Other Baseball

The owners recently proposed the commissioner should have the power to reduce MiLB roster size maximums to 150, down from 180 during the season and 190 during the offseason. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/02/mlbs-cba-proposal-included-ability-to-reduce-number-of-available-minor-league-roster-spots.html#:~:text=Currently%2C teams are permitted to,including the Dominican Summer League). Of course, fans critical of owners and the commissioner immediately framed it as a dirty cost cutting measure by MLB. While the proposal supposedly comes with no expectation to enact the 150 player maximum, it's hard to understand why the commissioner would need the ability to…

Dead at age 47. Cause of death not yet known. Wonder if this could be related to steroid use? Sad either way; and too young. https://sports.yahoo.com/former-mlb-player-jeremy-giambi-dies-at-47-235739774.html

Yes, that Richard Marx. This is wildly entertaining, I highly suggest you all take a moment's respite from MLB's asinine CBA negotiations and check out this feud.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33246056/source-los-angeles-dodgers-trevor-bauer-face-criminal-charges-stemming-allegations-sexual-assault What say you?

Awwww! I didn't get him a retirement gift! Joe West Retires

There's been a lot of discussion recently about Hall of Fame voting and how many view a player. Everyone appears to have different ways to evaluate and view a player and whether or not they belong in the Hall. So, I pose the question; what do you value more in your evaluations on what a HoF player is?

They're getting closer ... not close enough yet ... but ... hopefully before too long ... like a prospect, will they make the jump to the majors this year? https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-los-angeles-dodgers-baseball-625898797547e5d4de140755ba9cd0ee?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP_Sports&fbclid=IwAR3QLj-vX6Y8XE0KcfSFQJW4jidr9eL_v9VGvgumJQN2QnEmMQ37vQp2sgo

1) Should the MLB Expand? 2) Where would it expand too? Making this thread as a better place to discus a MLB expansion instead of the comments of CBA talk. Previous discussion was here: https://twinsdaily.com/forums/topic/54575-new-cba-whats-good-for-the-game/page/5/

There have been a lot of topics on the subject, but it might be hard to know what was proposed pre-lockout and where there's been give (if any) in the negotiations we know about... or at least I know about based on what sources are reporting. I put together some quick reference worksheet to track it. Green = moved towards owners. Blue = moved towards players. Red = moved further away. Pre-Lockout MLB MLBPA Luxury Tax Ceiling ($210MM in 2021) $180MM $245MM Luxury Tax 1/2/3yrs (20%/30%/50% in 2021) 25%/30%…

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33140500/mlb-players-association-plan-meet-again-tuesday-sides-make-progress-sources-say Former Twins scout and assistant pitching coach Jeremy Hefner is the only coach kept in the new regime in the Mets organization. Happy to hear of Jeremy’s success

A Rosenthal article in The Athletic. "If it happens, the outcome will be inexcusable for Major League Baseball, a sport competing for market share in an ever-expanding entertainment universe. Fans will gladly turn to other leagues and outlets if what was once a $10 billion industry cannot get out if its own way. And the antipathy toward baseball will be particularly acute in the middle of a pandemic that has lasted for nearly two years, exhausting the patience of millions of people in the process." https://theathletic.com/3078169/2022/01/19/rosenthal-the-pressure-is-mounting-mlb-cannot-afford-to-lose-games-this-season/?source=user_shared_article&fbclid=IwAR0…

Simple as the title. What do you think about the 2021-22 MLB offseason? Describe it in memes. Rules: 1. Memes only, no words. 2. Everything must be safe for work. 3. No politics. 4. Snark and sarcasm are welcome, but not distastefulness or disrespectfulness.

I'm not panicked ... yet ... but I do grow increasingly cynical about things. Owners won't budge, players won't budge, there have been NO talks of any kind, which, in a labor stoppage isn't unusual until the very critical, last moments. However, I think the owner's path to baseball is sure ruination of the sport; the players don't do themselves any favors, but, they aren't the most egregious, imo. So ... what will happen? What are your thoughts. This post was based on, inspired by, this tweet:

Rachel Balkovec becomes the first woman manager of the Yankees low-A team. From reading about her, it sounds well deserved. Congrats, Rachel ... you may be the first, but I hope not the last. https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/every-mlb-teams-best-free-agent-signing-ever-ichiro-randy-johnson-barry-bonds-and-even-a-minor-league-deal/

Right now I'll just put this out here with no comment other than that is a poor decision, imo ... https://nypost.com/2022/01/03/ken-rosenthal-out-at-mlb-network-over-rob-manfred-criticism/

We have recognized players for breaking the color lines, for being the first Latin American, the integrating African Americans and we have attempted to recognize past greatness in fields peripheral to baseball. We even have Alexander Cartwright who is as legendary as Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox who were just as involved in the great game of baseball. But we have left out a real ball player with a real case as both a player and as a ground breaker - William or Billy Hoy. Unfortunately he is better known as Dummy Hoy - because he was deaf and he was in an era where sensitivity did not exist. He could not hear so he could not know the balls and strike calls…

There has been a lot of talk about the HOF and the upcoming inductions in July of 2022 as of late. There are many players we could debate about getting in, but today I’d like to discuss the former Twin. The question is simple: Should David Ortiz be inducted into the HOF? The reason this isn’t a hard yes is because he has failed a drug test, and there’s other evidence that he cheated. So was most of Ortiz’ success built upon PEDs, or would he have been a HOF regardless? That’s the question of the day. As always, vote above and discuss below. Note: I might do one of these on Barry Bonds at some point in the near future.

https://www.sportico.com/law/analysis/2021/baseball-antitrust-exemption-1234651096/?cx_testId=9&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s The story was interesting for the 35 seconds it was up before the paywall came crashing down. https://sports.yahoo.com/minors-sue-mlb-over-antitrust-050120584.html seems to be an earlier version. There will not be anything definitive for a few years. as any losing side will appeal. If all 40 cities sued it could get real interesting. The pre trial discovery leaks would be enlightening as to how baseball works.. After the minor outrage settled down, most would be forgotten. The paywall was $600 for a year.

Good Morning. As an owner of a Specific team in a specific league I would like to inform our beloved fans of a plan to bring harmony to our specific business. At noon today, all owners of our specific teams will be approaching their specific state governments demanding 1 trillion dollars for each of their specific teams in their specific state. Now, this money will be used to ensure that any work stoppage will be ended immediately and guarantee no more work stoppages in the future. (Barring unforeseen circumstances which may be addressed at a later time.) This money will be used to ensure that we as owners will be able to feed our specific families, pay our specific …

I thought it would be fun to take out the name and fame from players and see if they would be a HOFer. Here are the Stats Career length 13 years BA .289 OBP .408 SLG .557 OPS .965 AVG OPS+ 163 WAR 99.9 8X AS 3X MVP, 5X 2-10 in MVP voting and 12th in MVP voting once 8x GG 7X SS 411 HR (Averaged 31.5/year) Led the League in HR 1X, BB 5X, OBP 4X, SLG 3X, OPS+ 4X.

Major League owners have decided to lock out major league baseball players. This ill-timed act—in the teeth of a pandemic—violates a sacred oath with fans, players, and the gods of baseball. The thirty principal franchise owners, from Arturo Moreno to William DeWitt Jr., have cast aside a basic social contract with America. This contract has been written on behalf of every little league team, every single-mom playing catch with her kid in a neighborhood park, and every homebound elder, who tempers his or her 365-day reality of soul-crushing loneliness by tuning in to 162 islands of comfort in that sea of misery. I couldn’t count how many times I’ve visited a church member…

https://www.si.com/mlb/phillies/news/report-freddy-galvis-inks-deal-with-japan-fukuoka-softbank-hawks-mlb Another free agent SS off the market.

Looking back, I start to think about what my own salaries were in some of those seasons and how it has increased (or decreased) over the decades. How about you? Too often we forget that the majority of players really didn't make a lot of money for their limited careers in the very early days. FROM MLBTRADERUMORS: As we enter Day 1 of the MLB lockout, one key issue in the current labor negotiations is where the players’ minimum salary will land. Given the union’s stated goal to get players paid more when they’re younger and more productive, it stands to reason that they’re seeking a more significant increase than usual. The minimum salary was set at…

Now that the lockout is official, what sort of impact, if any, will it have on your baseball viewing habits if games are impacted? What are some factors that play into that decision?

Here is a fantastic article from Mike McFeely in the Fargo Forum about a legendary baseball player in Minnesota who most probably haven't heard of, but he's got a chance to go into the baseball Hall of Fame this weekend when the Early Baseball Era vote is announced. John Donaldson was a left-handed pitcher who never had the chance to pitch in the big leagues. Why not? Because he was a black man who pitched from about 1908-1949. However, he was a legend throughout Minnesota. He would barnstorm around small towns around the state pitching. He is said to have won over 400 games and struck out over 5,000 batters. He spent several years playing for the local team i…

My number one rule change would restrict shifts. Prior to the pitcher releasing the pitch, at least two players must be on “the dirt” (area designated by MLB rule) on each side of 2nd Base. This still allows for the shifting of infielders, but will reduce the extremes and the use of “short-outfielders” (sorry, if you really like watching a batter grounding out to short right field and being thrown out at first base). . By requiring the players to be on “the dirt”, it could also encourage more bunting. Note - this rule change does not prohibit the rare use of two outfielders with the third outfielder moving to the infield.

With three easy additions to CBA, virtually ALL issues will be resolved. #1 Pace of Play. Lets not burden ourselves will all sorts of extraneous new rules to try and speed up the game. Just incentivize teams to play faster!!Games will speed back up in their own. SO... you simply incentivize teams by having all tiebreakers be pace of play. the faster the average 1st 9 innings of games the higher you are. This includes the draft order!!! you draft (partially..see below) based on pace of play, not solely your record. I GUARANTEE if playing slow makes a team drop a handful of spots in the draft, they will speed up!!!! with no artificial rules!!! …

Sign Seager to 10/$325MM contract. Seager, Semien, Gray, Calhoun....wouldn't be surprised to see Kershaw and Ray/Stroman there as well. Trying to be this years Padres?!?!

Semien just set the SS market bar quite high, 7/$175MM ($25MM AAV) for a guy who will be 2B in a couple seasons. Here's to hoping Lewis or Martin pans out after whoever the team signs as a stop-gap.

Absolutely great for that kid to transfer. I can believe it happened but what an stupid thing for a coach to say to a child. Also glad that his classmates walked out for him and against the school. https://www.binnews.com/content/2021-11-29-baseball-star-transfers-after-racist-remark-from-school-administrator/ Iona prep has had some ML players and more than a few kids to have played college ball. Sounds like a few people might lose their jobs over it.