MLB Talks ... latest news

[tony&rodney]

Tomorrow, we should have some idea of where baseball is headed. I first subscribed to mlb.com in 2004 and have had an account since that time. I watch too many games and that was besides playing and coaching for too many years. I'm retired now. If MLB cannot resolve their issues, I need to resolve mine and quit the streaming service. Manfredball was pathetic with ghost runners and 7 inning games. I respect that many prefer vast changes. I was appalled that Joey Gallo called for a ban on shifts because he wants every fielder to start each pitch in the same prescribed position. There are people who agree with him. The game of baseball may be leaving me behind and Manfredball represents a change to the game I'm not enjoying, and that's ok too. Life goes on.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Dan is a great Twitter follow.

 

[Vanimal46]

Whelp. I’ll tune in tomorrow to see if a deal is struck in the final hours before MLB starts canceling games. If there is no deal, which appears to be the outcome, there’s going to be a lot of angry baseball fans. 

[TheLeviathan]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Whelp. I’ll tune in tomorrow to see if a deal is struck in the final hours before MLB starts canceling games. If there is no deal, which appears to be the outcome, there’s going to be a lot of angry baseball fans. 

Jokes on you....they won't even have any to piss off!

[Brock Beauchamp]

Great. Just great. I mean, we all saw this coming but it still sucks to see it play out. Owners barely budge on anything and now threaten a month of baseball games.

 

[wsnydes]

4 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Great. Just great. I mean, we all saw this coming but it still sucks to see it play out. Owners barely budge on anything and now threaten a month of baseball games.

 

Color me...not shocked whatsoever...

[Unwinder]

OK, I hate that I'm looking for a silver lining here, but May looks like a softer schedule for the Twins to start off on than April.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I completely agree with Tom about this:

 

[Squirrel]

35 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I completely agree with Tom about this:

 

Yep. Typical of ‘management’ to not care about the game, at all. Players should definitely take concessions off the table.

[TheLeviathan]

Kinda Devil's Advocate.....if they reverse all their concessions that is a signal that the season would be all but lost IMO.  Do we think the players are ready for that considering they'd be playing ball games but for the lockout initiated by the owners?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, TheLeviathan said:

Kinda Devil's Advocate.....if they reverse all their concessions that is a signal that the season would be all but lost IMO.  Do we think the players are ready for that considering they'd be playing ball games but for the lockout initiated by the owners?

The players don't have a lot to lose here, though, the owners have all but ensured a prolonged fight. The players conceded a bunch of things while as of yesterday owners haven't made an offer that even keeps up with inflation, much less the revenue growth of the sport.

If the owners aren't even offering a continuation of the status quo in regards to payroll vs. revenue, there's no reason not to dig in your heels and wait them out, particularly if the media continues to slant this situation very much against owners, as they mostly have to this point (and for good reason).

[TheLeviathan]

2 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

The players don't have a lot to lose here, though, the owners have all but ensured a prolonged fight. The players conceded a bunch of things while as of yesterday owners haven't made an offer that even keeps up with inflation, much less the revenue growth of the sport.

If the owners aren't even offering a continuation of the status quo in regards to payroll vs. revenue, there's no reason not to dig in your heels and wait them out, particularly if the media continues to slant this situation very much against owners, as they mostly have to this point (and for good reason).

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with the strategy (really at all, it's what they should do) as much as wondering how many players can go without a paycheck this year and how that might start to fracture the MLBPA.  I know one area you and I agree strongly on this is the players focusing on top-end salaries rather than raising the bottom/middle.  It's those guys that might start to struggle with not having game checks for an entire season.

In strikes the union tends to be well prepared to weather the storm.  I wonder how prepared they are if that's what the future holds.

[LastOnePicked]

I really wonder who will attend games after an even more prolonged fight. I don't spend a lot of money on MLB each year, but I don't anticipate spending a dime in 2022 that could make its way to an owner's pocket. I realize that broadcast rights are where the money is, but turning my back almost feels like what will be necessary.

[Vanimal46]

If MLB plays 140 games the owners still get the full payment from their Regional Sports Networks. Would it surprise anyone that this was their end goal to eliminate 22 game checks while still getting their full TV money? I’m disgusted with the league and will be taking time away from it. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I thought I heard at some point this offseason, that players were firmly against expanding the postseason beyond 10 teams (because players get little postseason revenue) if any regular season games were lost. 

With that said:

 

[LVTwinsfan]

I miss MLB. But I won’t miss 7 inning games, runner on second extra inning games, or any of the other “improvements” they have implemented in the game. No baseball this year? No problem!

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'd put Opening Day happening on time at over 50% right now, which is at least 49% higher than I had the number yesterday.

[diehardtwinsfan]

sounds like we my have something close to a full season.

[Squirrel]

Hope the lockout ends today … I’ll head to ballpark tomorrow

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

No agreement yet, but here is a preview of the new postseason if the sides do come to an agreement: 

 

So instead of 1 first round game per league (the wild card game), there will be between 6 to 9 first round games per league. 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Also, my last comment is wrong and I am bad at math. 

[Mike Sixel]

It appears, appears, they weren't close last night, but that MLB leaked they were, so they could blame players today. That is the opinion of more than a few people, though I'm sure others will disagree....and think owners really did move a lot yesterday after not moving at all for a few months.

[Unwinder]

It's immensely irritating how much energy the league puts into posturing and making the players look like the bad guys while only succeeding in making themselves look worse.

[wsnydes]

1 hour ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Also, my last comment is wrong and I am bad at math. 

As a professional estimator, close enough!

[wsnydes]

3 minutes ago, Unwinder said:

It's immensely irritating how much energy the league puts into posturing and making the players look like the bad guys while only succeeding in making themselves look worse.

I find that quite impressive actually, for the very reasons you stated.  Putting that much effort into an attempt to make someone else look bad only to make yourself look worse is quite a skill.  Not one I'd like to have, but a skill nonetheless.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

3 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

It appears, appears, they weren't close last night, but that MLB leaked they were, so they could blame players today. That is the opinion of more than a few people, though I'm sure others will disagree....and think owners really did move a lot yesterday after not moving at all for a few months.

yup - and i was fooled

[LVTwinsfan]

2 hours ago, wsnydes said:

I find that quite impressive actually, for the very reasons you stated.  Putting that much effort into an attempt to make someone else look bad only to make yourself look worse is quite a skill.  Not one I'd like to have, but a skill nonetheless.

It’s a common mistake for contractors negotiating with trade unions ( electrical union in my experience) We have binding arbitration instead of strikes( a great idea, strikes help no one) . In my 30+ years in the electrical union in Vegas labor hasn’t lost a wage dispute at arbitration because the contractors crying about money usually exposes their greed. 

[LVTwinsfan]

MLB is overplaying their hand I think.  There is plenty of baseball to watch, we don’t need MLB they need us. They are going to lose fans again, they’ll never learn.  

[Mike Sixel]

33 minutes ago, LVTwinsfan said:

MLB is overplaying their hand I think.  There is plenty of baseball to watch, we don’t need MLB they need us. They are going to lose fans again, they’ll never learn.  

 

[Brock Beauchamp]

Well, they're back at it and at managed to stay in the same room for over an hour. I'm considering anything good news at this point.