The MLB lockout thread

[Deberg_1990]

Discussssss

To our Fans:

I first want to thank you for your continued support of the great game of baseball. This past season, we were reminded of how the national pastime can bring us together and restore our hope despite the difficult challenges of a global pandemic. As we began to emerge from one of the darkest periods in our history, our ballparks were filled with fans; the games were filled with excitement; and millions of families felt the joy of watching baseball together.

That is why I am so disappointed about the situation in which our game finds itself today. Despite the league’s best efforts to make a deal with the Players Association, we were unable to extend our 26 year-long history of labor peace and come to an agreement with the MLBPA before the current CBA expired. Therefore, we have been forced to commence a lockout of Major League players, effective at 12:01am ET on December 2.

I want to explain to you how we got here and why we have to take this action today. Simply put, we believe that an offseason lockout is the best mechanism to protect the 2022 season. We hope that the lockout will jumpstart the negotiations and get us to an agreement that will allow the season to start on time. This defensive lockout was necessary because the Players Association’s vision for Major League Baseball would threaten the ability of most teams to be competitive. It’s simply not a viable option. From the beginning, the MLBPA has been unwilling to move from their starting position, compromise, or collaborate on solutions.

When we began negotiations over a new agreement, the Players Association already had a contract that they wouldn’t trade for any other in sports. Baseball’s players have no salary cap and are not subjected to a maximum length or dollar amount on contracts. In fact, only MLB has guaranteed contracts that run 10 or more years, and in excess of $300 million. We have not proposed anything that would change these fundamentals. While we have heard repeatedly that free agency is “broken” – in the month of November $1.7 billion was committed to free agents, smashing the prior record by nearly 4x. By the end of the offseason, Clubs will have committed more money to players than in any offseason in MLB history.

We worked hard to find compromise while making the system even better for players, by addressing concerns raised by the Players Association. We offered to establish a minimum payroll for all clubs to meet for the first time in baseball history; to allow the majority of players to reach free agency earlier through an age-based system that would eliminate any claims of service time manipulation; and to increase compensation for all young players, including increases in the minimum salary. When negotiations lacked momentum, we tried to create some by offering to accept the universal Designated Hitter, to create a new draft system using a lottery similar to other leagues, and to increase the Competitive Balance Tax threshold that affects only a small number of teams.

We have had challenges before with respect to making labor agreements and have overcome those challenges every single time during my tenure. Regrettably, it appears the Players Association came to the bargaining table with a strategy of confrontation over compromise. They never wavered from collectively the most extreme set of proposals in their history, including significant cuts to the revenue-sharing system, a weakening of the competitive balance tax, and shortening the period of time that players play for their teams. All of these changes would make our game less competitive, not more.

To be clear: this hard but important step does not necessarily mean games will be cancelled. In fact, we are taking this step now because it accelerates the urgency for an agreement with as much runway as possible to avoid doing damage to the 2022 season. Delaying this process further would only put Spring Training, Opening Day, and the rest of the season further at risk – and we cannot allow an expired agreement to again cause an in-season strike and a missed World Series, like we experienced in 1994. We all owe you, our fans, better than that.

Today is a difficult day for baseball, but as I have said all year, there is a path to a fair agreement, and we will find it. I do not doubt the League and the Players share a fundamental appreciation for this game and a commitment to its fans. I remain optimistic that both sides will seize the opportunity to work together to grow, protect, and strengthen the game we love. MLB is ready to work around the clock to meet that goal. I urge the Players Association to join us at the table.
Manfred

Read a letter from the Commissioner: https://t.co/P4gRGSlfsu pic.twitter.com/zI40uGLTni

— MLB (@MLB) December 2, 2021

Statement from the Major League Baseball Players Association: pic.twitter.com/34uIGf762W

— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) December 2, 2021

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

I rather watch some old fat guy extending his career trying to hit a baseball outside of a hand full of pitchers who can actually hit. Most pitchers go up to bat and not even try at all. That shit is not fun in anyway shape or form. There is nothing thats good for baseball about that.

I'd agree if pitchers actually went up there and attempted to hit. This is best for the game in this day and age.

Yup, Nothing fun about pitching around the bottom of the lineup. Pitching has become too good these days for hitting pitchers to stand a chance. Plus it’ll be exciting to see guys like Pujols extend their careers.

[Ocotillo]

Originally Posted by Jerm

So the “most important meeting to happen to date” concluded in 1 hour with a bullshit offer….of course lol.

They’re really just ready to off what little relevance the sport has left eh….

I'm starting to feel like the owners are making serious offers.

They've agreed to a lot of things the players want like a draft lottery, draft pick compensation to avoid service time manipulation, even the pre-arbitration bonus pool.

The players are asking for the moon on some issues.

Jim Bowden said this morning that in the current pre-arb bonus pool of $15 million that the owners have proposed, Corbin Burnes goes from $618K last year to $2.6 million this year, Vladimir Guerrero goes up to over $2 million and Jonathan India would have gone from $570K to $1.3 million. Those are significant, unprecedented salary hikes for pre-arb players and the players are countering with $100 million for that bonus pool. Even if both parties eventually settled at $30 million, that's a huge win for the MLBPA.

[Ocotillo]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Their minions on twitter are the absolute worst. When I said that Salvy might be the last chance at a home grown HOFer who stays with the Royals, a few of them replied along the lines of "Lol Salvy won't sniff the HOF".

Those guys know how to take the fun out of everything. Also they're wrong. If Rany thinks Salvy has a real chance that's good enough for me. One more season like last year and I bet he's in. Or 3-5 more pretty good seasons.

I think the twitter slappies would rather just skip the postseason and whoever has the highest WAR at the end of the season wins. They get so bent out of shape when a low payroll team has any postseason success. Joe Sheehan hated seeing the Royals win in 14/15 (although part of that was because we didn't have enough high-strikeout, high-walk homer guys - which was deemed the right way to win). Also see Andrew Miller saying the Rays don't win the "right way". And then all the whining about the wildcard game being "Not fair!". They never whined when it was the As and Royals.

I'd have more respect for them if they just came out and said how they really feel - that the Dodgers, Sox and Yanks deserve to win more, and teams like the Royals should be happy they even get to play with the big boys.

That's because Salvador Perez is not a walk machine but Twitter minions can't appreciate that great ballplayers come in all shapes and sizes.

I'm not a Cardinals fan, but I see the same crap with them arguing that Yadier Molina is not a Hall of Famer because his career WAR or JAWS isn't to the standard. I think everyone will admit that catcher is involved in every pitch on the diamond and there's a non-quantitive element to the position. I know sabemetricians don't like to hear this but if you watch the Cardinals with and without Molina, there's a discernible difference with how the pitching staff performs and the team performs.

[Ocotillo]

Currently, teams can roster 180 domestic minor league players. The league is seeking the ability for the commissioner’s office to reduce it to “below 150" but could add to the number, too. Right now, sources said, two teams have fewer than 150 while five teams have more than 180.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 15, 2022

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Ocotillo

I'm starting to feel like the owners are making serious offers.

They've agreed to a lot of things the players want like a draft lottery, draft pick compensation to avoid service time manipulation, even the pre-arbitration bonus pool.

The players are asking for the moon on some issues.

Jim Bowden said this morning that in the current pre-arb bonus pool of $15 million that the owners have proposed, Corbin Burnes goes from $618K last year to $2.6 million this year, Vladimir Guerrero goes up to over $2 million and Jonathan India would have gone from $570K to $1.3 million. Those are significant, unprecedented salary hikes for pre-arb players and the players are countering with $100 million for that bonus pool. Even if both parties eventually settled at $30 million, that's a huge win for the MLBPA.

The status quo is great for the players. They add anything, it’s a great deal for them.

[Ocotillo]

MLB already has a soft cap with the CBT, and the players fear MLB's latest proposal would create a much more rigid cap. The issue they see? MLB revenues are compounding at a much faster rate than the tax threshold. https://t.co/q7EJls49tm pic.twitter.com/MZ3ZbxPQFO

— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) February 16, 2022

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by Ocotillo

Currently, teams can roster 180 domestic minor league players. The league is seeking the ability for the commissioner’s office to reduce it to “below 150" but could add to the number, too. Right now, sources said, two teams have fewer than 150 while five teams have more than 180.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 15, 2022

People are whining about this but most of those players are filler. Why should MLB teams pay for them?

[BigRedChief]

Juan Soto rejected a 13-year, $350M contract from the Washington Nationals before the lockout, per @Enrique_Rojas1 & @JeffPassan pic.twitter.com/t8AIsOiO0I

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) February 16, 2022

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Juan Soto rejected a 13-year, $350M contract from the Washington Nationals before the lockout, per @Enrique_Rojas1 & @JeffPassan pic.twitter.com/t8AIsOiO0I

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) February 16, 2022

Man is looking like Barry Bonds at the plate. He's going to get Trout money, maybe more, and its Washington so probably half of that offer was deferred to through 2050.

[BigRedChief]

MLB announces the delay in the start of spring training camp until at least March 5th.

Watched an episode of MLB tonight, seems to be the Bonus pool and luxury tax threshold are the sticky points.

Both sides are going to meet every day next week.

[dlphg9]

Owners are sticking it to the players. The luxury tax thing is one of the dumbest ****ing things ever.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Owners are sticking it to the players. The luxury tax thing is one of the dumbest ****ing things ever.

No, it is a good thing short of a hard salary cap similar to what is used in the NFL.

[PHOG]

A hard salary cap is way overdue in this league, or at least, more substantial than the luxury tax. That is if they want a more even playing field, which I'm not too sure they do. JMO

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Owners are sticking it to the players. The luxury tax thing is one of the dumbest ****ing things ever.

The players are the greedy ones here. They got it so good right now.

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

No, it is a good thing short of a hard salary cap similar to what is used in the NFL.

If the players would take a salary cap, the sport would grow with a more even financially playing field. Look at the NFL for crissakes. Green Bay and KC are competing for championships and the NY teams are not.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by PHOG

A hard salary cap is way overdue in this league, or at least, more substantial than the luxury tax. That is if they want a more even playing field, which I'm not too sure they do. JMO

That isn't happening without losing at least a whole season. The players got it good now. Take the deal and play ball.