Quote from Cptjack on January 17, 2019, 7:26 pm

This is an explosive CBA negotiation. I'm expecting to get Expo'd by MLB with almost all the changes benefiting high revenue teams. The players association are going to be patsies for them. Falling for the trap they and their allies in the media set of "decreased spending due to luxury tax" instead of decreased spending due to a reversal on revenue sharing in this CBA.

Quote from fenn68 on January 18, 2019, 8:41 am

It looks as though the Union has hired a professional lead negotiator ... probably planning for the 2021 negotiations.

Seems as though the 2016 negotiations were based on the way the business of baseball WAS done by the clubs. Owners / GMs relied a lot on the past performance of players, their "emotion" in signing decisions, and most teams still wanted to compete. That really has changed.

The new unemotional, analytical front offices now have taken over across all teams ... kick in aging curves making older, more expensive players less desirable on longer term / higher cost deals when they can project similar production from league minimum types. Add in the changing face of the game on the field ... basically reducing the value of full time players / workhorse starters by going to mix and match portion players and unrestricted use of the "opener" and RP. Players are now more interchangeable parts ... parts that have less individual value and then lower cost contracts.

The "don't be mediocre" ... be a contender or tank basically takes half the league not wanting to spend big money on losing better.

Basically the teams have changed their entire approach to building teams and evaluation players ... and it does not take all the teams chasing to reduce demand which clearly lowers player leverage.

In 2021 the Union needs to totally revamp its approach to getting its membership the maximum share of revenue (fair share to some). From my view, they need to drop focus on the top few FA signing for big contract pulling up the rest of the players (not working with the stats guys) and focus on high payroll FLOOR, higher league minimum salaries, and easier FA. That approach may have a better chance of pushing up everyone.

Quote from LynchMob on January 18, 2019, 1:20 pm

Quote from David Nevin on January 18, 2019, 12:37 pm

Guys on MLB XM were talking about the Angels earlier.

They have basically spent $35 million for 5 very average players who don't move the needle.

They've signed Bour,Harvey,Cahill,Lucroy and now Cody Allen.

They were saying the team would have been much better off just signing Machado or Harper and actually getting a

player who would make a difference and sell tickets.....and I agree.

But this is a tale of the downfall of having a bad Farm system.

If they had guys even remotely ready and competent in their Farm system to pitch,catch and play 1b they could have left all these guys alone and added another star to the lineup with Trout.

If i were an Angels fan i would be scratching my head wondering what the heck they are trying to do?

All five of those guys could end up with negative WAR in 2019....and cost them $35 mil because they needed "bodies".

--

They have Trout to "move the needle" ... I'd not say they need "bodies" ... they need "depth" ... ie. they need 5 guys who earn $35 million worth of Ws ... and from my point of view, that looks like what they've done ... they are a better team with these 5 guys than "one more superstar and 4 more replacement-level players" ...

 

Quote from Cptjack on January 18, 2019, 5:02 pm

Quote from fenn68 on January 18, 2019, 8:41 am

From my view, they need to drop focus on the top few FA signing for big contract pulling up the rest of the players (not working with the stats guys) and focus on high payroll FLOOR, higher league minimum salaries, and easier FA. That approach may have a better chance of pushing up everyone.

That's what they should do. It's probably what they will do. When they do it I doubt they will take competitive balance into account.

Quote from Commie on January 18, 2019, 5:46 pm

Quote from Cptjack on January 18, 2019, 5:02 pm

Quote from fenn68 on January 18, 2019, 8:41 am

From my view, they need to drop focus on the top few FA signing for big contract pulling up the rest of the players (not working with the stats guys) and focus on high payroll FLOOR, higher league minimum salaries, and easier FA. That approach may have a better chance of pushing up everyone.

That's what they should do. It's probably what they will do. When they do it I doubt they will take competitive balance into account.

So the game will be even more rigged for large markets, ballparks are becoming sports books,  and the game is becoming more boring not less?  Precious.

 

 

Quote from MrPadre19 on January 18, 2019, 6:27 pm

Quote from LynchMob on January 18, 2019, 1:20 pm

Quote from David Nevin on January 18, 2019, 12:37 pm

Guys on MLB XM were talking about the Angels earlier.

They have basically spent $35 million for 5 very average players who don't move the needle.

They've signed Bour,Harvey,Cahill,Lucroy and now Cody Allen.

They were saying the team would have been much better off just signing Machado or Harper and actually getting a

player who would make a difference and sell tickets.....and I agree.

But this is a tale of the downfall of having a bad Farm system.

If they had guys even remotely ready and competent in their Farm system to pitch,catch and play 1b they could have left all these guys alone and added another star to the lineup with Trout.

If i were an Angels fan i would be scratching my head wondering what the heck they are trying to do?

All five of those guys could end up with negative WAR in 2019....and cost them $35 mil because they needed "bodies".

--

They have Trout to "move the needle" ... I'd not say they need "bodies" ... they need "depth" ... ie. they need 5 guys who earn $35 million worth of Ws ... and from my point of view, that looks like what they've done ... they are a better team with these 5 guys than "one more superstar and 4 more replacement-level players" ...

 

Which of those five guys makes them better?

None of them will add any wins.

The Angels were better than the Padres last year......would you be happy if we added any of those players?

They had Trout last year......having him again in 19’ isn’t going to make them better.

The point being made is that they spent $35 mil to add five replacement level players.

 

 

Quote from fenn68 on January 20, 2019, 11:04 am

Quote from Cptjack on January 18, 2019, 5:02 pm

Quote from fenn68 on January 18, 2019, 8:41 am

From my view, they need to drop focus on the top few FA signing for big contract pulling up the rest of the players (not working with the stats guys) and focus on high payroll FLOOR, higher league minimum salaries, and easier FA. That approach may have a better chance of pushing up everyone.

That's what they should do. It's probably what they will do. When they do it I doubt they will take competitive balance into account.

Can make a case that "low revenue" teams are creating their own problem going forward. MLB already has revenue sharing were the large markets end up sending money to small market clubs to be "competitive". We are talking millions. Yet look at the lowest spending clubs ... for the most part those same clubs that are receiving subsidies. Apparently "competitive" has a different meaning with the receiving clubs than the intent of the giving clubs and the Union.

Would not be surprised that these low revenue clubs are investing the new money into adding analytical staff to prove they shouldn't spend the money. If I were the "giving" clubs I would want to stop this revenue sharing given it is being mis-used by the recipients.

A bigger question (and not one that will ever come up in MLB) ... should the small market clubs that only exist based on subsidy and sharing the league money (not make real self contribution to their existence or the league) be just dissolved and maybe get the league down to 24 teams. Is there really any economic justification for TB, Miami, Oakland, Pittsburgh plus a couple of others. (a non starter for the Union). Add that NATIONALLY they don't move the needle on TV/Marketing ... that is just NYY, Bost, Cubs, StL, LAD, SF and a couple of others.

If the small revenue clubs act like second tier organizations ... maybe those cities should be in AAA (if anywhere).

Quote from 3fingersplit on January 21, 2019, 2:01 pm

Sonny Gray is off the table...going to the Reds in a 3 team deal

https://www.mlb.com/news/sonny-gray-reds-yankees-trade/c-302890072

Quote from MrPadre19 on January 22, 2019, 6:42 am

Am i the only one who would rather have AJ Pollock than Bryce Harper for the money they will command?

IMO Bryce Harper is the most overrated player in MLB.

Sure he's good and has prodigious power....but his inconsistencies and injury prone-ness(?) would keep me away if I was a GM.