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2020 MLB Season Thread -- Rays v. Dodgers -- Small Payroll v. Large Payroll

MLB now proposing to bump the season back a month.

Schedule would be cut from 162 to 154 with each time having up to 12 days of scheduled doubleheaders (and 18 scheduled days off).

Doubleheaders would stay at 7 innings, universal DH and expanded playoffs are proposed. Player pay would stay at 100% despite 8 less games.

All players would report to Spring Training on March 22, and we'd get November baseball, with the World Series ending no later than Nov. 10th-ish.

Given that players will get 100% pay, universal DH and added playoff pool revenue, I can see this passing.
 
MLB now proposing to bump the season back a month.

Schedule would be cut from 162 to 154 with each time having up to 12 days of scheduled doubleheaders (and 18 scheduled days off).

Doubleheaders would stay at 7 innings, universal DH and expanded playoffs are proposed. Player pay would stay at 100% despite 8 less games.

All players would report to Spring Training on March 22, and we'd get November baseball, with the World Series ending no later than Nov. 10th-ish.

Given that players will get 100% pay, universal DH and added playoff pool revenue, I can see this passing.

According to Jeff Passan, the MLBPA is going to reject the offer. Instructive how the NBA, NHL and NFL have all worked together during the pandemic, while MLB continues to fight over every detail. MLB offered to shorten the season; yet, keep pay the same, and the MLBPA rejected it. With the current CBA expiring after the 2021 World Series, MLB is headed to a prolonged labor stoppage as players have convinced themselves that they are getting screwed, and MLB Owners are going to suffer financial hits given the lack of ticket and concession revenue in 2020 and 2021. I understand being skeptical of the owner's finances, but it's undeniable that MLB teams made less revenue last year by a lot, and will make less this year, by a lot again, given that fans can't attend games (or won't be able to in the same numbers in 2021). Wouldn't be shocked if there was no 2022 season. It's that bleak.
 
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Players thinking might be that after limited attendance in 20 and 21, owners might be willing to make more concessions to make sure 22 season happens.
 
According to Jeff Passan, the MLBPA is going to reject the offer. Instructive how the NBA, NHL and NFL have all worked together during the pandemic, while MLB continues to fight over every detail. MLB offered to shorten the season; yet, keep pay the same, and the MLBPA rejected it. With the current CBA expiring after the 2021 World Series, MLB is headed to a prolonged labor stoppage as players have convinced themselves that they are getting screwed, and MLB Owners are going to suffer financial hits given the lack of ticket and concession revenue in 2020 and 2021. I understand being skeptical of the owner's finances, but it's undeniable that MLB teams made less revenue last year by a lot, and will make less this year, by a lot again, given that fans can't attend games (or won't be able to in the same numbers in 2021). Wouldn't be shocked if there was no 2022 season. It's that bleak.

I disagree with most of this take. The owners are trying to force negotiation on the current CBA in order to get expanded playoffs approved, so that MLB can rake in those extra playoff profits. The players have no incentive to do that. If no deal is reached, season will start on 4/1, that isn't in jeopardy. In light of the fact that NBA, NFL, and NHL are all currently being played, the argument to push back MLB start date is pretty weak. Most players are against expanded playoffs, and there's been a decent amount of discussion that expanded playoffs will likely work to depress player salaries in the long run. Adding universal DH doesn't do nearly enough to counterbalance that from a player's perspective.

As far as owner finances, Cohen just bought the Mets for $2.42 billion. So owning an MLB team is clearly still extremely profitable in the long run. The players have no responsibility to absorb any of the financial losses from pandemic-related costs, part of being an owner involves accepting risks of short-term losses.
 
Pedroia retires due to the cheap shot by Machado. That is co-#1 dirtiest plays in baseball during my lifetime with Pete Rose ruining Ray Fosse's career in an All Star Game.
 
I disagree with most of this take. The owners are trying to force negotiation on the current CBA in order to get expanded playoffs approved, so that MLB can rake in those extra playoff profits. The players have no incentive to do that. If no deal is reached, season will start on 4/1, that isn't in jeopardy. In light of the fact that NBA, NFL, and NHL are all currently being played, the argument to push back MLB start date is pretty weak. Most players are against expanded playoffs, and there's been a decent amount of discussion that expanded playoffs will likely work to depress player salaries in the long run. Adding universal DH doesn't do nearly enough to counterbalance that from a player's perspective.

As far as owner finances, Cohen just bought the Mets for $2.42 billion. So owning an MLB team is clearly still extremely profitable in the long run. The players have no responsibility to absorb any of the financial losses from pandemic-related costs, part of being an owner involves accepting risks of short-term losses.

This is actually one of the better analyses I've read on this. Makes a lot of sense.
 
To realize the profit available by selling a team, the owner must be able to cover the possible loss incurred during the coarse of each season. This isn't normal red ink. The possibility of playing an entire season at full cost without the revenue generated by fans in attendance isn't chicken feed. Ownership could incur losses two or three times greater than they experienced last year. I doubt all the owners have that kind of liquidity available.

Keep in mind, the NBA and NFL use universities as their feeder system. MLB has at least four minor league teams to consider funding without the benefit of revenue from attending fans. Comparing leagues is apples to oranges in this instance.
 
Bauer to LAD. 3 years, opt outs after the 1st & 2nd. $40m & $45m in those two seasons.
 
Bauer to LAD. 3 years, opt outs after the 1st & 2nd. $40m & $45m in those two seasons.

So, Bauer agreed to three one year contracts, and he has the option to enforce the exercise of the next year's contract or terminate it after each season. Pretty sweet deal. The Mets offered 4 years, but there were murmurs that Bauer did not want to play in NYC.

Dodgers were clearly the best team in baseball in 2020, and they add the pitcher who had the best year in 2020. Yikes. LA will be one of the largest favorites heading into the season of all time. That said, weird things happen in baseball; favorites often don't win it all.
 
I'll be interested to see how he does. He's incredibly consistent with eras over 4.00 except two years when he was dominant. Career 3.9/3.85/3.96 ERA/FIP/xFIP kept decent by two years.
 
I'll be interested to see how he does. He's incredibly consistent with eras over 4.00 except two years when he was dominant. Career 3.9/3.85/3.96 ERA/FIP/xFIP kept decent by two years.

What’s really fascinating with Bauer is spin rate. He has accused the Astros of cheating (Cole in particular) by using a foreign, sticky substance. He tweeted that only way to increase spin rate by 200-300 rpm’s is to cheat. Well, his spin rate jumped 400 rpm’s last year on his 4 seamer. I guess if you can’t beat em, join em.
 
pitchers using a substance for grip in generally accepted as long as it is not blatant. batters are on record saying they want them to use as it keeps them safer
 
So, Bauer agreed to three one year contracts, and he has the option to enforce the exercise of the next year's contract or terminate it after each season. Pretty sweet deal. The Mets offered 4 years, but there were murmurs that Bauer did not want to play in NYC.

Dodgers were clearly the best team in baseball in 2020, and they add the pitcher who had the best year in 2020. Yikes. LA will be one of the largest favorites heading into the season of all time. That said, weird things happen in baseball; favorites often don't win it all.

I agree that LA should be a huge favorite, but San Diego has stocked up quite a bit this winter as well.

Do I think that San Diego has enough to overtake LA now in the regular season? Probably not. Put the two of them together in a seven game NLCS? More than a chance for San Diego against the Dodgers in those circumstances.
 
pitchers using a substance for grip in generally accepted as long as it is not blatant. batters are on record saying they want them to use as it keeps them safer

It wasn’t accepted by Bauer, at least until last year. And it’s against the rules - enforce it or legalize it.
 
It wasn’t accepted by Bauer, at least until last year. And it’s against the rules - enforce it or legalize it.

Only thing legal at this time is rosin from the rosin bag.
 
Ozuna back to the Braves - 4 years, $65m with an option taking it to $80m. I like that value for the Braves.
 
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