MLB 2021-2022 Offseason Hot Stove

[Hiromi]

as much heat as Manfred deserves the real blame right now should rest on the heads of owners of about 8-10 teams that are constantly vetoing any attempt to compromise towards what the players are actually likely to accept(it takes 8 votes to veto). The list of teams should tell you everything too
Pirates, Orioles, Guardians, Marlins, A's, Rockies, Tigers, Royals, Twins, D Backs,

[WestPhillyPunisher]

as much heat as Manfred deserves the real blame right now should rest on the heads of owners of about 8-10 teams that are constantly vetoing any attempt to compromise towards what the players are actually likely to accept(it takes 8 votes to veto). The list of teams should tell you everything too
Pirates, Orioles, Guardians, Marlins, A's, Rockies, Tigers, Royals, Twins, D Backs,

Yeah, bottom feeders with owners who don't want to spend any more money than absolutely necessary.

[MRP]

I've been very critical of both sides through all this, especially about how their stand off affects the ordinary joe who makes his living working games (stadium workers, etc.) So I will give credit where credit is due. The MLBPA has started a $1 million fund to aid stadium workers and others who are negatively impacted by the effects of the lockout and the loss of games. MLB has announced they will follow suit. Good on them. It should have been necessary, and the stalemate we are at now should have been taking place in December if either side had even attempted to negotiate in good faith before the previous contract ended, but at least they are doing the bare minimum to help others impacted by their foolishness and pride.

-M

[thwhtGuardian]

I've been very critical of both sides through all this, especially about how their stand off affects the ordinary joe who makes his living working games (stadium workers, etc.) So I will give credit where credit is due. The MLBPA has started a $1 million fund to aid stadium workers and others who are negatively impacted by the effects of the lockout and the loss of games. MLB has announced they will follow suit. Good on them. It should have been necessary, and the stalemate we are at now should have been taking place in December if either side had even attempted to negotiate in good faith before the previous contract ended, but at least they are doing the bare minimum to help others impacted by their foolishness and pride.

-M

I've yet to see a single thing that the players have asked for that I'd call foolish or prideful.

[MRP]

I've yet to see a single thing that the players have asked for that I'd call foolish or prideful.

The players problem is they screwed the pooch last negotiations and gave the house away because Tony Clark is an idiot. Now they expect that same person to get everything back they lost and gain even more in one fell swoop, which is an unrealistic expectation. The pendulum is not going to swing that far in one negotiation no matter how "reasonable" the demands seem, and Clark is not the person to do it. He had all the advantages last time and still managed to fumble the ball. he game was in a healthy place in 2016 without any of the pandemic caused interruptions and down turns in revenue, and he gave away service time, salary cap, minimum salary and other concessions without really getting anything back for the players. He has no credibility as a negotiator now and everything he does is seen as empty posturing because his track record is to cave and give the owners what they want. He did the same thing this time he did last time by refusing to talk at all while the old contract was in place and then refusing to negotiate until the lock out was in place in a desperate attempt to look strong-exactly what he did in 2016 before caving and giving the owners everything they wanted.

If the players had gotten rid of Clark and gotten someone capable of negotiating or had a better track record of actually working for the player's cause instead of surrendering them without a true fight when confronted, and had actually started negotiations while the previous contract was still in effect, this would be settled already and spring training would have started on time. But they were foolish to keep Clark and their expectations of having him get back everything they lost and then gain even more is unrealistic. They can make major gains, but it is going to take a couple if not 3 or 4, CBAs to get back where they should be if Clark hadn't caved and given away everything last time. That type of seismic shift just isn't going to happen whether it should or not. Games are being cancelled because Clark is still the head of the MLBPA, the owners do not respect him nor has he shown any ability to get anything done, and he approached these negotiations exactly the same way he did the previous ones where he ended up giving everything away. He somehow believes that by doing the exact same thing as last time he was going to get a different outcome. That doesn't happen in the real world. If you keep making the same mistakes, you keep getting the same outcome. I think the players thinking Clark could get a different result this time by doing the exact same thing they did last time is both foolish and prideful. Their asks may not be, but their methods of trying to get them surely are.


-M

[thwhtGuardian]

Who really cares about any of that? If they're asking for the right things then they're asking for the right things period and anything else just reads like fan entitlement to me. It's much better to have working conditions that are fairer to the people working there than it is that I have a few beers and hot dogs watching a ball game.

[achilles]

as much heat as Manfred deserves the real blame right now should rest on the heads of owners of about 8-10 teams that are constantly vetoing any attempt to compromise towards what the players are actually likely to accept(it takes 8 votes to veto). The list of teams should tell you everything too
Pirates, Orioles, Guardians, Marlins, A's, Rockies, Tigers, Royals, Twins, D Backs,

You'll love today's article on Yahoo which puts the blame squarely on baseball's resident bad guys, the Astros. Evidently, according to the article, it was the Astros GM who started the push a few years ago. And has been driving it ever since. Believe it or not, I suppose.

[thwhtGuardian]

Seems like if there is Baseball this year it will be sans the shift. Personally, I don't think it will make all that much of a difference to the speed of the game which is probably why the players are willing to allow it.

[achilles]

Seems like if there is Baseball this year it will be sans the shift. Personally, I don't think it will make all that much of a difference to the speed of the game which is probably why the players are willing to allow it.

Bleh, I've always thought if they shift on you, it's up to you to hit it where they aint, so to speak. IMO, a major leaguer should be able to do that.

[thwhtGuardian]

Bleh, I've always thought if they shift on you, it's up to you to hit it where they aint, so to speak. IMO, a major leaguer should be able to do that.

Eh, even hitting into the shift didn't really "rob" players from getting on base all that much more than without the shift. It's a win-win situation, the MLB brass get to say, "See, we're trying to do right by the fans and make games more interesting!" and the players don't really have to give anything up.

[Hiromi]

New deal inked, the nightmare is over, opening day is projected for April 7th, players can show up for spring training as early as tomorrow

[WestPhillyPunisher]

New deal inked, the nightmare is over, opening day is projected for April 7th, players can show up for spring training as early as tomorrow

Just heard about it. And free agency begins tonight. Thank goodness!

[babyblob]

i head they made the DH for both leagues. Is there any word on the runner at 2nd during extra innings rule?

[Hiromi]

i head they made the DH for both leagues. Is there any word on the runner at 2nd during extra innings rule?

neither of those were on the CBA so they're gone, MLB also gained permission to develop rules for a pitch clock, restrictions on the shift, automatic ball/strike zone, and larger bases for 2023.

Other things of note
12 team postseason is official
first six picks in the draft are now a lottery
now a competitive balance tax that's much more punitive than the old luxury tax that had the Mets and a few other teams upset
international draft is still under work but if agreed upon by July it'll eliminate the qualifying offer system
minimum salary is now 700k and will increase yearly until it's 780k in 2026 along with a Pre-arbitration bonus pool
top prospects who finish 1st or 2nd in ROY voting now get a year of service time and Clubs promoting top prospects to Opening Day rosters will be eligible to receive Draft picks if the player finishes in the Top 3 in the Rookie of the Year voting or Top 5 in MVP/Cy Young voting

[achilles]

Just heard about it. And free agency begins tonight. Thank goodness!

I wonder how long til someone signs Freeman? I know he's betting pretty heavily on staying, which is what I'd like.