"Tell him, Wash." "It's incredibly hard." (MLB 2020)

[Pale Hose]

NPB is starting their season on June 19th.

[dij22]

For anyone else who cares about the draft, here's who Kiley McDaniel has the Sox and Cubs taking in his latest mock on ESPN Insider:

11. Chicago White Sox: Patrick Bailey, C, North Carolina State

Chicago is looking for college bats, and Bailey fits this pick very well in terms of value and the White Sox's system. It's a common connection in the industry.

16. Chicago Cubs: Garrett Mitchell, CF, UCLA

Mitchell is a consensus top-10 prospect by draft models, thanks to some very attractive components -- history of high contact rate, 70 speed, 55 raw power -- but he is much lower for many scouts due to some other qualities -- lack of improvement in college, lack of in-game power, choosing not to play in the fall his whole college career, generally playing below his tools since his high school underclass days. His Type 1 diabetes is another complicating factor that doesn't really have a precedent for everyday position players -- Sam Fuld is the most prominent example -- so Mitchell is not in play for some clubs. That full list hasn't come into focus yet, but the assumption is that someone will take him in the middle of the first round. The Cubs have a new voice at the helm of their draft in Dan Kantrovitz (formerly with Oakland and St. Louis), and clubs have noticed them showing more interest in upside types than they did at their top pick in recent years.

[dij22]

Sources: MLB proposal includes pay cuts for highest-paid players

Major League Baseball has proposed cutting the salaries of the highest-paid players in baseball while giving the lowest-paid players full prorated shares in its first economic proposal to the MLB Players Association, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.

The long-awaited plan, which was delivered to the union Tuesday afternoon, proposes that high-salaried players take significant reductions of what they will be paid during a prospective season, according to sources.

While the size of the pay cuts is unclear, sources said the highest-paid players under the proposal would receive perhaps less than 40% of their full-season salaries.

[Tweet]

Yeah I'm sure that'll fly

[fancypants]

Yeah this feels like another big miss. I would think to pass something you are going to want the highest paid players on your side. They will have the most valued voices since they're established.

[dij22]

On SportsCenter just now, Passan said owners want 50-60 games.

[Pale Hose]

Interesting approach, I wonder if the players would consider that.

[andrewvb]

no i think the proposal the players have out there is for twice as many games at prorated play so i'd guess they're still pretty far apart.

[Tweet]

Fully prepared to not have baseball this year.

Somewhere, Brian O'Halloran just exhaled for the first time in several months

[dij22]

Jun 1, 2020 15:27:42 GMT -6 andrewvb said:

no i think the proposal the players have out there is for twice as many games at prorated play so i'd guess they're still pretty far apart.

I assume they'll meet in the middle around 81 games. 27 games a month for July-September. Expanded playoffs October-November

[Pale Hose]

Jun 1, 2020 15:27:42 GMT -6 andrewvb said:

no i think the proposal the players have out there is for twice as many games at prorated play so i'd guess they're still pretty far apart.

They are far apart but this is the first time the owners offered a proposal that sticks with the prorated salaries previously agreed to.

The players proposal had the season ending on Halloween, that's not realistic especially with the expanded that both sides are pushing for.

[Pale Hose]

Jun 1, 2020 15:44:10 GMT -6 dij22 said:

Jun 1, 2020 15:27:42 GMT -6 andrewvb said:

no i think the proposal the players have out there is for twice as many games at prorated play so i'd guess they're still pretty far apart.

I assume they'll meet in the middle around 81 games. 27 games a month for July-September. Expanded playoffs October-November

Agreed, this is realistic.

[dij22]

New Keith Law mock draft has the Sox taking my favorite player in the draft:

[Xamnam]

Cool, a strike/lock out is exactly what this year needs.

[Pale Hose]

Manfred has the power to impose as short of a season as he sees fit without consulting the players. So if the owners are willing to pay the pro-rated salaries previously agreed to, which it sounds like they are if the season is short enough, the players won't have much leverage in that regard.

They'll still need to negotiate safety protocols, what do to with players who aren't comfortable coming back, expanded playoffs, etc.

[Tweet]

I don’t think we’re doing baseball this year

[Pale Hose]

I think it's better than 50/50 there is some sort of baseball season here. Both the players and owners should understand what's at stake. If they miss the entire season it's going to be devastating for everyone involved.

[Deleted]

A 50 game season would be incredibly dumb.

[dij22]

Agreed but I would still watch every game

[Pale Hose]

Same. If the options are 50 games or zero games I'll take the stupid short season.

[Deleted]

"Players proposed more games, two years of expanded playoffs, salary deferrals in the event of a 2020 playoff cancellation, and the exploration of additional jewel events and broadcast enhancements aimed at creatively bringing our players to the fans while simultaneously increasing the value of our product," Clark's statement read. "Rather than engage, the league replied it will shorten the season unless players agree to further salary reductions. ...

"The overwhelming consensus of the board is that players are ready to report, ready to get back on the field, and they are willing to do so under unprecedented conditions that could affect the health and safety of not just themselves, but their families as well. The league's demand for additional concessions was resoundingly rejected.

"Play about 25% of the season for 25% pay? That's not worth the risk, and I just don't mean COVID-19," one player said earlier this week. "One hamstring pull or any shoulder soreness and players will shut down.""

www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29268944/mlbpa-stands-firm-additional-pay-cuts-resoundingly-rejects-league-plan

[andrewvb]

lol of course ricketts is quoted

[Xamnam]

11 million per team. That's the financial hold up.

[Tweet]

If 30 billionares can't afford to fork over 11 million per are they really billionares

[monasterymonochrome]

Fuck the owners:

[monasterymonochrome]

By my math, the owners latest proposal asks the players to play about 50% more games for 13% more total pay (from 50 to 76 games and 31% to 35% of their salaries)

[Pale Hose]

Fuck the owners is right. This feels like 1994 all over again.

[Tweet]

Will somebody please think of the billionaires???

[monasterymonochrome]

Also! The 75% pro rata is contingent on there being a postseason - if there's a second wave and the season gets canceled, the players are only guaranteed 50%! So they're really only guaranteed to make 25% of their total salaries. This is ridiculous.

[dij22]

Last week I was incredibly optimistic there would be a season. We even set a draft date for our fantasy league. After today I think there's like a 15% chance there's baseball this year