kiley McDaniel @kileymcd
Will be interesting to see if the tenor of labor negotiations changes given historic spending spree right before likely lockout.
MLB/owners have been harping on pandemic losses/financial discipline. I wonder if owners are now more fractured than MLBPA. State of play has changed.
Jon Heyman
@JonHeyman
CBA talks have begun in Dallas but word is the Dec. 2 lockout is a certainty. There is said to be incremental movement but not nearly enough progress; the sides haven’t talked much about core economic issues today. Two days to go but basically no hope to avoid a work stoppage,
Bob Nightengale
@BNightengale
·
7m
Oh oh. The #MLB and union meeting is over after 30 minutes. Not a good sign
The guys we've had for the most part have been serviceable at this level.
Originally Posted by klw
Bob Nightengale
@BNightengale
The union did make a proposal this morning, and the owners have now reconvened back at their hotel. Less than 36 hours before the CBA deadline.
Evan Drellich
@EvanDrellich
·
8m
The MLBPA walked MLB through a proposal this morning in Texas. Meeting didn’t last long, but people with knowledge of talks say best not to read into duration. Owners didn’t appear thrilled, though. MLB will get back to union, parties may meet again later today. CBA expires tomm.
The guys we've had for the most part have been serviceable at this level.
Live shot from the owners suite
757690 (11-30-2021),Big Klu (12-01-2021),cumberlandreds (11-30-2021),Red Raindog (12-02-2021),Ron Madden (11-30-2021)
Bob Nightengale
@BNightengale
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is also in the Dallas area to be part of negotiations when they resume, joining seven owners.
There are also about 65 players on hand.
Evan Drellich
@EvanDrellich
MLB has returned to the hotel where the players are staying and they’re about to bargain again
Bob Nightengale
@BNightengale
MLB and the union met for 35 minutes this afternoon. Each side went into their own private caucus for an hour.
Bruce Meyer (chief union negotiator and Andrew Miller (executive committee) are now in meeting with deputy commissioner Dan Halem and #Rockies owner Dick Monfort.
A lot about what the players want. What are they willing to give up to make this a deal that the owners will feel is fair and equitable?
The stupidity of a team picking who they play. Just make it the best records against the worst of who made the playoffs. Why is that so hard to do. I thought the rubber on 2nd was stupid but necessary. This is so cheesy and ridiculous.
Chip R (11-30-2021),Danny Serafini (12-01-2021)
Bob Nightengale
@BNightengale
MLB and the union met for 35 minutes this afternoon. Each side went into their own private caucus for an hour.
Bruce Meyer (chief union negotiator and Andrew Miller (executive committee) are now in meeting with deputy commissioner Dan Halem and #Rockies owner Dick Monfort.Charlie Fish @char_fish
Replying to @EvanDrellich
It’s pretty telling that the @Rockies owner is the chair of the @MLB labor committee. Can’t manage his team well, and can’t make a fair agreement.
Posting Permissions
|
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please. |
