Around Baseball 2020

[Brownie19]

1970 10.8% of the population was black. Stop trying to read something into this. The number of black athletes playing baseball is declining and has been declining for several years. This is at all levels of baseball, not just major league. If you want to look at numbers google them. The decline has been sharpest since 2005. I can see disputing my point that black culture are essential for growing the game. I could see a person arguing that even if they put up urban academies it wouldn't improve the numbers, as the best black athletes will choose a different sport anyway...but I don't get trying to read something into the numbers. It's plain and simple, there is less interest in baseball in the black communities than there used to be.

 

I was just curious what the numbers said (and yes I could have Googled it, but thanks for doing that). I honestly had no idea what % of the population was black in 1970. I guess if you told me that 25% of the population was black in 1970, I would have argued the ratio of black MLB players to the % of black population hadn't changed much (but who knows - I'm just winging it).

 

The % of black americans playing baseball is down (both in general and at the MLB level). OK. I would have to assume the % of Latino and Asian players has playing at the MLB level has skyrocketed and generally replaced the black americans? Hasn't that increased diversity? I mean I guess in someones perfect world, the number of white americans playing would decrease significantly?

 

I think the focus has to be on growing the game in general and not focusing on making sure that all races are covered equally. As someone pointed out, nobody complains there's a disproportional # of white people in the NBA and claims they should change their marketing and funding. Nobody seems concerned there's a disproportional # of mexican american players at the MLB level.

[TheHurl]

Proportional income may have been lower in 1975 as you say. I'm really not sure. What about the cost? Is the proportional cost to play youth baseball significantly higher? Is there less accessibility to fields and leagues for young black american kids? I really have no idea. How many black baseball players are donating money back to youth baseball for African American kids?

 

100% it is less affordable, less access. You can't leave it up to the players. The issue is that the owners see it as a requirement not profits

[P2F]

 

Stuff is happening. Nice.

[Boxcar]

 

Stuff is happening. Nice.

 

Jays sign Puig next plzzzzzzzzzz

[Ex Player]

Bobby Bonilla with possibly the sweetest contract in baseball.

He's getting over $1 mill until 2035 for doing absolutely nothing

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/01/us/bobby-bonilla-day-mets-mlb-spt-trnd/index.html

[Boxcar]

Bobby Bonilla with possibly the sweetest contract in baseball.

He's getting over $1 mill until 2035 for doing absolutely nothing

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/01/us/bobby-bonilla-day-mets-mlb-spt-trnd/index.html

 

Think everyone knows about this.

[BlueRocky]

Bobby Bonilla with possibly the sweetest contract in baseball.

He's getting over $1 mill until 2035 for doing absolutely nothing

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/01/us/bobby-bonilla-day-mets-mlb-spt-trnd/index.html

 

Is that worst than Tulo collecting $20M/year sitting on his couch? It’s not as many years, but I really don’t remember the last game Tulo had meaningful contribution after 2016.

[TheHurl]

Bobby Bonilla with possibly the sweetest contract in baseball.

He's getting over $1 mill until 2035 for doing absolutely nothing

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/01/us/bobby-bonilla-day-mets-mlb-spt-trnd/index.html

 

Fun fact, if Bonilla bought CIBC stock with his $5.9M in 1992. He'd have made $25M in dividend income and have stock worth $33M approx. But he's collected almost $12M in July 1st cheques.

[Dick_Pole]

The Mets had good finance theory backing up that plan. It's just that Bernie Madoff f***ed it all up. Hurl actually does a competent job in explaining it from the player's perspective that it's not such a great deal for Bonailla as it seems. Though looking at it retrospectively like that, the player could have dumped it all in Bre-X or Nortel instead and have nothing to show for it.

[Brownie19]

The Mets had good finance theory backing up that plan. It's just that Bernie Madoff f***ed it all up. Hurl actually does a competent job in explaining it from the player's perspective that it's not such a great deal for Bonailla as it seems. Though looking at it retrospectively like that, the player could have dumped it all in Bre-X or Nortel instead and have nothing to show for it.

 

you spelt cocaine wrong....

[Ex Player]

The Braves are still paying Bruce Sutter BTW. Last payment will be in 2022

 

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/07/01/reminder-bobby-bonillas-payments-from-the-mets-arent-mockworthy/

 

Sutter got a $750,000 salary for six years — in the event he ended up playing only three seasons over a span of four years for the Braves — and got payments totaling $44 million over the next 36 years. The structure of that: $1.12 million a year for 30 years and then a $9.1 million balloon payment at the end. That payment will come in 2022

[BlueRocky]

[BTS]

When are the players supposed to inform teams of their choice? Hopefully Mike Leake remains the best player who chooses to opt out.

[King]

When are the players supposed to inform teams of their choice? Hopefully Mike Leake remains the best player who chooses to opt out.

Doesn't seem like there is a deadline.

 

I imagine we will find out pretty quickly though, as players have to report to summer camp today/within the next few days.

 

I think I also read that players could opt out midseason, but I could be wrong.

[Boxcar]

This seems like an unwise move by Desmond. There's a chance the Rockies might realize he isn't good when someone else is playing his position.

[TheHurl]

, the player could have dumped it all in Bre-X or Nortel instead and have nothing to show for it.

 

I know I did.

[TheHurl]

This seems like an unwise move by Desmond. There's a chance the Rockies might realize he isn't good when someone else is playing his position.

 

It's not as if he is getting another contract after this one. He is 36 at the end of his next contract. He will sit out this season and lose out on $5M but he still has $10M guaranteed left. If the Rockies realize it and buy him out or trade him he gets an extra $1M.

[TheHurl]

I think it ended up in one of the deleted threads but I had talked about a chat where a marketing firm representing the Bills was talking about selling cardboard cutouts of their fans to the fans. The A's have implemented the plan. It is for charity, and in a cool twist if a ball hits your cutout they will send you the ball.

 

https://www.athleticsnation.com/2020/6/30/21309382/oakland-as-coliseum-cutouts-cardboard-fans

[Abomination]

I think it ended up in one of the deleted threads but I had talked about a chat where a marketing firm representing the Bills was talking about selling cardboard cutouts of their fans to the fans. The A's have implemented the plan. It is for charity, and in a cool twist if a ball hits your cutout they will send you the ball.

 

https://www.athleticsnation.com/2020/6/30/21309382/oakland-as-coliseum-cutouts-cardboard-fans

 

The Jays should do something like that in the 500 level for expected low attendance games (once we're done with the pandemic, or it's done with us). They could use it to support Jays Care or something.

[Bobthe4th]

I think it ended up in one of the deleted threads but I had talked about a chat where a marketing firm representing the Bills was talking about selling cardboard cutouts of their fans to the fans. The A's have implemented the plan. It is for charity, and in a cool twist if a ball hits your cutout they will send you the ball.

 

https://www.athleticsnation.com/2020/6/30/21309382/oakland-as-coliseum-cutouts-cardboard-fans

 

A lot of soccer teams have done this too. Some teams have also put up screens so that fans be there on a zoom call and players can celebrate with them.

[max silver]

I think it ended up in one of the deleted threads but I had talked about a chat where a marketing firm representing the Bills was talking about selling cardboard cutouts of their fans to the fans. The A's have implemented the plan. It is for charity, and in a cool twist if a ball hits your cutout they will send you the ball.

 

https://www.athleticsnation.com/2020/6/30/21309382/oakland-as-coliseum-cutouts-cardboard-fans

 

I saw a hilarious suggestion for Marlins fans to sell cardboard cutouts of empty seats instead of cardboard cutouts of fans since nobody actually goes to their games.

[King]

 

10+ Dodgers have tested positive. Baseball is cancelled

[Spanky99]

 

10+ Dodgers have tested positive. Baseball is cancelled

 

Sheeeeeeeit.

[BlueRocky]

 

10+ Dodgers have tested positive. Baseball is cancelled

 

What are the covid hot spots?

Flordia, Arizona, California, New York?

 

If half the league is on covid IL we might actually have a shot at the division.

[Ex Player]

 

10+ Dodgers have tested positive. Baseball is cancelled

This is exactly what I was saying earlier. An entire team tests positive, they then have to call up AAA players for at least 2 to 3 weeks, and then the whole season becomes a farce if this happens to multiple teams, because the world series title (if we can even call it that) will be considered tainted when a bunch of contenders were understrength for 3 weeks

[Deadpool]

This is exactly what I was saying earlier. An entire team tests positive, they then have to call up AAA players for at least 2 to 3 weeks, and then the whole season becomes a farce if this happens to multiple teams, because the world series title (if we can even call it that) will be considered tainted when a bunch of contenders were understrength for 3 weeks

 

If it gets to that point, they'll cancel the season, it'd be a super bad look for the MLB to have 100+ active players out with Covid.

[Ex Player]

I can just picture catchers having to disinfect the ball with Purell everytime they throw the ball back to the pitcher

[Laika]

Am I missing something or are 100% of these athletes testing positive completely free of any and all notable symptoms?

[Ex Player]

Am I missing something or are 100% of these athletes testing positive completely free of any and all notable symptoms?

Probably because they're almost all in good shape and eat a healthy diet (with apologies to CC Sabathia).

 

Thats a good thing though, the faster we get people infected without symptoms the faster we'll get herd immunity

[P2F]

Probably because they're almost all in good shape and eat a healthy diet (with apologies to CC Sabathia).

 

Thats a good thing though, the faster we get people infected without symptoms the faster we'll get herd immunity

 

CC Sabathia wants you to know that you're wrong about him: