Squirrel

The players didn't have any leverage in the off-season, imo. Teams not being able to complete their transactions was equally problematic for both sides. Besides, the owners locked them out. The lockout was a lose-lose, imo, and has been nothing more than a strong-arm tactic by ownership meant to 'scare' the players into negotiating the way the owners wanted. It didn't work. And the owners more than the players are dragging their feet in this. Again, imo. I'm not sure when the paychecks start coming ... maybe someone could tell me? ... in ST? Or when the regular season starts? But from what I've heard, the players and the union have quite a 'war chest' built up, so we'll see. I don't think either side really has any leverage at this point. We'll see come Apr. 1 (if they don't have it done by then). Although I think the owners care less than the players and are willing to hold out longer because they can. It's just hard to know.

It’s often how negotiations work. Peter around, stall, make a bunch of proposals and counters that do nothing … then boom, down to business. As I’ve said many times here in various places, a deal can get done relatively quickly (in days or a week, depending on the issues remaining and the length of the negotiation sessions) if the desire is there to do so.

I have no issues and I’m watching on my iPad.

Please don't get into the 'Rich vs Super Rich' fruitless discussions. This thread is about Royce Lewis. Yes, the lockout will affect him, as the past 2 seasons have also not been kind to him. But keep this to Royce and leave the generalized discussion for another thread.

Thanks, Sherry ... great article!

Everyone has their opinion of who is greedier in these negotiations, millionaire players or billionaire owners, and their respective roles in the product. This is mostly an exercise in futility of a discussion. So, since this thread is dealing with the updates of the talks, sporadic and slow as they may be, let’s stick to discussions of the actual updates, concessions, progress, stumbling blocks, and actual issues of the negotiations, and not the futility of which side is worse.

Can the players apply for unemployment? I know they aren't paid during the off-season, but at the point they would start drawing their salaries again, continuing to be locked out, are they eligible for unemployment? I know that if they were on strike, they wouldn't be eligible. But other employees in a lockout are eligible ... would this hold true to the players?

I guess I didn't make my point very clear, either ... I guess when there is a situation where one side is truly in the wrong, causing harm to the other side and to the whole of the product, I'm willing and do continue to support the aggrieved party, I am still willing to spend my time and money because there is a clear side to support and to believe in. In the MLB situation, both sides, as I said, need to get over themselves. That's why I don't find it a comparable situation, for me. In one situation, not easy for me to just abandon them, in the other, eh, I will spend no time and money on it if the two sides can't find a way to get over themselves. If the MLB situation was truly a one-sided affair, wouldn't you find it easier to support one over the other, and care about the outcome, and still want to do what you could to support that side? That's me. I cared about the players and the outcome in one situation, I care far less about the outcome in the other.

I don’t disagree that people will find other things to occupy their time, but these two situations are not comparable other than in both situations the players were/are locked out. If you refuse to support the orchestra after the nefarious activities of the board, that tells me a lot about you in how much you didn’t understand the situation or didn’t care. In this case with the MLB, eh, both sides here need to get over themselves. I will happily continue to support the orchestra and did during their lockout because that was completely about an awful entity causing harm, it was a one-sided wrong doing. This situation is on both, it’s a two-sided affair causing harm to their product and harm to their fan base.

If this was the dispute from 9-10 yrs ago, they weren't on strike, they were locked out. Big difference. But if you don't renew your season tickets to the Twins, maybe you should go back to the orchestra

Well ... I return from Florida Mar. 7 ... but then, I didn't plan my trip for ST. I planned my trip to be in Florida, and if I could manage a game or two while there, good for me. After so many years in a row of making it to ST, this will be the 2nd year in a row I won't be able to attend. (I was able to get it in in 2020 before it was shut down.) But I may wander over and see what's happening with the minor leaguers so I can say I was there

More interested debate participants ... not just interested, but, 'Yes, sign me up!' participants. (PM me ... we'll talk.) We seem to get people who all want to debate the same side, so, I guess ... more divergent debate participants!

Scotch-drunk googling pays off?

Also a BYTO alum, and came here when that site folded into this one.

But they aren't paid for those off-season months, despite continuing their activities and training and being under contract. That was the point.

yep. Personally, I have high hopes for him, but yes, his development definitely got side-tracked. Was also very impressed with him in Seth's talk with him

Start a discussion thread if this isn’t to your liking! ?

omg ... that is so sad!

Yeah ... if it stays in once all is said and done ... that would be a pretty big reneg if they pulled it back, but since they made it so public, I don't think they will

they also got rid of the compensation pick for FA

Yeah, the economic issues are going to keep things in limbo, I agree. Those are the major issues to be sure. But, at least they are getting through and agreeing on secondary issues. Even if they aren’t the top items, they, too, need resolution, so at least progress is being made

This is good progress, imo ...

This is your take on Bauer? I guess we disagree pretty strongly. I don't think he's a good person or a good teammate. And I'm not sure that everything he says is spoken from a pov of truth or knowledge; the baseball things, sure, but not other things. But his behavior is very questionable, and that is being kind, imo. As I said, I don't want him on the Twins and hope the Twins don't sign him. However, as I also said, if he showed a little humility and contrition, that would be different, because I do believe in giving people a chance to redeem themselves.

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

I'm not sure if that's a sad thing or what. People make mistakes in life. Those who show humility and contrition I think deserve a chance at redemption. In this case, though, I'm not sure Bauer shows any contrition. I would be glad not to have anything to do with him and hope the Twins stay far, far away. And that feeling doesn't stem just from this episode. But if they should sign him? I'm not sure what I'd think, I just hope they don't.