Major League Baseball, players union reach tentative agreement to salvage 2020 season

[MFS62]

I hope they'll wait until after what would have been the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, so we won't have to watch a DH get inducted. (Hope this link works. It was part of a much longer email I get daily from mlb.com.

https://www.mlb.com/news/hall-of-famers-who-benefited-from-designated-hitter-rule?partnerId=zh-20200406-156906-47943&query_id=1026&bt_ee=wFqCupZZ2oFY8SNJlldr8R2dLFsgBy48twcB%2FNto%2BVIqEa0yxZKe%2BQXIgyODgtah&bt_ts=1586172964245https://www.mlb.com/news/hall-of-famers-who-benefited-from-designated-hitter-rule?partnerId=zh-20200406-156906-47943&query_id=1026&bt_ee=wFqCupZZ2oFY8SNJlldr8R2dLFsgBy48twcB%2FNto%2BVIqEa0yxZKe%2BQXIgyODgtah&bt_ts=1586172964245



When the rule was first instituted by MBL, I was concerned about how it would artificially prolong the careers of players, allowing them to compile counting stats and one day lead to Hall pollution. This writer gives some examples:

 
When the Yankees' Ron Blomberg stepped to the plate against Red Sox right-hander Luis Tiant at Fenway Park on April 6, 1973, Major League Baseball changed forever.

In this landmark moment, Blomberg became the first designated hitter in MLB history. American League owners had voted to approve the DH rule (Rule 5.11) on a trial basis in January, and Boston hosted New York in the first MLB game of the 1973 season, giving Blomberg this unique distinction. Rule 5.11 would eventually become permanent in the AL.

Over the years, the DH spot has been used for a variety of purposes, including hiding defensively challenged players, giving regular position players a break and relieving positional logjams. The rule also has had a larger impact on the Hall of Fame than you might realize.

The Hall doesn't yet have a player who played at least 70% of his games at DH (David Ortiz could change this when he's first eligible in 2022), but the seven inductees below each saw significant time as a DH. In fact, if not for the DH rule, all of these players' careers might have ended much sooner, leaving them short of the statistical benchmarks that made induction possible.

(Players listed in order based on career Wins Above Replacement, per Baseball-Reference, and career stats included for each player through the last year he played more games in the field than he did at DH.)

Paul Molitor, 1978-98 (75.7 bWAR)
Through 1990: 1,870 hits, 131 HR, 626 RBIs, .299/.361/.437

Molitor was a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner over his first 13 seasons, but he battled injury problems and played fewer than 120 games six times during that span. Then, at age 34 in 1991, Molitor shifted to DH on a regular basis and stayed healthy for 158 games, leading MLB in hits (216) and runs (133) while slashing .325/.399/.489. Molitor ended up collecting 1,449 hits after 1990, reaching 3,000 in '96. He was the DH in 976 of his 1,143 games from 1991-98.

Frank Thomas, 1990-2008 (73.8 bWAR)
Through 1997: 1,261 hits, 257 HR, 854 RBIs, .330/.452/.600

Thomas is one of three Hall of Famers, along with Edgar Martinez and Harold Baines, who played more than half of his games at DH, though just 231 of his DH appearances came over his first eight seasons. The White Sox opted to move him off first base in 1998, and he played 131 games at first the rest of his career. This didn't help Thomas avoid injuries entirely -- he played fewer than 75 games in four seasons from 2001-08 -- but the DH spot gave his powerful bat a home through his 40th birthday. Thomas slugged 145 homers over his final six seasons and became the 21st member of the 500 home run club in 2007.

Jim Thome, 1991-2012 (72.9 bWAR)
Through 2005: 1,665 hits, 430 HR, 1,193 RBIs, .281/.408/.562

Thome averaged 41 home runs per season from 1996-2004, but in '05, he played just 59 games and hit .207 with seven homers and a .712 OPS before undergoing season-ending right elbow surgery. Traded from the Phillies to the White Sox in November 2005, Thome would make only eight more appearances on defense thereafter. Thome was reinvigorated as Chicago's DH in 2006, hitting .288/.416/.598 with 42 round-trippers and 109 RBIs over 143 games. The lefty slugger joined the 500 home run club a few months after Thomas in 2007, and four years later became the eighth player to reach 600 homers.

Eddie Murray, 1977-97 (68.7 bWAR)
Through 1993: 2,820 hits, 441 HR, 1,662 RBIs, .290/.364/.483

With three-time All-Star Lee May at first base, the DH spot allowed Murray to receive regular playing time with the Orioles in 1977, when he won AL Rookie of the Year honors. Murray took over as Baltimore's starting first baseman the following season and held that role until 1988, before moving to the National League for five years. He returned to the AL with the Indians in 1994 at 38 years old, sitting 180 hits shy of 3,000 and 59 homers away from 500. Appearing as a DH in 371 of his 428 games from 1994-97, Murray became the third player in history to record both 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, joining Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.

Edgar Martinez, 1987-2004 (68.4 bWAR)
Through 1994: 686 hits, 62 HR, 268 RBIs, .303/.391/.460

Martinez is the poster child for the DH position; the award for the league's top designated hitter has been named after him since 2004, and he played 68.3% of his career games as a DH, the highest among Hall of Famers. Martinez was a capable defender at third base early in his career, but injuries took their toll, relegating him to permanent DH duties in 1995. The slugger really blossomed that year, hitting .356/.479/.628 with 29 homers, 52 doubles and 113 RBIs over 145 games. Martinez would record an OPS of .966 or higher in seven straight seasons from 1995-2001, eclipsing the 1.000 mark five times in that stretch.

Dave Winfield, 1973-95 (64.2 bWAR)
Through 1991: 2,697 hits, 406 HR, 1,602 RBIs, .285/.354/.479

Although Winfield remained a regular outfielder through age 39, he was able to hang around for another four seasons thanks to the DH spot. Those years allowed the 12-time All-Star to pad his resume, as he finished fifth in the AL MVP race and won the only World Series title of his career with the Blue Jays in 1992. Winfield then joined the Twins and reached the 3,000-hit plateau the next season. Like Molitor, Thomas, Thome and Murray, Winfield was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America in his first year of eligibility.

Harold Baines, 1980-2001 (38.7 bWAR)
Through 1986: 1,077 hits, 140 HR, 589 RBIs, .287/.331/.468

Baines made just five appearances as a designated hitter over his first seven seasons, but he ended up playing 58.1% of his career games as a DH, second to only Martinez among Hall of Famers. Baines racked up 1,789 of his 2,866 career hits, 244 of his 384 homers and 1,039 of his 1,628 RBIs from 1987-2001, a stretch in which he made only 81 appearances on defense. He was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Today's Game Committee in 2019. 

OE, Martinez was inducted last year. Too Late.

Later

Edited April 6, 2020 by Guest

[Ceetar]

is Edgar Martinez not in? cause he's a hall of famer regardless of what some idiot writers say.

[Edgy MD]

=Ceetar post_id=34717 time=1586179265 user_id=102]
Vaccine's generally take upwards of a year.



but TESTING. build in regular testing of players and isolate and quarantine. build into the schedule time so that a team that test positive can take 10 days or whatever off and so can their current opponent, and their last opponent and their current opponent.



This would be better with them NOT all playing together in Arizona I suppose.

[Edgy MD]

And while I sing of high ratings if they bring baseball back, I can only speculate on how big an attraction empty stadium baseball might be after a few weeks.

[Willets Point]

The downside of Arizona (and Florida) in the summer is that it's beastly hot. They can schedule all night games, but that will mean late starts for East Coast fans. Mind you, late-night televised baseball from blazing hot Arizona is better than no baseball.

[seawolf17]

Willets Point wrote: The downside of Arizona (and Florida) in the summer is that it's beastly hot. They can schedule all night games, but that will mean late starts for East Coast fans. Mind you, late-night televised baseball from blazing hot Arizona is better than no baseball.

And hey! It's not like we have to get up early.

[Edgy MD]

Well there'd be two home teams per park, right? So scheduling could be a real pain in the ass. But there could be an early slot for easterly teams and a later slot for westerly ones.



On the other hand, if all you need is a decent field and some modest press facilities, they can even use auxiliary diamonds in the spring complexes, provided the lights were good.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I imagine the telecasts wouldn't be as polished as what we're used to, with cameras everywhere recording from a variety of angles. But I can live without that. Baseball would be a wonderful distraction and we need it now more than ever. (I think FDR said something similar about keeping the game going during World War II.)



It would affect the instant replay review, with fewer camera angles to examine. Probably would lead to shorter reviews and fewer overturned calls.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Kennesaw Mountain Landis wrote: I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going... There will be fewer people unemployed and everybody will work longer hours and harder than ever before. And that means that they ought to have a chance for recreation and for taking their minds off their work even more than before. Here is another way of looking at it. If 300 teams use 5,000 or 6,000 players, these players are a definite recreational asset to at least 20,000,000 of their fellow citizens. And that, in my judgment, is thoroughly worthwhile.

The particulars are different now, of course. I'm not sure that minor league games would be played, and there wouldn't be the ancillary employment of ticket takers, vendors, parking lot attendants, etc. But we can certainly use the "recreational asset" if a way can be found to do it safely.



Catchers already wear masks... why not let everyone else wear them as well?

[Edgy MD]

I just realize MLB can make a FANTASTIC amount of $$ with team-trademarked face masks.

[G-Fafif]

Jeff Passan reports details that would seem crazy-ass in less lunatic times. Actually they're still pretty bananas.



https://t.co/zDoNa3k4pm?amp=1https://t.co/zDoNa3k4pm?amp=1

[Edgy MD]

Check out MLB, seeing opportunity in crisis.

• Implementing an electronic strike zone to allow the plate umpire to maintain sufficient distance from the catcher and batter

Going nuclear on replacing ups with tech!

• No mound visits from the catcher or pitching coach

Going nuclear on the pace-of-game policies.

• Seven-inning doubleheaders, which with an earlier-than-expected start date could allow baseball to come closer to a full 162-game season

Going big on the crazy Lunchbucket plan!

• Regular use of on-field microphones by players, as an added bonus for TV viewers

Going big on acknowledging that their fear of digital communications helped make the Houston sign-stealing scandal possible!

• Sitting in the empty stands 6 feet apart -- the recommended social-distancing space -- instead of in a dugout

A preview of what it's going to be like once fans return to the stands, mentally prepping the public!

[Benjamin Grimm]

Geez, I hope they find a way to make this work. And safely, of course, not recklessly. It's nice that they're trying to coordinate with recommendations from the federal government. It would be even nicer if the federal government was competent. (Hopefully they'll talk to the doctors and scientists and not the political hacks.)



Baseball on TV in May? Sign me up for a no-contact home delivery of peanuts and Crackerjack!

[nymr83]

Edgy MD wrote: Check out MLB, seeing opportunity in crisis. • Implementing an electronic strike zone to allow the plate umpire to maintain sufficient distance from the catcher and batter Going nuclear on replacing ups with tech! • No mound visits from the catcher or pitching coach Going nuclear on the pace-of-game policies.

Backdooring that strike zone in there is awesome. and i always hated mound visits from the dugout - i'm fine with the catcher needing to get on the same page but they shouldnt need coaching midgame.

[Ceetar]

I was going to go with "acknowledging the growth of e-sports" for the microphone thing. Have the whole team mic'd up, why not.

[Willets Point]

30 teams playing in 10 ballparks with doubleheaders? I don't see how the math works out on that one unless they start playing games in the morning in the brutal heat.

[Edgy MD]

Well, these are spring training complexes, so they might use secondary fields simultaneously with the primary ones. Plus college and minor league facilities are available.



Also, since the minor-league season will either be cancelled or seriously curtailed, they might go with full 40-player rosters.

[G-Fafif]

Tag plays will be interesting. At least they'll be wearing gloves...which ballplayers love talking into while communicating with their teammates six inches from their face.



Yeah, this has a great chance to work.

[Lefty Specialist]

Basically you're holding MLB players prisoner for 4 1/2 months. Not sure how that'll work.



But ratings for this would be through the goddamn roof if they manage to pull it off.



What about announcers? I can't see Keith locking himself in a hotel room in Arizona. Who would feed Hadji?

[Ceetar]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Basically you're holding MLB players prisoner for 4 1/2 months. Not sure how that'll work. But ratings for this would be through the goddamn roof if they manage to pull it off. What about announcers? I can't see Keith locking himself in a hotel room in Arizona. Who would feed Hadji?

I don't think holding them hostage is going to be part of the solution. It'd have to come with the testing and early warning stuff. They'd still be able to go home to their families, who hopefully are quarantining as well. You'd have to have confidence that you could contain any outbreak among the population (including stadium workers) so that you're not spreading the virus. It's all about testing.



So if Gary and Keith and Ron are not testing positive, you're not really worried about them sharing a booth. If one tests positive, you treat them all as positive and isolate them. New booth. YOu could do shift work too, where they work one week, and then we only have away broadcasts for the next week, etc.



It might make sense to have more than just Arizona too. Pick 4 locations so that if one is contaminated you can still have the other three playing while you're making sure you're not spreading the virus.



It's a lot of logistics. It's still unlikely without testing.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd look at Hawaii. Surely there are 15 decent baseball diamonds on the island of Oahu.

[Edgy MD]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Basically you're holding MLB players prisoner for 4 1/2 months. Not sure how that'll work. But ratings for this would be through the goddamn roof if they manage to pull it off. What about announcers? I can't see Keith locking himself in a hotel room in Arizona. Who would feed Hadji?

Anybody can be an announcer, and considering the $$ and the scarcity of jobs, I imagine few would walk away from the season.



I also imagine that, if they are able to get things started and maintain controls and positive tests don't start popping up, they will slowly start to integrate players families in.

[Lefty Specialist]

Players, coaching staffs and other essential personnel would be sequestered at local hotels, where they would live in relative isolation and travel only to and from the stadium, sources said.



That doesn't sound like they could bring their families. And they wouldn't go anywhere but the hotel and the stadium. Sounds pretty draconian.

[Edgy MD]

No, not initially, but eventually, we will all have to try to re-integrate.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Lefty Specialist wrote: And they wouldn't go anywhere but the hotel and the stadium. Sounds pretty draconian.

Book them in a nice resort with their families. (Another argument for Hawaii over Arizona.)

[bmfc1]

How many players go into the bubble? You'll need backups in case someone gets hurt or Paul Sewald stinks (just an example) so where are the replacement players and what are they doing?

[batmagadanleadoff]

And then what about the hotel workers? Are they sequestered, too? Or do they get to go back to their families after their shifts? And then to the groceries and the banks and post offices? And then back to the hotels for next day's games?

[Edgy MD]

Again, they may have really bloated rosters, so replacing the Sewalds won't be an issue. They could, in theory, house the AAA teams in Arizona, also, and try to play something like a AAA season out there. I don't think field space will be an issue.



Maybe the rest of the players remain in Florida.



All those logistical problems are real, though. Re-integration procedures will have to occur eventually though, and while the challenge is to anticipate all those possibilities, it's hard to imagine it coming off without a hitch.



That said, MLB has seemingly made far more grown-up decisions than The White House so far. I know that's setting the bar low, but somebody has to show leadership.

[ashie62]

4 1/2 months sequestered in an Arizona hotel playing baseball daily in intense heat. There are worse things

[Frayed Knot]

Let's just say that there are a ton of logistical details to work out before this even has a chance at being implemented.

fwiw, MLB says this is merely one of numerous ideas that they're contemplating and that it (at least at the time it was being leaked) had yet to be discussed

with the players.

But they gotta plan ahead for what might happen before rather than do nothing and then try and figure it out on the run later.

iow, MLB is trying to be the anti-White House