Jokers to the right… Here I am, stuck in the middle with you. The clowns are the MLB Owners while the Jokers are the MLBPA… and all the fans are stuck in the middle. Why cancel games? The MLBPA says that is unnecessary. They think the owners can just snap their fingers and here’s the game. All the players have to do is show up, but what if they are not fully in shape or stretched out? The owners have a huge investment in players. What happens to the NY Mets season if Max Scherzer tears him UCL on opening Day because he only had 6 inning total at Spring Training?
The owners are of the opinion that the players need a full month (or close) to get fully conditioned, or they will pay the price with a spate of injuries. If Max Scherzer tears his UCL, he still gets paid, but it could wreck the Mets season. Unlike football, MLB Players have guaranteed contracts. So, for the players to say they don’t understand why games have to be canceled is rather disingenuous. It takes a lot more than players getting into shape to pull off a game. Security, Concessions, TV and Radio Crews, Umpires, and the like all have to make travel arrangements. With the way travel is lately, sometimes two weeks is not enough time.
Of course, now two more issues are on the table because no agreement was reached yesterday: Service time and getting paid for games you didn’t play. If games are canceled, the players believe that they should be paid for them anyway, because of course they do! The owners are firm in that they will not be paid. This could turn out to be the biggest obstacle of all and has the potential to derail the entire season! It did not have to happen! The Players got a lot… a whole lot, but they are Greedy Bastards.
It seems like public sentiment and baseball insider sentiment have shifted away from the owners and now the players are being looked upon by most as the greedy bastards they are. I believe it is deserved and this has the potential of hurting the game more than all the rest of the issues combined. A big sticking point is the International Draft and the players are opposed to it… why? Because of course, they are. They say it is because players will get less money. I believe that it is just the opposite – I think, as a whole, the International Players will get more money… a lot more money… and the MLBPA is afraid there will not be as much for them.
It’s not about doing something good for their International Brothers. It’s totally all about getting all they can for themselves, and why are they so opposed to a system that reeks with corruption. The Justice Department and FBI have investigated accusations of corruption and criminal behavior involving players from the Dominican and other Hispanic countries. Some insiders call the shadowy figures (read: criminals) who are “enforcers” for the Spanish Mafia. People close to the game have heard the stories of criminal behavior… even beatings and murder have been alleged.
In 2018, Sports Illustrated published a report revealing that the U.S. Department of Justice has undertaken a “sweeping probe” of MLB teams’ international signing practices and corruption throughout the sport. The Dodgers are most often cited in the article, but other teams and the league office itself are also apparently involved. In part, here’s what the SI Report said:
In the report SI published a selection of emails and documents taken from a collection of evidence that apparently pushed the DOJ to begin this investigation in the first place, including “videotapes, photographs, confidential legal briefs, receipts, copies of player visas and passport documents, internal club emails and private communications by franchise executives in 2015 and 2016.” None of which looks like good news for the teams involved in the probe.
Teams getting creative, and possibly breaking the law, to circumvent the league’s international signing rules and acquire the best players from Latin America isn’t new. In recent years the pressure has been on for the league to clean these practices up, but with the DOJ involved it now appears well out of the league’s hands and the consequences could be more serious than ever before.
They were being investigated for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which broadly makes it “unlawful for certain classes of persons and entities to make payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business” and requires United States-based corporations to “make and keep books and records that accurately and fairly reflect the transactions of the corporation and devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls.” The act “bans the use of corrupt efforts to secure an improper advantage to obtain or retain business.” To say it simply: MLB was/is allegedly using criminal practices in foreign countries to gain an unfair advantage on the field. In baseball circles, this is talked about, much like they talked about steroids twenty years ago. Everyone knows it is true… it just can’t always be proven.
Just like the Mafia is hard to indict, so are many of the shadowy figures involved in International MLB Affairs. It has been alleged that kidnapping, human trafficking, even murder, and mayhem are/were utilized. MLB’s attempt to legitimize the International Draft was rebuffed by the current MLBPA, not because they are concerned about money for their Dominican Brothers – they are concerned that they will not make as much if there is an organized draft. Pure and simple!
Actually, with all that has transpired in the negotiations and the additional money to be paid to the players, you are going to see a lot of players who may be in their early 30s and “journeymen” not get a contract or have to take an MLB Minimum Contract. All this MLBPA is doing is lining the pockets of the top two percenters. Oh, it’s really great that the young players will make three-quarters of a million dollars a year, but you are going to see a lot of players not get the deals they thought they would get.
Take a look at this list of FREE AGENTS. I predict a lot of them will not get anything close to what they thought. Meanwhile, baseball fans are becoming less so, with each passing day. Yours truly, included! Ken Rosenthal had a scathing article in The Athletic today about the MLBPA.
Real Dodger Baseball News
- Bobby Miller consistently hit 100 MPH in his last outing… topping out at 101. Fabian Ardaya wrote this: “Miller’s curveball has been reintroduced after being shelved midway through last summer, giving him another prominent pitch for his mix along with a plus slider and above-average changeup. Much of his offseason focused on the heater. It goes beyond simply beefing up his velocity — he’s getting even more “ride” or carry on his four-seamer and is able to further differentiate it from his two-seamer with arm-side run.“
- Ardaya’s article in The Athletic really spoke highly of Pepiot, Miller, Knack, Beeter, Carson Taylor, Nick Nastrini (“jaw dropping”), and Jeren Kendall. It’s great to finally read some baseball news.
Mark –
I couldn’t agree more with the tone and points you made in your post! The jokers are killing the game with their greed. As a baseball fan for almost seven decades, I find myself actively looking for other entertainment options to occupy my time and interest in 2022. I have March covered with March Madness; April has spring football for my favorite college teams; and May is the Triple Crown in horse racing. Football starts again in September. I am open for any ideas on June, July and August?
In June I would recommend the college World Series in Omaha, or local college baseball regionals earlier that month. All of the top players will be professional players and some are future MLB players. The energy and passion for the game are tremendous. And if you can’t make it in person, ESPN provides in depth coverage.
So, we don’t get baseball because the players are butt hurt at the continuance of the QO? The QO affects maybe 10-12 players a year. And, the players oppose an international draft that would help reduce the corruption of the current system. The players say that a draft will reduce the amount of money the current system offers international players. This is probably not an accurate assessment. They will most likely receive more money which means the current MLBPA will receive less. All this leads to another issue that is the players want to be paid for cancelled games. Of course they do. All parties should take a few steps back and see how foolish all this is becoming. If these are the only issues stopping the season from starting then shelve them for the next contract negotiations or agree to discuss in a year or two. And, if that is done in the next few days then the owners should pay the players for the full season. It’s a damn rounding error for the owners. All parties are playing with the future of the game. They were just getting increased interest from 20-35 year olds (probably because of gambling) and they pull this BS. Stop it!
Carry on.
Butt hurt?
Are we back in third grade?
Aspire to be better! Elevate discourse.
Lol. Just trying to be on the same level as MLB and MLBPA.
butt·hurt
/ˈbətˌhərt/
INFORMAL•US
adjective
adjective: butt-hurt
overly or unjustifiably offended or resentful.
“they’re all butthurt that she released the album online first”
noun
noun: butt-hurt
an excessive or unjustifiable feeling of personal offense or resentment.
“it’s time to get over the butthurt from last year’s playoffs”
Seems like it gets the meaning across to me.
TEDRAYMOND – So, we don’t get baseball because the players are (overly or unjustifiably offended or resentful) at the continuance of the QO?
LOL! Is that better?
How about this:
So, we don’t get baseball because players aren’t happy at the thought of continuance of the QO. I don’t agree with it because….
You see? Furthering and adding to a dialogue.
Are you really defending the use of “butthurt”? Why not go to the trope of Free Speech?!??!!?!?
Mic drop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Excellent analysis. One of the MLBPA Player reps in the negotiations is none other than Max Scherzer….yea that guy who couldn’t pitch in the NLCS because of a “dead arm” as a result of the way the Dodgers used him, but who in the abbreviated FA season signed a 3-year $43 million AAV contract. Give me a freaking break.
How exactly does Scherzer’s arm health or market value impact his ability to have an opinion on Union matters?
“How exactly does Scherzer’s arm health or market value impact his ability to have an opinion on Union matters?”
It doesn’t, and Norcal isn’t saying he shouldn’t have the “ability to have an opinion.” It just undermines his credibility.
Norcal’s point, as I see it, is one of hypocrisy and entitlement, which speaks to a position by the players that is out-of-touch and inherently selfish.
Scherzer’s interests don’t align with a struggling minor league player, a struggling major league player on the bubble, a 16 year-old Venezuelan kid with talent. Scherzer and the other representatives of the union that are negotiating are the highest paid in baseball. Scherzer, if you put stock in the story that he barged into the meeting after getting an earful from Boras, represents baseball’s elite, the players with the highest “market value.”
Scherzer, in spite of already being one of the highest paid players in baseball, and in spite of the Dodgers trading away their top prospects for the rights to his services, nevertheless failed at the most important moment. Instead of this being a detriment, he got a raise and became the highest paid player in the game.
Most of us don’t make in a year what he makes in a single game. Most of us are held accountable for failure.
Max is free to have an opinion on anything. And so is norcaldodgerfan or Bluto.
But Max has inserted himself as the spokesman for the MLBPA.
He will get $43.3 million for each of the next 3 years guaranteed at ages 38-40.
His agent is Scott Boras who represents 5 of 8 players on mlbpa executive committee. Boras receives over $100 million per year in commissions.
These super rich players and agents are preventing about 400 Union members from getting a 25% raise of the minimum salary to $700,000+. Each player would receive an additional $130,000 per year in salary.
Both Max and Boras make more than the world champion Atlanta Braves made last year. The Braves pretax operating income was $31 million in 2021 per SEC documents.
Max makes 70 times more than other MLB pitchers.
Mets are free to pay Max and I don’t fault Max for taking contract. But the compensation that Max and Boras receive take away from potential compensation that other mlb players would receive.
Great article by Mark today, and great comment by norcaldodgerfan.
Great points. Boras’ firm is actually more profitable than just about every major league team.
We normally think of unions as representing the little guy against corporate power. This is a dick swinging contest (yes, I’m using a course colloquialism) between two fantastically powerful and wealthy forces. The “little guy” in this case is the fan who will probably be shelling out more money for tickets, crappy beer and hot dogs and have his local TV coverage blacked out even though he pays $20 dollars a month for a baseball channel.
This is beyond stupid. Scherzer’s interests 100,000,000,000% align with minor league players.
The union is working to enable ALL players to make as much as they can.
How is the “problem” that the Super-rich players and agents are “preventing” other Union members from earning their maximum anything except for the fact that it’s not a true market.
There’s a cap on spending. And Scherzer is against this. He doesn’t need to be. He (and players of his strata) will always make the most $. Let’s celebrate this.
The goal of the Players Union is (and should be, IMHO) to remove as much restraint of trade as possible for all players. And chefs in the clubhouse!
Where do you see this is not the case?
Case in point your point.
… the compensation that Max and Boras receive take away from potential compensation that other mlb players would receive.
Scherzer is obviously held accountable for his failure. He was criticized rightly and wrongly. He himself was disappointed as were vocal and silent fans.
He happens, however, to be in possession of a rare and highly valued asset. Even accountability pales in the face of scarcity economics.
I have friends who are ludicrously talented when it comes to code. Go and Javascript. When they produce a bad product, they are held accountable. If they want to seek a new job, that accountability doesn’t affect their ability to earn, nor their ability to extol the virtues of computer engineers.
This thing will get settled in the next few days. So Mark what are the first 3 moves the Dodgers will make? I can’t believe anyone but us will sign an injured Kersh. And I don’t think he will retire until his elbow completely blows out.
Mark
The choice of pictures for your Clowns and Jokers couldn’t possibly be better.
Absolutely brilliant.
HI Mark, I need to talk to you and I think you have my number. Daughter is gifting my wife and I a trip to LA for our anniversary the first week of May and I am looking for any help anyone can share regarding tickets, transportation options to park, lodging etc., etc., etc,, would love to hear from all of you if you can offer any advice, guidance, free tickets, other things to do in the area etc. Plan to tour om the second of May and atend the games the third and fourth if the season is going. HELP, I’ve waited sixty years for this chance and I want to make it the best trip ever. I know you guys are the experts. Oh, by the way, my wife would love to see the games from a suite and she figured you folks could help after all the time I’ve spent praising you, ad nauseum.
I can help Denny. I don’t know about free tickets, but there is an app called gametime that gives deep discounts on games if you care to gamble and wait for the last minute. Otherwise, I would suggest seatgeek.
As far as hotels go. I would highly recommend staying near Union Station so you can take the shuttle to the game. The shuttle bypasses all traffic as it gets it’s own lane in and out of the stadium and back and forth to Union Station. If you stay in Downtown LA, you can take the train to Union station. The train is very cheap, 2 bucks per person each way.
You’re going to want to use the train on your trip regardless. It will take you to Santa Monica, LA Live (Staples Center), Culver City (I Love Lucy Studio), Hollywood, Pasadena (Huntington Garden), etc. Make sure you go to the Getty and order your tickets in advance. The tickets are free, but you should order them in advance to make sure they are available on the date you wish to go. BTW, you can take the train from the Airport to DTLA as well.
I can get you all the suite tickets you want if you call and use my name, they will sell you a suite for $22,000.00.
If you don’t use my name, you have to pay $22,000.00!
I would consider staying at the Biltmore Downtown: https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/los-angeles/millennium-biltmore-hotel-los-angeles/
I would also take the train to Rancho Cucamonga and take in a Quakes game.
E-mail me Denny and give me your number. mark@uswatersystems.com
Take a Dodger stadium tour. My wife and I did that and it was AWESOME.
There were only 2 other people in the tour group so it was like a private tour. Went on the field went to the Vin Scully Press Box, was awesome. Saw a TON. Id stay Downtown and Uber.
Id also reccomend doing the SoFi Tour home of the World Champion LA RAMS.
Have a blast Denny!! Eat at Phillipes
Jeff Passan:
There is an agreement on the international draft, a source tells ESPN.
Oh my gosh, we could be close.
Now get it done. Jon Morosi was right last night. Now we get to talk about the first moves the Dodgers will make. It could get crazy.
What will happen with Clayton Kershaw? What about Joe Kelly? He wants to be back. Will the Dodgers pursue Freddie Freeman? What about the rotation? Will there be trades?
Joe Kelly comes back. Clayton goes to the Rangers with Seager. Kenley goes to random pretender for money and a guaranteed closer job. Freddie is a Dodger, he’ll take this opportunity to come home. Trade for one more starter from the A’s, Marlins or Reds. Outside chance of signing Rodon to a two year deal.
Lux, Miller and Pepiot will remain with the Dodgers. Lux will take over at SS next year.
Sounds good to me.
Rodon’s lack of a track record and the fact he faded in the second half last year might make a two-year deal possible. I don’t think I’d pursue him, though.
I think we’ll know about Clayton within 15 minutes of the agreement being official. He’s going to need to tell someone where he’s headed for Spring Training, and then we’ll all know. That is assuming Mark isn’t right and he’s not retiring.
For those who are interested, there’s a great article in Fangraphs today about Van Scoyoc’s hitting philosophy. By far, the best interview I’ve ever seen with him. This is from that article and I think it refutes some of what has been said about his approach:
” I think there are certain principles that are probably true to maximize each guy, but I don’t think there’s one swing. There are different solutions. There is no one, cookie-cutter way.”
Here’s the link to the article: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/robert-van-scoyoc-talks-hitting/
Well with an agreement on the International draft, we may be getting closer to some baseball. Tom75, June, July and August, minor league teams will be playing. You can always take in one of those games if there is a team close to you. I have the Colorado Springs AAA Brewer farm team 35 miles from me.
If ratified today, spring training would begin March 17th, and the season on April 5th. All 162 games would be played.
Spring Training or Spring Training games would begin on the 17th?
Meanwhile, Heyman is reporting that a couple of Mets players are concerned about the upper limit penalty of the CBT and are concerned it will curtail spending. They might vote against the agreement. That’s absolutely ridiculous because their owner has already stated that he’s OK with it and will pay it if he decides to spend that much. I wonder if one of those two players is Scherzer.
Breaking: MLB and the MLBPA have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor deal, sources tell
@JeffPassan
.
While it still needs to be ratified by both parties, that is expected to be a formality.
MLB, MLBPA Reach New Collective Bargaining Agreement
By Steve Adams | March 10, 2022 at 2:19pm CDT
After 99 days, the MLB lockout is finally drawing to a close. The Major League Baseball Players Association has voted to approve the most recent counterproposal from ownership, setting the stage for a new collective bargaining agreement to be ratified, as first reported by Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extra Base. The new CBA will cover the 2022-26 seasons, and the transaction freeze associated with the lockout is expected to be lifted as soon as the agreement is formally ratified, which ESPN’s Jeff Passan characterizes as a mere formality at this point. The Score’s Travis Sawchik tweets that the proposal passed by a vote of 26 to 12 among the MLBPA’s 30 team representatives and eight executive subcommittee members.