MLB Lockout Thread

[waroriole]

8 hours ago, SteveA said:

Some more details on the MLB proposal that SEEMS to be generating some movement, or at the very least has them negotiating through the night:

1) Removal of the qualifying offer is tied to instituting an international draft

2) Draft lottery up to 6 picks (last MLB offer was 5)

3) Players can be optioned max 5 times in a season without being exposed to waivers (puts a bit of a damper on the Norfolk shuttle)

4) Small markets can pick in the draft lottery for 2 straight years before sliding to 10th pick

5) Large markets can only p;ick one year in lottery before going to 10th

5) TOp 2 rookie of the year vote getters can get a full year of service 

6) A team that brings up a player for Opening Day can net 3 draft picks over time, one pick per year, if that player "does well in voting".

All of the above from @EvanDrelich on Twitter, he credits Rosenthal with some of the info.

That sounds promising. We might see Adley on OD. We might see Grayson on OD…….2023. 

[Can_of_corn]

While I'd rather they just fix the issue entirely five and six are interesting.  Be fun to see if teams value service time and cost savings over the chance to add additional talent via the draft.

[Camden_yardbird]

44 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

While I'd rather they just fix the issue entirely five and six are interesting.  Be fun to see if teams value service time and cost savings over the chance to add additional talent via the draft.

What kind of calculus is that though?

"We can get extra picks if a player...does well in voting"

What voting, allstar, ROY, MVP?  What a load of shit.  Players that do well in voting are ones in big markets, so now big market teams just get an extra advantage of being able to bring up players earlier?  So now the media gets a say in the inherent balance of the game?

How about we just establish some WAR thresholds and be done with it.

[btdart20]

2 hours ago, Hallas said:

I am torn about the shift.  I like baseball's ability to create its own dynamic meta without rule changes.  But I increasingly feel like physics and the intricacies of hitting mechanics are too great to overcome with regard to the shift.

Hitters innovated to have more powerful outcomes which tend to be pull-heavy.  Defenses followed the data and innovated to match the outcomes by shifting more often to those types of hitters.  Now some hitters are just trying to bulldoze through it.  And coaches are ok with the sluggers limiting themselves to TTO.  "Contact to damage ratio" and all that...  Aging hitters that just key of the FB (and have union influence) and want to extend their careers are among this crowd.  And "fans" still dig the long ball.

The-powers-that-be game doesn't "want" hitters to adjust back...  They want more scoring.  I'm not against it if it gets more people interested in the game.  But to me, it feels like it takes away an interesting piece of the game.  (Players hitting into the shift is like a 3rd and 2 in football where the RB just plows into a pile of bodies.  Or so my wife says.)

It'll be interesting to see the gap in BA from truly great hitters (like Vlad, Trout) and pull-oriented hitters (like Gallo).  I bet the gap is more narrow.  

1 hour ago, Daddy-O's said:

A lot of sports have rules on positioning. Soccer, hockey, football, lacrosse all have positioning rules.  

True.  Most of those rules are limit "cherry-picking" points and allow the defense a chance to defend.  A notable exception being NBA/no-zone defense which was to boost scoring.  

[AlbNYfan]

The purists and sanctity of the game people crack me up. Rules in sport change all the time. The NFL, make changes yearly. Sometimes for safety (goal post were once at the goal line, make QB's basically untouchable, OT, etc). The NBA instituted the shot in 1954 to bring about more offense, made zone defense illegal, 3 point shot. NCAA didn't put in the  hot clock until the 1985, remember the exciting 4 corner offense. Hockey, 4 on 4 overtime, shootouts. 

I imagine most of the purists here prefer the robo ump because of the inconsistency of home plate umpires. Maybe good, but a huge change.

I believe I like the idea of changes in the shift. Let the four infielders play anywhere on the dirt in. Let them move anywhere when the pitchers delivers to the plate.  If you want 5 infielders go ahead. You want a "rover" in the outfield move one of  the outfielders. I was not a Chris Davis fan, but when he hit screaming line drives caught by 2nd basemen playing 40 feet beyond the dirt, I wasn't too happy. His only recourse was to go for the HR. Few players "hit them where they ain't" and few are taught that anymore. Hit the bomb!!!

Many here love the walk...I find it boring and makes the game close to unwatchable. 

I often wonder if a team was constructed on pitching, D, speed and "hitting where they ain"t , doubles, triples and stolen bases would fare into today's power game. I think pretty well, but will not likely see it.

[waroriole]

Sounds like a deal is coming soon. Can’t imagine this will continue to avoid an international draft. 

[Oriole1940]

When anything is changed in this world, one of three things happens and two of the three are not what was intended.  One, it can leave the situation no better or worse than it was before the CHANGE. Two,  it can make the situation worse than before. Finally, three, it can result in the situation being changed for the better.  So, changes should be made after very serious analysis of the situation and in a way that it can be changed again, if need be.  Too often I see change  being done only for the sake of change.  Baseball in my opinion is a sport that was invented with few things that NEEDED to be changed.  Now, if things absolutely dictate the need,  not desire for change, then let us change it, but only then.  

[Sports Guy]

29 minutes ago, waroriole said:

Sounds like a deal is coming soon. Can’t imagine this will continue to avoid an international draft. 

It the one thing where the teams seem to be thinking about small market teams.

BTw, Tatis Jr said this will kill baseball in the DR.

[waroriole]

12 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

It the one thing where the teams seem to be thinking about small market teams.

BTw, Tatis Jr said this will kill baseball in the DR.

Yeah I saw his comments. Maybe instead of the buscone system, MLB can set up a replacement system that involves scouting, training and some form of payments. It’s just cutting out the middle man. 
 

And of course they will institute a draft after the Orioles finally set up an international program. If it wasn’t for bad luck…..

[Pickles]

Law of unintended consequences.

Adding Puerto Rico to the draft killed baseball in Puerto Rico.

It would not be shocking to see an international draft severely cripple baseball in the Caribbean and S America.

Not to get political, but replacing what is largely a "capitalistic" system with a "socialistic" one will hamper production.

[jabba72]

Im not believing its done until I see confirmation. Just a few days ago it seemed certain that April and May would be lost. 

[Snutchy]

I feel like these new streaming deals are a precursor to a deal being done. Extra revenue. Why sign a deal if there won’t be any baseball? 

[Can_of_corn]

34 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

It the one thing where the teams seem to be thinking about small market teams.

BTw, Tatis Jr said this will kill baseball in the DR.

Huh?  Small market teams don't need help there.

Once again it is about lowering costs.

[Sports Guy]

16 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Huh?  Small market teams don't need help there.

Once again it is about lowering costs.

It’s the system on how things are done.  Some of the behind the scenes erroneous things that are done.

 

[Sports Guy]

https://twitter.com/bnightengale/status/1501588743924248576?s=21