Collective Bargaining Agreement

Benjamin Grimm · March 7, 2022

I hated it too, but I've reconsidered.

The game needs some adjustments. I won't object to a rule that says that two infielders have to be positioned on each side of second base.

Ideally teams would find ways to beat the shift organically, but that's not happening and baseball games have become slow and plodding. If this, combined with a pitch clock, helps, then I'm okay with it. It's much less objectionable than that phantom extra-innings baserunner.

kcmets · March 7, 2022

Next thing'll be if no one scores in the first five innings the rest of the game

becomes a kickball match and first team to score wins.

Willets Point · March 7, 2022

I'm not even sure how they enforce a ban on a shift. Defensive players shift position during every at-bat and every situation. Will they be confined to a certain range of the field that they can position themselves before the ball is in play? Will we be getting video challenges over whether or not the shortstop was one step out of the shortstop zone? Anyway I hate it. Learn to bunt against the shift and the defense won't shift.

batmagadanleadoff · March 7, 2022

Willets Point wrote:

I Anyway I hate it.

Wanna have a say in this? Organize the fans. Like a union. Then the fan union can make it's own demands in all of this against a threat of boycotting the games and MLB merchandise.

Edgy MD · March 7, 2022

Might as well ban the slider while you're at it.

MFS62 · March 7, 2022

Willets Point wrote:

Will they be confined to a certain range of the field ... ?

It worked for Derek Jeter. It was a physical limitation.

Later

Frayed Knot · March 7, 2022

Willets Point wrote:

I'm not even sure how they enforce a ban on a shift.

It'll be a simple ban on over-shifts.

Two infielders on each side of 2B, and possibly requiring each to be on the IF dirt at the time of the pitch (not out in medium deep RF)

Willets Point · March 7, 2022

Can they still have the SS and 2B swap if they want the stronger fielder on the right side of the infield?

Edgy MD · March 7, 2022

Amazing that they are coming up with new ways to constrain game play while not letting the players actually play games.

Frayed Knot · March 7, 2022

Willets Point wrote:

Can they still have the SS and 2B swap if they want the stronger fielder on the right side of the infield?

I assume so.

bmfc1 · March 8, 2022

My guess as to how and when it will be resolved:

They'll crap around until March 31 which was supposed to be Opening Day and announce a new deal with the season to start in 3 weeks. They'll remove an off-day or two, play a few doubleheaders (split, because the owners are greedy), and the season will be 144 games with the players getting back most, but not all, of the 162 games per their contracts. They'll agree on the awful 14 team playoff plan which will make the owners very happy and in return, the players will get bigger playoff shares. The owners will be thrilled to rid themselves of most of those annoying April games and the players will be happy with whatever they get and then forget about how they got screwed, again. Manfred will get a raise and a bonus.

Fman99 · March 8, 2022

Frayed Knot wrote:

Willets Point wrote:

Can they still have the SS and 2B swap if they want the stronger fielder on the right side of the infield?

I assume so.

Ted Williams batted .406 and he had to deal with the shift all the time. Changing the rules because hitters refuse to adapt or change their approach is hella-stupid. Just another brainless suggestion by baseball-hating commissioners.

ashie62 · March 8, 2022

Baseball is a GAME and a PRIVILEGE to play it and own a team.

Baseball ratings have been in the shitcan for awhile. They will lose many more fans.

I COULD NOT CARE LESS WHEN/IF THEY COME BACK.

Edgy MD · March 8, 2022

I care.

ashie62 · March 8, 2022

Edgy MD wrote:
I care.

I do also. I let my frustrations get in the way.

kcmets · March 8, 2022

MLBTradRumors (03/08/2022, 10:35 ET):

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/mlb-mlbpa-to-meet-tuesday-mlb-reportedly-views-tomorrow-as-last-chance-for-162-game-season.html MLB, MLBPA Continue Negotiations; MLB Suggests Tuesday As

Latest Deadline For 162-Game Season

kcmets · March 8, 2022

USAToday (03/08/2022, 12:28 ET):

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2022/03/08/mlb-lockout-owners-net-worth-rob-manfred-baseball/9424690002/Which MLB owners are likeliest to hold up the 2022 season over a few million?

Frayed Knot · March 9, 2022

Lengthy (~17 hours) bargaining session on Monday, not breaking off until 3 AM

Bad news: no settlement

[CROSSOUT]Good[/CROSSOUT] Slightly better news: No further cancelations announced, talks will pick up today (Tuesday) with a 162 game sked apparently still on the table

Ongoing news: If/when a settlement does get reached I'm not going to like most of the results from it: expanded playoffs; universal DH; shift bans; uniform advertising; games

removed to streaming-only services. Plus likely still no real progress on time-of-game/pace-of-play issues and probably some other shit I can't think of of haven't heard of yet.

ashie62 · March 9, 2022

They went well into the night two straight days.

They have to be close, don't they.

Frayed Knot · March 9, 2022

=ashie62 post_id=86649 time=1646837180 user_id=90]
They have to be close, don't they.

Benjamin Grimm · March 9, 2022

It sounds like they may be making progress. They seem pretty close on the minimum salary, and the league has finally budged on the CBT. They've agreed on the number of playoff teams and a few other things. I acknowledge that this can all go down the tubes in a hurry, but on the other hand, I wouldn't be at all surprised if a deal was completed today.

MFS62 · March 9, 2022

I heard (WFAN? ESPN?) that one issue still holding things up is an international draft.

One bright light is that some agents agree that the current system (any team can sign youngsters) exploits kids too young to realize the "implications". It would be funny if the agents are the force that finally lets them reach an agreement.

Later

Edgy MD · March 9, 2022

The exploitation is not the signing players in their mid-teans, but the reserve on them once signed.

The idea that the institution of a draft would be to benefit the players is rich.

Marshmallowmilkshake · March 9, 2022

I'm afraid to be optimistic. But I'd also be stunned if this one issue prevents a deal from getting done. This also strikes me as an issue that is more important to the agents rather than the major league players.

batmagadanleadoff · March 9, 2022

Frayed Knot wrote:

Ongoing news: If/when a settlement does get reached I'm not going to like most of the results from it: expanded playoffs....

This expanded playoffs, to me, is a disaster. If I had to choose, I'd prefer that some games get canceled this year if it meant not expanding playoffs.

Expanded playoffs is gonna be a deal breaker for me. I think I'll be watching less baseball, with less interest going forward. If they go to 14 playoff teams, I could even see myself missing Mets playoff games, something unimaginable before.

Expanded playoffs looks like a win-win for the owners. Moer games, especially playoff games, means more money (stadium sales and TV revenue). And more playoff spots means the teams don't have to spend as much money on payroll. I suppose that the top-tier wealthiest teams will continue to spend as they have been. But past those top spending teams, payrolls will probably go down.

Benjamin Grimm · March 9, 2022

Twelve teams out of thirty is too many, but not nearly as bad as fourteen out of thirty. I hope that if they do go to twelve, that expansion will soon follow and we'll be looking at twelve out of thirty-two, which is less bad than twelve out of thirty and much better than fourteen out of thirty.