Around Baseball 2020

[BlueRocky]

 

I wonder if they'll start paying the MiLB guys a more livable wage if they cut down on the number of teams.

 

Not if they don’t have to. The Blue Jays were at the forefront of increasing wages for their minor league players, they understand the impact of that decision. They also spent millions to build a brand new training complex and baseball stadium down in Dunedin (granted it was long overdue). TD Ballpark costed them $102 Million+.

 

They’ve also invested heavily in the high performance department & both psychology and nutrition. Not many other teams have lined up to do these things for their farm systems.

[Boxcar]

The draft is already the cheapest way for teams to acquire talent. Owners want to squeeze money due to the lost revenues of shortened season and delays.

 

The draft basically turns into a free-for-all after the 5th round, where teams can sign guys max up to $20,000 signing bonus. The slot bonus for a 10th round pick in 2019 was $142,200 to $147,900. A 6th round pick slot bonus started at $301,600 in 2019. Many will bite the bullet and take the $20K, others will to back to school and try in 2022-2023 (prep) or 2021 (seniors).

 

With less influx of new players in the minors, they can also reduce the MiLB teams and further squeeze the system. There’s also talks of eventually implementing an international draft instead of IFA, I guess having the MLB draft shortened is a stepping stone? Idk

 

Ahhh ok, that makes sense.

[bronson44]

So basically since the Yankees are every kids dream team to play for they can scoop up all the higher talents after round 5 for $20k each?

[The Cats Ass]

So basically since the Yankees are every kids dream team to play for they can scoop up all the higher talents after round 5 for $20k each?

 

Probably not. All the more talented players will go to college. Or if currently in college stay for their senior year.

[P2F]

I get that these are unprecedented and extenuating circumstances, but the MLB takes two steps forward with a reported minor league pay increase and a willingness to compensate minor leaguers and employees for current lost wages, and then before the ink is even dry on either of those things, absolutely and unnecessarily f***s over hundreds of college kids in one fell swoop in typical Rob Manfred PA disaster form.

 

Sometimes it's a challenge to remain a fan of this f***show.

[Dick_Pole]

I don't see this as necessarily a bad thing. We know MLB has gone to great lengths to avoid paying minor leaguers as much as possible. If they shorten the MiLB system, the infrastructure will still be there. Maybe a chance for more independent leagues to take over?

[Ehjays]

So basically since the Yankees are every kids dream team to play for they can scoop up all the higher talents after round 5 for $20k each?

 

I was thinking the same thing...….another thing I haven't seen answered....if the draft goes ahead say by July 2020.... we pick 5th....then the season is cancelled....how do they determine where teams pick the following draft in 2021.....It would be great if we were 5th again but it never works like that for us. Just wondering

[The Cats Ass]

I was thinking the same thing...….another thing I haven't seen answered....if the draft goes ahead say by July 2020.... we pick 5th....then the season is cancelled....how do they determine where teams pick the following draft in 2021.....It would be great if we were 5th again but it never works like that for us. Just wondering

 

Might seem something similar to when the NHL had a lost season because of the lockout?

[Spanky__99]

I was thinking the same thing...….another thing I haven't seen answered....if the draft goes ahead say by July 2020.... we pick 5th....then the season is cancelled....how do they determine where teams pick the following draft in 2021.....It would be great if we were 5th again but it never works like that for us. Just wondering

 

They'll likely do the same thing the NHL did when they lost a season, using an algorithm over a set amount of past final standings from 3-5 years or something like that.

 

Just guessing it would be something like that, it makes sense.

[Spanky__99]

Surprised they still want to get going on April 24, this was there set date from an earlier postponement on the season.

 

Japanese baseball players test positive for coronavirus

Mar 27, 2020 , By JIM ARMSTRONG

 

TOKYO (AP) Three Hanshin Tigers players testing positive for the coronavirus this week isn't making Japanese baseball organizers think twice about starting the professional league season next month.

 

National broadcaster NHK reported Friday that Tigers pitcher Shintaro Fujinami and two teammates have become the first professional baseball players in Japan to test positive amid the coronavirus pandemic that is shutting down sports around the world.

 

Unlike Japan's professional soccer league which has canceled all games, Japanese baseball has been playing exhibition games with no spectators. The Tigers canceled Thursday's farm team practice game and had their home park, Koshien Stadium, disinfected after the positive tests.

 

Japan professional baseball had earlier postponed the start of its regular season amid the pandemic and was aiming for April 24 as opening day. An NPB official on Friday insisted that's still the plan.

 

"We do not plan to reconsider the date because of this," NPB secretary general Atsushi Ihara told reporters. "We are still aiming for April 24."

 

Fujinami was examined at a hospital on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a doctor recommended he have a test. The 25-year-old right-hander reported losing his sense of smell, although he exhibited no other symptoms before the test.

 

After checking the pitcher's activities over the past two weeks, it was determined that two other players who dined with Fujinami reported a diminished sense of taste. They also tested positive.

 

The Tigers have not commented on the cases, but has ordered all of its players and staff to self-quarantine, and has suspended all practice through next Wednesday.

 

Japan had 1,905 confirmed cases, including 712 from a quarantined cruise ship, with 53 deaths as of Thursday.

 

After managing to keep the initial under control, Tokyo saw its biggest increase in infections on Thursday with 47 new cases reported.

 

The number of cases worldwide has topped a half-million and deaths climbed past 24,000.

 

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

 

So far, more than 120,000 people have recovered, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally.

 

---

 

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

[Boxcar]

So basically since the Yankees are every kids dream team to play for they can scoop up all the higher talents after round 5 for $20k each?

 

That's been the MO of every CBA between MLB and the MLBPA since forever. f*** draftees and international signees in the ass to benefit the other two. How quickly the players forget where they came from.

 

Like, as a MLBPA rep, id be pushing for a minimum salary for players at each level of the minors, proper nutrition, etc. but now that players have made the big time, f*** those guys in positions they used to be in.

[glory]

That's been the MO of every CBA between MLB and the MLBPA since forever. f*** draftees and international signees in the ass to benefit the other two. How quickly the players forget where they came from.

 

Like, as a MLBPA rep, id be pushing for a minimum salary for players at each level of the minors, proper nutrition, etc. but now that players have made the big time, f*** those guys in positions they used to be in.

 

My hunch is MLB is going to lose a lot of athletes to other sports in the next 10-15 years. It's already hard enough to make the big leagues, but now unless you're a first round pick, you basically have to sign for peanuts, be in the minors for years where you'll be lucky to earn minimum wage, ride around on a smelly bus that will probably breakdown occasionally in the boonies of a redneck town no one has ever heard of, and then if you're lucky and reach the Majors and actually be any good, you'll be underpaid for six years before you'll be able to go into free agency where teams discriminate based on age when handing out contracts.

 

I have no idea how this system continually gets worse for players without actually benefiting the sport at all. Manfred makes a lot of money for the owners but it's going to come at the expense of the sport itself, especially since the MLBPA couldn't care less about a player unless he's in the big leagues.

[TheHurl]

My hunch is MLB is going to lose a lot of athletes to other sports in the next 10-15 years. It's already hard enough to make the big leagues, but now unless you're a first round pick, you basically have to sign for peanuts, be in the minors for years where you'll be lucky to earn minimum wage, ride around on a smelly bus that will probably breakdown occasionally in the boonies of a redneck town no one has ever heard of, and then if you're lucky and reach the Majors and actually be any good, you'll be underpaid for six years before you'll be able to go into free agency where teams discriminate based on age when handing out contracts.

 

I have no idea how this system continually gets worse for players without actually benefiting the sport at all. Manfred makes a lot of money for the owners but it's going to come at the expense of the sport itself, especially since the MLBPA couldn't care less about a player unless he's in the big leagues.

 

Baseball had almost caught football too for participation rates, but Football's participation success comes down to willingness of players to do non contact ball up until age 13, and the decline is steady rather than some spikes. Basketball is king in the U.S. now, but not baseball's biggest competitor for athletes. It's really soccer which would benefit from a baseball decline.

[max silver]

My hunch is MLB is going to lose a lot of athletes to other sports in the next 10-15 years. It's already hard enough to make the big leagues, but now unless you're a first round pick, you basically have to sign for peanuts, be in the minors for years where you'll be lucky to earn minimum wage, ride around on a smelly bus that will probably breakdown occasionally in the boonies of a redneck town no one has ever heard of, and then if you're lucky and reach the Majors and actually be any good, you'll be underpaid for six years before you'll be able to go into free agency where teams discriminate based on age when handing out contracts.

 

I have no idea how this system continually gets worse for players without actually benefiting the sport at all. Manfred makes a lot of money for the owners but it's going to come at the expense of the sport itself, especially since the MLBPA couldn't care less about a player unless he's in the big leagues.

 

It sounds like this has already been happening for awhile now, particularly with the African American athletes it seems. I do wonder if eventually with the emerging evidence of how harmful football is neurologically if eventually we will see a shift in football participation back to other sports as more and more parents bar their kids from playing.

[glory]

It sounds like this has already been happening for awhile now, particularly with the African American athletes it seems. I do wonder if eventually with the emerging evidence of how harmful football is neurologically if eventually we will see a shift in football participation back to other sports as more and more parents bar their kids from playing.

 

Baseball has a very difficult road ahead with African American athletes. Aside from any draft changes that results in less picks, it's marketing too. When you see black athletes in basketball and football, they are household names with huge social media followings. That's what young people today grow up on. Branding is very profitable, and baseball players just don't have it. Mookie Betts should be one of the biggest stars in baseball marketing considering he's not only great and black, but also easily relatable due to his size. Yet put a video of Mookie on ESPN's YouTube page and it gets less views than practically every other piece of content they put out there. Tim Anderson just won the batting title but no one outside of Chicago knows who he is. And so on. MLB doesn't have to worry about Latin America since baseball is life over there, but in the US/Canada, they have a real issue with athletes (black or otherwise) and are not helping themselves.

 

When it's not cool to follow baseball, and now MLB itself is making it harder to even make it to the league, it's just going to discourage more athletes from even trying. I hope the participation rates remain high in young kids, and the dangers of football make that sport less desirable, but MLB has no chance of catching the NBA (fanbase is very young), and the NFL is still king in the US from a popularity standpoint with no end in sight.

 

MLB has to fix its brand. Manfred isn't helping, but if it becomes cool to watch baseball again, then the athletes will follow, IMO.

[BlueRocky]

[BlueRocky]

 

Some pitchers entering the draft will really benefit from this Rapsodo data release and it’s all voluntary. And juniors and seniors can rejoice not getting screwed over if they don’t get drafted, albeit they still have to go back to school another year, if they can afford it.

[Terminator]

ESPN released a list of the biggest "one hit wonders" for each MLB team.

 

Aaron Sanchez and his 2016 season was the choice for the Jays.

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28941911/the-biggest-one-hit-wonders-every-american-league-team

[Abomination]

ESPN released a list of the biggest "one hit wonders" for each MLB team.

 

Aaron Sanchez and his 2016 season was the choice for the Jays.

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28941911/the-biggest-one-hit-wonders-every-american-league-team

 

I wonder what other ones there are? None of these had quite the impact Sanchez did given the timing, but:

 

Josh Towers in 2005 (3.6 WAR)

Hinske in 2002 (4.8 WAR)

Reed Johnson in 2006 (4.4 WAR)

Homer Bush 1999 (2.8 WAR)

Woodward in 2002 (2.3 WAR)

McGowan in 2007 before his arm imploded in 2008 (3.4 WAR)

Chacin in 2005 (2.9 WAR)

Litsch in 2008 (2.0 WAR)

[Brownie19]

The WAR wasn't there (due to the defense), but Colabello's 2015 season is up there for me.

 

.321 / .367 / .520 143 wRC+

[TheHurl]

Choo just gave $1000 to each of the Rangers 200 or so minor league players. He also gave $152k to South Korean efforts

[Beans]

Random bit of trivia: The 2015 World Series was the first to feature two expansion teams—the Royals and the Mets.

 

... I miss baseball.

[Krylian]

Random bit of trivia: The 2015 World Series was the first to feature two expansion teams—the Royals and the Mets.

 

... I miss baseball.

 

f*** the Royals.

[Spanky__99]

RIP Mr. Tiger...

 

[Spanky__99]

Stroman all in on Bats!

 

 

[Boxcar]

Stroman all in on Bats!

 

f*** it, let's do it

[Spanky__99]

f*** it, let's do it

 

Bats throwing heat in our pen, nah, doubt it. It'd be cool, mind you. Pretty good 2 way player on nights he's unavailable.

[BlueRocky]

I mean, why not?

[glory]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29020150/sources-players-all-30-teams-form-mlb-show-league

 

In a joint effort with the MLB Players Association and Sony Interactive Entertainment, Major League Baseball is launching the first competitive MLB The Show league featuring players from all 30 teams competing in a 29-game regular season, the league announced Friday.

 

The regular season begins Friday and will last through April 28. Games will take place every one to two days with three to five three-inning matchups played each game day. The postseason is scheduled to begin April 30, with a World Series played on May 2. The postseason will feature the eight best teams, with a best-of-three format for the first two rounds and a best-of-five format for the World Series.

 

The first game will take place Friday at 9 p.m. ET, when Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Blake Snell and Cincinnati Reds reliever Amir Garrett face off on Snell's Twitch channel. Conversations have taken place with the league's broadcast partners to potentially televise some of the games, sources told ESPN.

 

All players will be expected to stream games on their personal Twitch accounts, though some may decide to stream on a team's channel. Streams will take place at 9 ET every night, and "Prime Time Streams" will take place Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, when a player with a PC streaming system will host another player and MLB Network broadcaster Robert Flores will facilitate conversations between players and fans.

 

I doubt a network will air a gaming tournament like this, but MLB should plaster this everywhere they can.

[Krylian]

No to Bats. That era is done. Press forward.