Manfred: MLB teams should plan for ST to start on time and play 162-games

[scOtt]

I read this as basically the league and the union at loggerheads. The union wants full season/full pay. Like SteveA said, April money is trivial by comparison so the league is just accepting it to get the year started.

BTW I hope they keep the NL DH and the expanded playoffs. The playoffs and the runner on 2nd in extras were both way better than I expected.

[Just Regular]

8 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Of all the bs, no news reporting this offseason, how has there been nothing about Baumann?

I think the news cycle it happened, there was the generic stuff you get when a talented pitcher stops pitching.  Between now and then IRL, I get PHI and all.  I don't think there's anything newsworthy in the week to week if its rest and rehab, platelets, whatever.   We'll see in a month.   

For me its this years equivalent on weams seeing if Alex Cobb can walk.   If he can throw good like thrice, the "He should make the OD rotation" stuff can start.

[LookinUp]

On 1/11/2021 at 8:20 PM, accinfo said:

It will be interesting to see when fans will be able to return.  I suspect some states will allow limited numbers like they have in football.  Hopefully after the All-Star game stadiums can be open and close to normal.  I am going to get my vaccine as soon as they let me and get back to normal life.  

It's fair to assume that absent a secondary outbreak, the attendance rules will not be more restrictive than they are for football.

I think it's fair to assume that after another 3 months of vaccines and warming weather, the attendance rules will be less restrictive than they are now.

Other than opening day and maybe premier games (e.g., Yankees in town on a weekend), the attendance restrictions MIGHT not have  a significant effect on actual attendance. By the time schools are "closed," hopefully this virus will have really ebbed and a critical mass of people will have been vaccinated.

[Dipper9]

On 1/12/2021 at 4:06 PM, DrungoHazewood said:

I don't think you can assume that $80M was rebated to people. It's dependent on provider. I was not given back a single cent by Directv for MASN not broadcasting Orioles games.

In fact they raised our prices.  DTV has gone down the tubes since AT&T bought them.  

[DrungoHazewood]

20 hours ago, Dipper9 said:

In fact they raised our prices.  DTV has gone down the tubes since AT&T bought them.  

For a long time they were are only real option, and I was pretty happy with them.  But their standard HD DVR/receiver is crap, it hasn't really been updated for a decade presumably to push you into the more expensive Genie system.  And my bill was recently almost $150 a month, with no movie channels.  So a few years ago when the cable company finally ran lines close enough so that I could get them to come to my house at only moderately extortionist rates I caved.  And a few weeks ago I dropped Directv in favor of streaming services and cut my bill more-or-less in half.

Don't know what I'm going to do for the O's.  Probably just listen on the radio, because I'm not paying $90 a month for the ATT service that's the only way to stream MASN.

[Dipper9]

3 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

For a long time they were are only real option, and I was pretty happy with them.  But their standard HD DVR/receiver is crap, it hasn't really be updated for a decade presumably to push you into the more expensive Genie system.  And my bill was recently almost $150 a month, with no movie channels.  So a few years ago when the cable company finally ran lines close enough so that I could get them to come to my house at only moderately extortionist rates I caved.  And a few weeks ago I dropped Directv in favor of streaming services and cut my bill more-or-less in half.

Don't know what I'm going to do for the O's.  Probably just listen on the radio, because I'm not paying $90 a month for the ATT service that's the only way to stream MASN.

Spot on.  The Orioles are the only reason I keep DirecTV at this point.

[Orange]

2 hours ago, Dipper9 said:

Spot on.  The Orioles are the only reason I keep DirecTV at this point.

Wow, same here... I was just debating it last week.  I called DirecTV to cancel and they said since I swapped a wired Genie mini for a wireless Genie mini in August that I "agreed" to a 12-month contract. (Counts as new hardware.)  So, whatever, I guess I'm paying $89/month until August.

[MurphDogg]

3 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Don't know what I'm going to do for the O's.  Probably just listen on the radio, because I'm not paying $90 a month for the ATT service that's the only way to stream MASN.

Orioles season ticket plans include MLB.tv now, it's like they are begging us to use a VPN.

Hopefully in-market streaming comes soon.

[DrungoHazewood]

2 hours ago, Orange said:

Wow, same here... I was just debating it last week.  I called DirecTV to cancel and they said since I swapped a wired Genie mini for a wireless Genie mini in August that I "agreed" to a 12-month contract. (Counts as new hardware.)  So, whatever, I guess I'm paying $89/month until August.

One of the most ridiculous things about Directv is that you buy hardware from them, but... you... don't?  You still have a line item on your monthly bill for your receivers and you have to return them when you cancel.  And apparently getting new/hardware hardware locks you into a contract.  This is the conduct of a natural monopoly.  Lots and lots of people in rural and even not-so-rural areas don't have a choice. [Oliver Twist]Might I 'ave some more, please?[/Oliver Twist]

[DrungoHazewood]

58 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Orioles season ticket plans include MLB.tv now, it's like they are begging us to use a VPN.

Hopefully in-market streaming comes soon.

That's hilarious.  Giving you a service that legally only allows you to watch competitor's games.

In market streaming almost has to come within the next few years.  Gross market inefficiencies only last so long.  They're turning away new money to prop up declining, old business models.

[MurphDogg]

35 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

That's hilarious.  Giving you a service that legally only allows you to watch competitor's games.

In market streaming almost has to come within the next few years.  Gross market inefficiencies only last so long.  They're turning away new money to prop up declining, old business models.

Yup, $90 a month for 6 months to watch the O's is a big ask. If diehard fans aren't willing to pay it, they have a problem.

The Giants and A's are available on Sling, which is $30 a month. I could justify that if the Orioles put MASN on Sling, but really just let me give the Orioles $15-25 a month directly to let me watch their games.

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, MurphDogg said:

Yup, $90 a month for 6 months to watch the O's is a big ask. If diehard fans aren't willing to pay it, they have a problem.

The Giants and A's are available on Sling, which is $30 a month. I could justify that if the Orioles put MASN on Sling, but really just let me give the Orioles $15-25 a month directly to let me watch their games.

Unfortunately we're going through this shakeout period with regards to streaming and everyone thinks you're going to pay $10, $20, $50, $80 a month for their service.  But most people are going to pick a few that best suit them and just say no to all the others.  No, I'm not changing everything around and paying more just to get the one with MASN.  But I would definitely pay $15 or whatever a month to watch just the O's.

[Tony-OH]

On 1/11/2021 at 10:22 PM, rudyrooster said:

I think they'll do the 162 games, but limited butts in the seats for most of the season.

I think this is probably on point. Unless there are a miraculous changes in how governors and mayors have operated during this pandemic, my guess is major league baseball goes into some social distance seating arrangements. I believe they will ask MiLB to do the same. 

[Tony-OH]

On 1/12/2021 at 4:41 PM, scOtt said:

I read this as basically the league and the union at loggerheads. The union wants full season/full pay. Like SteveA said, April money is trivial by comparison so the league is just accepting it to get the year started.

BTW I hope they keep the NL DH and the expanded playoffs. The playoffs and the runner on 2nd in extras were both way better than I expected.

I also like the extended rosters. At least keep 26 all season but I would not be against 27 or 28 again.

[MurphDogg]

45 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I think this is probably on point. Unless there are a miraculous changes in how governors and mayors have operated during this pandemic, my guess is major league baseball goes into some social distance seating arrangements. I believe they will ask MiLB to do the same. 

The Rays reportedly hope to have 7,000 fans in the stands (so no different than normal!) come Opening Day. Obviously this is dependent on state and local government restrictions. I think that number at Camden Yards, maybe even a bit more, like 10,000 would give fans enough room to feel comfortable.