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Major League Baseball’s thirty teams have approved a proposal for handling labor relations in a truncated 2020 season. But initial efforts to sell the concept to the Major League Baseball Players’ Association are off to a rocky start.
Union chief Tony Clark expressed general opposition to the MLB plan in comments to Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic (subscription link). He argues that tying pay to revenue — as the team side intends to propose — effectively constitutes the imposition of a “salary cap.”
The MLBPA has long fought against efforts to impose a salary cap. Clark accuses the league of “trying to take advantage of a global health crisis to get what they’ve failed to achieve in the past.” From Clark’s perspective, the focus shouldn’t be on salaries to much as “finding a way for us to get safely back on the field.”
The union continues to insist that the sides’ late-March agreement fully resolves the question of 2020 player salaries. There’s an ongoing dispute over the interpretation of that recent pact.
It remains to be seen whether the league and players will be able to negotiate out their differences. Public opinion is sure to play a role in how things shake out, which explains the recent run of reporting and public statements.Comment -
PLAY ball!!!Comment -
On this day May 12, in 2019, exactly one year ago today, George Springer of the Houston Astros went 5 for 5 and hit two home runs vs. Texas.
Springers buddy Alex Bregman also homered twice this game.
Corbin Martin gets his first victory for Houston in his major league debut, Rangers starter Adrian Sampson can't get out of the fourth inning getting shelled for six runs on nine hits in 3.1 innings pitched.
Batting AB R H RBI BB PA BA OBP SLG OPS Details George Springer CF 5 5 5 4 0 5 0.321 0.4 0.66 1.06 2·HR Alex Bregman 3B-SS 5 2 3 5 0 5 0.277 0.391 0.577 0.967 2·HR Michael Brantley DH 4 0 0 0 0 4 0.331 0.377 0.591 0.968 Jake Marisnick PH-DH 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.279 0.323 0.508 0.831 Carlos Correa SS 3 1 3 1 1 4 0.298 0.363 0.567 0.93 2B Tyler White 1B 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.258 0.359 0.318 0.677 Josh Reddick RF 4 1 0 0 1 5 0.315 0.37 0.417 0.787 Yuli Gurriel 1B-3B 5 2 2 1 0 5 0.285 0.325 0.451 0.776 2B Aledmys Diaz 2B 5 1 2 2 0 5 0.232 0.257 0.435 0.692 2B Max Stassi C 5 0 0 0 0 5 0.133 0.188 0.2 0.388 Tony Kemp LF 5 3 3 1 0 5 0.226 0.288 0.377 0.665 3B Comment -
So a July 4th start and an 80 game season??? The Nationals started 19-31 last year, hmmmm.Comment -
So a July 4th start and an 80 game season?
Lets do it
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When do we expect to start the mlb this season????Comment -
I keep thinking July 4thComment -
Let’s do it MLB, all good until they get a superstar with Corona I guess. Then they shut it down?Comment -
No chance they go 80 games without someone contracting it.Comment -
- The Mets pushed hard to land J.T. Realmuto before he was ultimately traded from Miami to Philadelphia, and Mike Puma of the New York Post writes in his latest mailbag column that the team’s pursuit of Realmuto might not yet be over. Realmuto is represented by CAA, the former agency of GM Brodie Van Wagenen, and current catcher Wilson Ramos has a club option for the 2021 season that isn’t a lock to be picked up ($10MM or a $1.5MM buyout). The Mets have acquired several of Van Wagenen’s former players since he became GM — Jed Lowrie, Michael Wacha and Robinson Cano — although CAA has a rather large base of clients and Van Wagenen has certainly added plenty of players from other firms (Ramos, J.D. Davis, etc.). Still, there’s no obvious in-house alternative if the team opts to move on from Ramos — or to pick up his option and look to trade him. Realmuto would indeed be an upgrade, particularly on the defensive side of things, which is notable given the questions that arose regarding Ramos’ glove in New York last year.
- The COVID-19 shutdown hasn’t been fun for anyone, but Cano has at least found a silver lining during the delayed season. Cano said Tuesday that the downtime has “been beneficial for me for sure” physically, as Tim Healey of Newsday relays. “My legs feel strong right now,” continued Cano, who’s champing at the bit to return to the diamond. “Just can’t wait to go back on the field, and then play.” If there is a season, the longtime star, 37, will aim to rebound after a rough debut campaign with the Mets. Cano hit just .257/.307/.428 with 13 homers during an injury-limited, 423-plate appearance season.
- Expanded rosters should be quite favorable for several Marlins outfielders who might not have been a lock to make the team, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Lewis Brinson has drawn his share of flak having yet to produce after arriving as the centerpiece in the widely panned Christian Yelich trade, and he’d be “very, very” likely to break camp with an expanded roster. Magneuris Sierra is out of minor league options and was a risk to be exposed to waivers given his lack of big league production, but greater roster flexibility and his elite speed make him a likely bench piece at the very least. Sierra, like Brinson, came over in a high-profile swap — the Marcell Ozuna deal — although the Fish have already fared quite a bit better in that deal. Sandy Alcantara was that trade’s headliner, while righty Zac Gallen was also in that deal and has since netted the team top shortstop prospect Jazz Chisholm.
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On this day May 13 Mother's Day, 2012, exactly eight years ago today, Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins hits a walk off grand slam swinging a pink bat in a cause for breast cancer awareness. The Marlins score six in the ninth to defeat the Mets 8-4.
Manny Acosta of the Mets served up the gopher ball.Comment -
NBA is going to play on even with a positive test when they come back.
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These sports leagues are risking lives to comeback.Comment -
Anybody watching Korean baseball? Got to see a nice home run.Comment -
Is Korean baseball on SBr sports book yet?Comment -
The National League appears likely to implement the designated hitter in 2020 — much to the chagrin of many fans — suddenly giving 15 clubs the potential to bulk up their lineup with another non-pitcher bat. Several teams already have logical in-house options to fill that spot. However, there are a handful of yet-unsigned position players who’ll welcome the seemingly forthcoming influx of DH spots as they look to get another chance at the big league level. Let’s run through some still-available names…
- Yasiel Puig (29 years old): Puig was still a perfectly fine defensive right fielder last season, grading out as average via Defensive Runs Saved, Ultimate Zone Rating and Outs Above Average. A team may not look at him as a full-time DH because of that, but a club with an already-set outfield could now switch a more defensively challenged option to DH and slot Puig into right field. Or, Puig could simply rotate through DH and the outfield corners on a new NL club. The Giants have been oft-connected to Puig and have a piecemeal mix of options in the outfield. At the very least, an added DH spot wouldn’t hurt his chances of landing in San Francisco (or anywhere else in the NL).
- Jose Bautista (39): Joey Bats generated some chatter this winter when word got out that he was contemplating a return as a two-way player. The former home run champ set the record straight last month, indicating that while he did throw some bullpen sessions with friend/former teammate Marcus Stroman this winter and would welcome the opportunity, he’s more focused on a return as a hitter. Bautista’s glovework declined quite a bit in his late 30s, but he walked at a 14 percent clip and posted a .168 ISO in his final two seasons in 2017-18. He’s kept himself in shape — could he have one more run left in him?
- Mark Trumbo (34): Knee problems torpedoed Trumbo’s 2019 season and much of his 2018 campaign as well, though he did return late last year to appear in a dozen games with the Orioles. While 2019 was a lost season, the slugger hit .261/.313/.452 in 358 plate appearances in 2018 (105 wRC+, 108 OPS+). Trumbo has never been much of an OBP threat, but he has massive power from the right side — evidenced by an MLB-best 47 homers in 2016. He was open about his uncertain baseball future back in November, but 15 new DH slots could give him an unexpected opportunity.
- Melky Cabrera (35): The Melk Man is still hoping to play another couple seasons, but deteriorating glovework has become increasingly difficult to overlook. That said, the switch-hitter hasn’t batted lower than .273 in the past decade, and his contact skills generally make him a source of a respectable OBP even though he doesn’t walk that much. Cabrera’s .280/.313/.399 slash with the Pirates last year was below-average on the whole (88 OPS+, 85 wRC+), but he was an average or better hitter in the three preceding seasons. Melky carried an .807 OPS into the All-Star break last year, but he hit just .231/.257/.306 down the stretch as his role shrunk. To his credit, he struck out at just a 10.3 percent clip last year.
- Hanley Ramirez (36): HanRam’s comeback attempt with the Indians last year was a bust. He homered in his second game of the season but went deep just once more, posting an ugly .184/.298/.327 slash in 57 plate appearances before being cut loose. Ramirez underwent shoulder surgery last summer, revealing that he’d been plagued by shoulder pain for several years and making clear that he hoped to play in 2020. He played in the Dominican Winter League this offseason, hitting .273/.298/.418 in 57 plate appearances. Ramirez has a lot to prove, but maybe an NL club would take a flier in a rebooted Spring/Summer Training and hope to catch lightning in a bottle.
- Lucas Duda (34): Nothing went right for Duda last year, although the Royals still gave him 119 plate appearances. In that time, he posted a disastrous .171/.252/.324 slash, and he wasn’t much better in Triple-A, hitting .202/.281/.303 in 114 PAs between the affiliates for Kansas City and Atlanta. Duda showed solid power while bouncing around the league in the two seasons prior, hitting .228/.318/.482 with 44 home runs in 253 games spread across five teams — including a 30-homer effort in 2017. Last year didn’t inspire any confidence, but he’s only 34 and could perhaps operate as a platoon option or lefty bench bat.
There are still some other unsigned players. Scooter Gennett never latched on with a team this winter. Tim Beckham remains unsigned, though he still has to serve the final 32 games of an 80-game PED ban. Russell Martin is a free agent. It’s doubtful that any of those players would markedly impact a team’s DH picture or see his market improved by the new presence of a DH (although any could draw increased interest as a bench option by virtue of expanded rosters). It’s also possible that some veterans on minor league deals could opt out or be cut loose once training camp resumes, thus entering the mix for potential DH work in the NL. Carlos Gonzalez, for instance, was reportedly unlikely to make the Mariners’ roster.
Most clubs will probably prefer to handle the DH spot internally rather than hand out more money at a time when revenue is already being slashed by the pandemic stoppage. But for the non-Puig veterans here who are simply looking for one more chance to revive their careers, a sizable commitment wouldn’t be expected anyhow. Whether it’s one final run for Joey Bats (with a bullpen appearance or two?), a Hanley Homecoming in Miami, a Trumbo resurgence or any number of other scenarios, there could be some fun storylines to follow.Comment -
On this day May 14, in 2019, exactly one year ago today, Boston Red Sox fire baller Chris Sale struck out 17 Colorado Rockies in an 11 inning, 5-4 loss in Boston's Fenway Park.
Sale was on pace to equal or surpass the all time single game strike out record of 20 but it's lifted after the seventh inning due to a very high pitch count (108)
Sale allowed three hits, walked none, and allowed two runs, both earned.
Pitching IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BF Pit Str Chris Sale 7 3 2 2 0 17 1 4.24 24 108 74 Brandon Workman, BS (1) 1 2 2 2 0 2 1 2.37 5 20 13 Matt Barnes 2 0 0 0 0 5 0 1.56 6 26 18 Ryan Brasier, L (2-2) 1 1 1 1 2 0 0 3.57 6 26 15 Team Totals 11 6 5 5 2 24 2 4.09 41 180 120
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