When is the NFL Draft? ...

 

MLB and the forgotten game…

Damn! I was hopeful last weekend that a Hail Mary pass would salvage negotiations between the MLB Owners and Players Association. I know, it was a case of overly and undue optimism. Players often talk about how Major League Baseball is a business, and sadly, that point has been driven home with us, the fans. The MLB Owners do not care about you, they do not care about me, and they certainly do not care about the players. Their singular goal is to break the union.

Clockwise from top left: Mark Walter, Dodgers; Arte Moreno, Angels; Hal Steinbrenner, Yankees; John Henry, Red Sox; Jerry Reinsdorf, White Sox; and Tom Ricketts, Cubs / Photo Credit: Getty Images

It is disappointing there are MLB Owners, small market owners, who prefer not to play in April when colder temperatures generally keep the larger crowds away and weather that forces postponement of games. The goal should be about bringing Major League Baseball to the fans. Where is the spirit of growing the game, and trying to build audiences (and future players) through younger generations? The MLB is doing a fantastic job of generating interest for the NFL, NBA, and NHL, among other professional sports.

The owners and players seem too far apart on the topic of competitive balance tax (also known as the luxury tax) for resolution anytime soon. Four owners reportedly objected to MLB’s latest proposal to raise the CBT. Bob Castellini (Cincinnati Reds); Chris Ilitch (Detroit Tigers); Ken Kendrick (Arizona Diamondbacks); and Arte Moreno (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). If owners cannot afford to play in the big leagues, they should sell. There are plenty of billionaires who like shiny new toys.

The owners proposed to raise the CBT from the current $210 million to $220 million for the next three seasons, $224 million for 2025, and $230 million for 2026. Meanwhile, for those of us living in reality, the cost of living is escalating by the day. The players propose higher but more reasonable escalated levels ($238 million for 2022; $244 million for 2023; $250 million for 2024; $256 million for 2025; and $263 million for 2026). The players are right to draw a correlation to the increasing revenue generated each year. I do not want the players to give in on this issue, even if it means a continued lockout. This is not because I am a fan of a big market team. It goes back to my belief that if teams cannot afford to play, they need to get out of the game.

I have no idea when pro baseball might return. It seems unfathomable that it would start later than May 1^st, but there was a time when I thought the owners would not be foolish enough to disrupt a 162-game schedule given the COVID challenges with the audience the last few years. Silly me. We will soon reach the point where the owners will be pressured by their business partners (TV and Cable networks, radio, advertisers, etc.). It seems it will take extreme external pressure to bring resolution as the two sides have not shown any willingness to compromise on the larger issues. I really do not want a 14-team playoff format. I thought the sides had settled on 12 teams, which I reluctantly accept as if my opinion matters, but the MLBPA is offering 14 teams, the owners’ desire, as a way of helping to restart negotiations. I guess whatever it takes. I want baseball back, but I am tired of begging for it.

MLBPA from left: Andrew Miller; Tony Clark, Executive Director; Bruce Meyer, Chief Union Negotiator; and Max Scherzer / Photo Credit: Wilfredo Lee, AP

At this point, the only sports attraction I look forward to is the NFL Draft, which, for the record, will be held on April 28-30, 2022, in Paradise, Nevada. I know, many will point to March Madness in college basketball or the NBA and NHL championship series, which are exciting times, but for me, football is the only sport that carries nearly as much weight as baseball does. If anything, my love for football has grown due to the MLB Owners rejection of us, the fans.

The MLB Commissioner, I think his name is Lord Voldemort, has cancelled spring training games through March 18^th which reinforces we may not see any April regular season games. With all due honesty, fuck Major League Baseball until the MLB Owners can get their acts together.

Derek Jeter’s surprise exit from the ownership ranks. I certainly did not expect to see the news this week that Miami Marlins CEO and minority owner Derek Jeter had stepped down and was liquidating his holdings in the team.

Derek Jeter / Photo Credit: AP

Social media immediately went to the ‘Yankees need a shortstop’ card which was funny, but there is a part of me that hopes he can publicly celebrate his Yankees career in future events. He belongs at Yankees alumni events and other team functions. I have no idea what his next steps will be. It will never happen, but I would love to see the Steinbrenner family allow Derek to buy a small piece of the Yankees with is his Marlins stock liquidation proceeds and Hal give him the keys to run the franchise as managing general partner. I remember when both Hal and his late brother Hank were young and neither wanted to be involved with their father’s team. Hal has always seemed like a reluctant owner. Give the game plan to Derek and let him run the show. Like I said, this will never happen, but it is nice to think about. Regardless of what he does, I hope Derek stays in Major League Baseball. Of course, I want him to be associated with the Yankees, but keeping him in MLB is more important (so long as it has nothing to do the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays or Houston Astros).

I feel bad for all those former Yankees employees that Jeter poached from his former team when he got to Miami. With Jeter’s departure, I wonder how many more seasons Donnie Baseball will have in South Florida? Fire Aaron Boone, replace him with Don Mattingly. Makes sense to me.

Don Mattingly

Paul O’Neill Day, hopefully. Assuming there is baseball on August 21^st, the Yankees will finally retire Paul O’Neill’s #21. While I understand and respect the decision as Paul certainly deserves the honor and recognition, too many numbers get retired. O’Neill’s number will be the 23^rd number retired in franchise history. That is nearly 25% of available numbers not exceeding double digits. I always felt that the MLB Hall of Fame should be a prerequisite, but it has not been the case for the Yankees. I hate saying that because Thurman Munson’s number is rightfully retired even though he is not in the Hall of Fame. I feel bad for future generations as it will get increasingly difficult to stay within double digits if 25% of available numbers get retired every 125 years. Not that we should care about the 2397 New York Yankees, but it seems as though they will need to go to an alpha-numeric numbering system at some point. ‘I’ll take A1, please’, says the future reincarnation of myself preparing to play in the late 24^th century.

Aside from that rant, congratulations to Paul. I look forward to The Warrior having his day on Yankee Stadium soil even if it is not the field that he spilled blood, sweat, tears, champagne, and a few water coolers. Hat tip to the old and departed Yankee Stadium.

Paul "The Warrior" O'Neill

My 2018 managerial choice is now a member of the New York Yankees. Back when the Yankees had decided to move on from former manager Joe Girardi, I had identified Hensley Meulens, then bench coach for the San Francisco Giants, as my choice for Joe’s replacement. He was a finalist for the job that ultimately went to Aaron Boone.

Fast-forward a few years, and Meulens is now a member of Boone’s staff as the new assistant hitting coach. It seems like Meulens is over-qualified, but I am glad to see him back in the organization. I can easily remember when “Bam-Bam” was a touted Yankees prospect, even if he never lived the dream of his potential. He has a championship pedigree, coaching for three World Series champions in San Francisco. He served as former Mets manager and current Yankees third base coach Luis Rojas’s bench coach for the Mets in 2020. I guess a job is a job, and even if assistant hitting coach is beneath Meulens, it gets him back in the game and helps position him for his next gig. Perhaps Boone has higher expectations for the role, like he had expressed with Eric Chavez, when he used the phrase ‘Swiss Army Knife.’ Meulens certainly can help in so many areas. Plus, with the ability to speak five languages (English, Spanish, Dutch, Papiamento and Japanese), he can relate to so many players. I respect Meulens and I am glad he is part of the Yankees again. I hope he becomes more than just assistant hitting coach.

Hensley Meulens and Luis Rojas / Photo Credit: Jim Rassol, USA TODAY Sports

This post is getting too lengthy so I will wrap up.

I am mad at the MLB Owners for the injustice and hardship they are imposing on young prospects protected by 40-man rosters. Guys like Oswald Peraza, Oswaldo Cabrera, Luis Gil, Deivi Garcia, and others are unable to participate in spring training with other minor leaguers such as Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez. The young 40-man prospects do not have million-dollar salaries and inflated bank accounts to help cushion the loss of income, and they are losing valuable training time to help with their continued developments because of the lockout.

The MLB Owners want to scrap this year’s Rule 5 Draft. Agreed. It is unfair, given an apparent shortened season and the free preview of eligible candidates in minor league training camps this spring. The Yankees always get hit hard in Rule 5 given the plethora of talent in the system. Losing Garrett Whitlock last year hurt, and the Yankees stand to get poached hard again this season. Catcher Josh Breaux and RHP Matt Sauer seem likely targets, among others, and I would prefer to keep them in the organization for another season. I am not in favor of other teams gaining the advantages of additional scouting on the players and shortened time frames to hold players on their rosters.

Thank you MLBPA for setting aside $1 million to help the supporters of MLB games (broadcast and concession crews, electricians, ushers, security, transportation, and janitors, among others). I would like to see the MLB Owners match or exceed the support. If Ashton Kutcher and his wife Mila Kunis can pledge $3 million to help Ukraine, I think a few billionaires could stand to be a little more generous with their money. I am not trying to compare the MLB Lockout to Ukraine, the latter is far worse and needs much greater help and support. I am just trying to look at the domestic concern where a hot dog vendor is trying to find money to make rent because a billionaire simply wants to make a point with the union.

As always, Go Yankees!

Wanted: Major League Baseball...

  

Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres & DJ LeMahieu / Credit: Getty Images

Lockout continues as meaningful negotiations remain evasive…

Normally, the end of the Super Bowl signals the switch of our full attention to America’s favorite pastime, but sadly, the MLB Lockout has forced us to look elsewhere for our sports addictions. The frustration of the short, meaningless meetings that have occurred between the MLB Owners and Players Association is worsened by the fact the MLB Owners could end the lockout with a snap of their fingers. The absence of a new collective bargaining agreement is not the cause of the lockout; it is the owners trying to squeeze the Players into a new owner-friendly deal. Now that spring training has been delayed, the pain will soon begin to reach into wallets. Since nothing else seems to be working, the loss of actual dollars will hopefully motivate the two sides to negotiate, in good faith and with a degree of urgency, to hasten the return of Major League Baseball. It is unfair, in my opinion, that it is the Players who will be hurt more than the Owners until a new CBA is reached.

On Thursday, the MLB announced the postponement of spring training games until Saturday, March 5^th. They had originally been scheduled to begin a week from today. To avoid further delays, next week looms as the most critical week to-date for the extended lockout. I do not understand why the two sides cannot lock themselves into a room (figuratively speaking) and burn the midnight oil until they can hammer out an agreement. I know, it is because the Owners want on new agreement on their terms and their terms only despite the pain inflicted on Players and Fans. Nevertheless, I hope they can find common ground next week so that we can be assured of a full 162-game regular season…and labor peace for the next five years.

As for the MLB postponement announcement, I felt the MLBPA’s response was appropriate: “MLB announced today that it ‘must’ postpone the start of spring training games. This is false. Nothing requires the league to delay the start of spring training, much like nothing required the league’s decision to implement the lockout in the first place. Despite these decisions by the league, Players remain committed to the negotiating process.”

Regardless of whether you side with the owners or the players, I think the MLB fans have suffered the most. The Owners’ disregard for the Fans, except for our money, has been apparent throughout this ordeal. I am tired of the lockout, I miss baseball, and I am ready for Owners and Players to work together for the good of the game.

Can reliever Matt Bowman be this year’s Lucas Luetge? Originally drafted by the New York Mets and claimed by the St Louis Cardinals in the Rule 5 draft before his release led him to Cincinnati, the righthanded reliever carved out an unremarkable career in his four Major League seasons. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020. The Yankees signed him as a free agent in December 2020 (two-year minor league contract), knowing he would not pitch in 2021. Bowman appeared in 134 games for the Cardinals in 2016 and 2017, amassing ninety-eight strikeouts in 126 1/3 innings. Unfortunately, injuries have curtailed his career since that time. Blister issues plagued his 2018 season which limited his availability and led to his release by the Cardinals. He did rebound in 2019, but 2020 was lost due to elbow soreness which ultimately led to Tommy John surgery. He will be 31 in May but here is hope he will find the fountain of youth and magic in his arm like Luetge did last year. I know he has worked on cutters in recent years and will surely seek out Mariano Rivera for advice when (if?) spring training finally gets started. It is hard not to feel empathy for guys like Bowman who have worked hard to achieve their dreams despite a series of challenges.

Matt Bowman

So, DJ LeMahieu feels badly for the fired Yankees hitting coaches. I read the New York Daily News article this week which quotes LeMahieu saying “We didn’t play up to our capabilities, it’s that simple. It wasn’t their fault by any means. It’s not on them. There were the guys that helped us get to where we were the previous few years…”. Honestly, the shift in organizational philosophy over the last few years put on expiration date on former hitting coach Marcus Thames and assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere. Maybe the disappointment of last year’s hitters hastened their departures, but it was inevitable. Once the Yankees brought Dillon Lawson into the organization and the shift toward analytics-driven coaches transformed the minor league system, it was only a matter of time until Lawson was elevated to Major League hitting coach. If the Yankees had not promoted him, it is very possible another team would have poached him. I am happy for both Thames and Pilittere. They both quickly found new homes in their same roles. Thames as hitting coach for Donnie Baseball’s Miami Marlins and Pilittere as an assistant hitting coach in the Mile High City (where he can hang out with Greg Bird and his hairless cat).

My disappointment with Aaron Boone’s return and the new coaching staff. I was ready to move on from Boone this off-season until an extension guaranteed his return. I am not going to go into hate-Boone mode. I will support him as manager of my favorite team, and I will always pull for him to have success. I like Boone, but my biggest disappointment is the return of bench coach Carlos Mendoza. Mendoza should be part of the coaching staff, just not the crucial role as Boone’s chief lieutenant and in-game strategist. I was in favor of experience. Bring in a bench coach who had managerial experience to give Boone better options. Mendy and Boone seem too much alike. Boone needs a guy who can make him better. Watching my favorite football team (the Minnesota Vikings) so closely the last month while they assembled a new coaching staff, it really stood out to me that the Vikings chose to hire an experienced assistant head coach to support young, first-time coach Kevin O’Connell. When O’Connell was formally announced as the Vikings new head coach this week, the team also announced that former Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine has been named assistant head coach. I do not really care that Pettine did not have success as a head coach, but he brings perspective to O’Connell, a very bright and talented guy. I feel Boone could have benefited from a similar arrangement.

The shortstop stopgap solutions took a hit this week. Much of the off-season has centered on the Yankees’ plans for shortstop entering the 2022 season as almost no one except Gio Urshela expects the third baseman to be the Yankees starting shortstop this year. Aside from Andrelton Simmons (ugh), the most frequent name has been Isiah Kiner-Falefa of the Texas Rangers. Kiner-Falefa was expected to be available due to the Rangers free agent signings of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. However, this week it was announced that Rangers third baseman Josh Jung may need shoulder surgery, and Kiner-Falefa is the most likely replacement at third base. With each passing day, my hope for an elite shortstop like Carlos Correa or Trevor Story fades. While it is possible the starting Yankees shortstop could be young Oswald Peraza, the more likely scenario is a starter that is not currently in the Yankees organization. God, I hope it is not Simmons. I am not energized by a potential return of Didi Gregorius even if he has been working out with Gleyber Torres and Gio Urshela in Tampa. Presently I am praying for Story while bracing for Nick Ahmed. I hope the eventual answer is not worse.

Trevor Story / Credit: Matthew Stockman, Getty Images

As much as I hate to see Aaron Judge get to free agency, I think the Yankees would benefit from waiting until next offseason to extend Judge. If he stays on the field this season, he should be rewarded accordingly. I hope it is with the Yankees since he is the current “face” of the franchise. The premature extensions for Luis Severino and Aaron Hicks have not worked out and I would hate to see the Yankees make another poor financial decision that will impact the organization for years to come. But with that being said, I truly hope Judge is a Yankee for life.

Aaron Judge

Let us hope and pray that the upcoming week brings good news for baseball fans.

As always, Go Yankees!

Pessimism is the New Optimism...

  

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Progress yet to be seen…

Despite hope for elevation in talks between the MLB Owners and MLB Players Association, the brief one-hour meeting on Saturday was just another sign the owners have no intent to compromise with the players. Those supporting the owners may say the players are unreasonable, however, in my humble opinion, the opposite is true. Eventually, the MLB Lockout will end. Eventually. For now, the certainty is the delay of Spring Training and possibly Opening Day if talks cannot escalate to meaningful and productive discussions with greater frequency.

It seems to me that the owners want the players to feel the pain of losing money so that they cave into the owners’ demands. Greed is alive and well in 2022.

Despite the 130-page offer presented to the Players Association, union lawyers were underwhelmed by the latest proposals. Although the lawyers will discuss the offer to the MBLPA’s executive board, there is not much optimism that the latest proposals will kickstart and accelerate negotiations.

Saturday was only the fifth time the two sides have met since the Lockout began on December 2^nd. There appears no chance the pitchers and catchers will report next week, nor will the Spring Training games begin on February 26^th as originally scheduled.

Highlights of the latest offer by the MLB Owners included:

• Elimination of the penalty (third-round amateur draft pick) for exceeding the luxury tax threshold.
• Increase the luxury tax threshold: 2022 & 2023: $214 million; 2024: $216 million; 2025: $218,000 million; and 2026: $222 million.
• Raise the minimum salary from $570,500 to $630,000; or an alternative tier of $615,000 for initial major league players, $650,000 for players with one-year of service, and $725,000 for players with two years of service.
• Increase the pre-arbitration bonus pool from $10 million to $15 million.
• Limit of five optional assignments of a player to the minor leagues each season.

The current annual inflation rate for the 12 months ending in January 2022 was 7.48%. The proposed levels for the luxury tax threshold fail to keep pace with current inflation. Based on the current luxury tax threshold of $210 million, the minimum ceiling should be no less than $225 million. With the players seeking approximately $245-$260 million, the owners and players have a long way to go to find a mutually acceptable threshold.

The pre-arbitration bonus pool proposal remains $85 million below the union’s most recent request.

I have not given much thought to optional assignments, but I was surprised to hear that Yankees reliever Albert Abreu was optioned to Triple A something like fourteen times last season. That is crazy. I know teams have gotten better at roster manipulation through players with options (particularly when trying to keep relievers fresh), and agree there should be a cap. The owners’ proposal for a maximum of five optional assignments makes sense to me and seems fair, but it is hardly an issue that moves the needle toward full agreement on all core economic issues.

Like many of you, I am disappointed. Baseball is my favorite spectator sport. I like football but not nearly as much as baseball. I have probably paid more attention to football this year for no other reason than the absence of baseball. I have interest in basketball and hockey but certainly not to the same degree as baseball or football. Baseball historically is such a release from the grinds of daily life. We ride the ebbs and flows of every season with our favorite team. We legitimately care about the players for our team, those fortunate enough to wear the famed Pinstripes (well, apparently, for everybody except Gary Sanchez¹, that is…). The MLB Owners are depriving us of a great sport because they are unwilling to compromise and unable to act with any urgency.

George Steinbrenner / Photo Credit: Getty Images

I remain hopeful for a 162-game season, but time is running out. I will never forgive the MLB Owners if the season is lost. Regardless of what the future holds, I am done with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. #FireManfred

Clown Rob Manfred

As always, Go Yankees! We miss you…

¹Editor’s Note: For the record, I do care about Gary Sanchez.

To Be or Not To Be, MLB is the Question...

Photo Credit: Mark Cunningham, Getty Images

Players Association Expected to Vote Today…

I had hoped that we could be talking about the Yankees and actual baseball by now but, sadly, we’re not. As the pain back and forth continues, we’re caught in the middle. The players will vote today regarding the MLB Owners’ latest proposal (instead of “a few days” according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale). The billionaire boys club is proposing a 60-game schedule with full pro rata pay which includes expanded playoffs and a universal DH in both leagues.

I don’t know. I am starting to lose interest in salvaging this season. I thought a schedule of 82 games was the last hope for meaningful baseball.  60 games does not really prove anything except which teams get hot at the right time which will not necessarily the best teams in the game. I know the expanded playoffs are a financial boon for the owners but it further dilutes our ability to see the best teams play. 

I am disappointed. If the Yankees still manage to win the World Series this year (assuming they actually play), I’ll be happy and I won’t place a caveat on the season. By the same token, if the Chicago White Sox blaze through with a rapid ascension of their young talent, it wouldn’t surprise and I wouldn’t place a caveat on them either. Nevertheless, this will be a strange, perplexing year no matter how it ends. From a sports fan’s perspective, it might be the worst year of our lifetimes. 

Seeing the Instagram pics Gerrit Cole posted, throwing from the Yankee Stadium mound in shorts was not exactly the image I wanted to see this summer in the Bronx. I would have preferred pinstripes and real competition.  It’s a sad reminder of what we are missing.

Photo Credit: Gerrit Cole via Instagram, @gerritcole45

I am bummed we are missing out on a year of the careers of our favorite players. The life of a baseball player is short even if you can make it to the Major Leagues.  In some cases, a player may only get a year or two (or less). The time lost could mean guys who might have made it never will.  Players on the downslope are still on a downward trajectory despite no games. Time and age will not wait for anybody except for maybe Tom Brady. Players in their prime move closer to the edge of downward spiral. Who knows what magical moments might have happened so far in the 2020 season if it had started on schedule. Or missing the beautiful sights and sounds of great baseball fans everywhere hurtling deserved insults and boos at the Houston Astros.  

I feel MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been largely ineffective since he took over the role from Bud Selig. I have felt the players have reasonably tried to make the season happen while the owners are most concerned about how to protect their investments (the dollars, not the players). These tense negotiations are setting up a very contentious, difficult battle after the 2021 season when the current collective bargaining agreement expires.  

Frankly, if the next few days only bring more rejections, I will be officially on board with shit-canning the season. 

I am truly at the ‘why bother?’ stage. The MLB owners obviously do not care about us so why should we care about them? I’d love to see some decisions made “for the good of the game”. 

If Baseball somehow finds a way to play this year, it does seem weird the Yankees will have to use Yankee Stadium to hold “Spring” Training. Since the seasons changed yesterday, I guess this makes the first Summer Training for MLB. With spring training homes closed in Florida due to the coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo has said the Yankees (and the Mets) have permission to use their New York stadiums for training purposes. Too bad they didn’t leave the old Yankee Stadium up. Then they would have had two legitimate baseball fields to work with. As it stands, they have the single main field of the current Yankee Stadium, four bullpen mounds and an indoor batting facility. I guess they should model Adam Ottavino’s idea from several off-seasons ago when he rented vacant commercial space and converted it to a pitching facility. 

It seems strange, with the possible restart of baseball, Aaron Hicks is a stronger bet to start the season than Aaron Judge. I have absolutely no idea what is going on with Judge. Meanwhile, Hicks has proclaimed he is ready. I guess the doubt about Judge will keep Clint Frazier’s name relevant in training camp. Clint has been the guy I’d love to see the Yankees trade to create opportunity for him, but as long as he is a Yankee, I guess I will continue to hold out hope he has that magical, transformational Yankee moment. If I was a betting man, that’s not exactly a bet I’d make but I’d love to be proven wrong and if he is going to find Major League success, better with the Yankees than not.  

Until the Yankees sign their draft picks, I am not going to get excited about Austin Wells, Trevor Hauver or Beck May. I liked the picks but they are just guys who happen to play baseball and are not true Yankee prospects until they sign on the dotted line. With other teams locking up their draftees, the eery silence among the Yankees’ picks worries me that they might not sign at all.  I think Wells is a great story. Drafted in high school by the Yankees in 2018 (35th round, the same year they took catcher Anthony Siegler with their first pick), he chose to go to college over signing with the Yankees. Betting on himself paid dividends as he parlayed his worth into the Yankees’ first pick in the 2020 draft. The negative is that he picked the wrong year to do it. The other negative is his agent (Scott Boras). The odds of getting Wells signed this time around appear to be nearly as challenging as two years ago. We’ll see. I hope the one-time Red Sox fan realizes how much the Yankees want him and have the resources and coaching talent to help him become the best he can be, whether it is behind the plate or at another position.  

I was a little saddened to see former Yankees pitching prospect Manny Banuelos, 29, sign to play in the Chinese Professional Baseball League this week. Not that I thought he had any chance of making it back to the Major Leagues at this point, but the failure to fulfill the promise he once showed when he was part of the Killer B’s in the Yankees’ farm system with Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman. Every time Banuelos landed with a new MLB team, I had hoped he would find success but it has not happened for him. I know non-Yankee fans like to say Banuelos is just another overhyped former Yankees prospect but I did and still do believe that he had the talent  at the time necessary to succeed. Whether it was injuries, focus, control, consistency or whatever stopped him from reaching his ceiling, it doesn’t erase the fact he was once a talented, young prospect with value. Even though it didn’t work out, I think it is unfair to dismiss him as over-hyped. Jesus Montero, yeah, he was over-hyped…

I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe. To all fathers, I hope this has been a wonderful Father's Day for you and your families.  

As always, Go Yankees!

Tanaka vs Cobb, Let's Get This Party Started...

In two weeks, the doors of Yankee Stadium will open…

Ready or not, Opening Day is a scant fourteen days away. On Thursday, March 28th, at 1:05 pm EDT, Masahiro Tanaka will fire the first official 2019 pitch at Yankee Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles and we’ll be off to the races for 162 games PLUS (heavy emphasis on the ‘plus’). The Orioles have announced RHP Alex Cobb will get the Opening Day nod over Dylan Bundy and Andrew Cashner.  

Cobb signed with Baltimore as a free agent in late March last year and it showed with disastrous April results. He lost his first three starts with 13.11 ERA and 2.83 WHIP.  A 6.03 K/9 pitcher for the year, he was unable to strike anyone out in two of those first three games. With the benefit of a full training camp, Cobb should be more prepared for his second season in Birdland. Steamer projects a 9-13 record in 31 starts with 4.89 ERA (4.50 xFIP) and 1.6 fWAR. Hopefully we won’t have to wait long to hear Michael Kay’s first “There it goes! See ya!” of the new season. I don’t think any of the Orioles pitchers strike fear in the hearts of the Yankees, and it should be a good opportunity to get the season started on the right foot.   

It was reported this week the MLB Players Association and MLB have agreed upon the elimination of the waiver trading deadline in August which makes the July non-waivers deadline a hard date for player trades. This year’s trading deadline is Wednesday, July 31st. In theory, it should spark more trade activity in July than in years past and will force teams to make earlier decisions about whether they are buyers and sellers. I am probably most concerned about potential injuries in August and the need to fill unplanned vacancies from within the organization. Depth at certain positions can be weak so it will force organizations to work harder to cover depth at all positions in the off-season which I suppose is an intended consequence.  The change is effective this year. 

Another change is the expansion of roster size from 25 to 26 players in 2020 with a maximum of 13 pitchers. On September 1st of 2020, the expansion of rosters will be reduced from 40 to 28 players and no more than 14 pitchers. At face value, I am glad to see the addition of a bench spot for another position player. The transition of the game to deeper bullpens has left bench roles perilously thin. Hopefully the addition of a player will help keep guys fresher for the long season. While the change is not effective this year, the potential 26th men at the present time are Clint Frazier and the expected loser of the first base competition, Greg Bird.

The new MLB-MLBPA deal is expected to be announced today. 

Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, other changes include the three-batter minimum for pitchers although a start of a new inning would allow a pitching substitution. I think back a couple of years and wonder what it would have been like if the Yankees had been forced to use Tyler Clippard for at least three consecutive batters on days when he simply didn’t have it. I can see a pitcher coming into a game with an inability to throw strikes and suddenly the bases are loaded…or worse. I get the pace of play implications but I guess the traditionalist in me would like to see the game decisions in the hands of the managers. Silly me. There’s also a new $1 million bonus for the winner of the All-Star Home Run Derby. Makes me wonder if it will influence a lower paid guy like Aaron Judge to participate. I know Judge makes most of his money through endorsements right now but I am sure that a way to pick up an extra mil is enticing for some.  

It was a bummer that last night’s Spring Training game against the Philadelphia Phillies was not televised. Although the game ended in a 5-5 tie, it was Bryce Harper’s first Phillies start against the Yankees.  If for no other reason, I am looking forward to the regular season so that every game is televised. Harper was booed  unmercifully by the Yankee fans at Steinbrenner Field or so they say since I didn’t actually see it. I don’t really get it. It’s not Bryce’s fault that he is not a Yankee.  The Yankees chose not to pursue him in free agency despite the wishes of the fans. Bryce is on record saying the Yankees never reached out to him despite his childhood love for the Pinstripes. If Bryce historically crushed Yankee pitching, then maybe that’s a reason to boo him but he has been largely ineffective in his short body of work facing the Yankees. I would have liked for the Yankees to sign Harper but they didn’t and we must move on. I know I am very excited to see what Year 2 brings for Giancarlo Stanton. Regardless of whether you preferred Harper over Stanton, I think Stanton is going to be more relaxed this year and will more closely resemble the player that dominated baseball in 2017 for the Miami Marlins.  

Back to the first base competition, I thought it was funny when it was reported yesterday that Aaron Boone was wearing a Luke Voit t-shirt in the clubhouse. Boone also commented that Voit batting cleanup (as he did last night) could carry into the season, adding that he could see Voit anywhere from third to sixth in the order. In other words, it is Greg Bird and not Voit who should be making living accommodations in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area.  

Jose Canseco, shut up! Your fifteen minutes of fame came and went. Let it go, Cheater. Alex Rodriguez owes you nothing.

Credit: Getty Images

For those of you who are New York Jets fans, my apologies for the Anthony Barr situation but I am glad it worked out the way it did. Granted, Barr, a linebacker, is not a superstar level player but I like his role in Minnesota’s defense. I’ve been a lifelong Vikings fan. I think Barr is capable of so much more and I hope the Vikings use Barr as an edge rusher like the Jets intended to do. For those of you not following, Barr had agreed to a free agent deal with the Jets on Monday, only to renege the next morning and subsequently sign an extension to stay in Minneapolis. I had been dreading NFL free agency, fearful of losing Barr. The Vikings had done a good job of signing their young core players despite the massive overpay for QB Kirk Cousins, but Barr had remained unsigned. With salary cap implications, it appeared Barr would be wearing a different uniform this Fall. For a few hours earlier this week, the Jets fans thought he’d be wearing hunter green and white.  For all of Minnesota’s free agents, Barr was the one I wanted to keep. Jets fans were unhappy about his change of heart but I was truly grateful. It kind of reminded me of the time David Wells had a change of heart after agreeing to a two-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and signed with the Yankees on a napkin. There may not have been a napkin involved with Barr but the impact is the same. Glad he’s on my team.  

As always, Go Yankees!  

Quick Hit: Small Update on the Red Sox Sign Stealing Scandal

“The Boston Red Sox are stealing our signs using an Apple Watch!!” – Yankees GM Brian Cashman

“Well they are stealing our signs using YES Network cameras!!” – Red Sox executive Dave Dombrowski

“Is there a timetable for a resolution for the Red Sox stealing the Yankees signs?” – New York Post

“Quick” – Rob Manfred, Commissioner of Major League Baseball

I may be embellishing a little bit for dramatic effect but the above is basically how the whole sign stealing debacle has gone down thus far between the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox and the league. The latest quote though is a small update on the scandal as Commissioner Manfred expects to rule and act on this quickly, which is great news for the sport. Honestly I don’t expect much to come of this, maybe a fine or two which are generally drops in the bucket for these multi-billion dollar teams and multi-million dollar players, but maybe it will set a precedence and put a stop to it. Who knows?

You have to come down strong and heavy though on the Red Sox if you ask me, and not just because I am a Yankees fan. Again I turn to the word precedence. The Red Sox admitted to the wrongdoing leaving no doubt that the act occurred. Many other teams are probably already stealing signs using electronic devices despite it being against MLB rules and many of those teams are looking at this decision to base their decision of whether they continue to do so or not. If the penalty is a slap on the wrist and a simple wag of the finger back and forth I doubt it deters many teams or any teams from continuing to steal signs illegally. If the Red Sox get the hammer dropped down on them though it may deter the electronic part of the sign stealing just a bit.

If you think I’m crazy look at the early failed steroid testing punishments and the number of players still using and failing tests compared to the current penalties and number of failed tests. It isn’t a coincidence. 

2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement Negotiations Officially Underway

Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association have a big hump to overcome before December of 2016 as the current labor agreement and collective bargaining agreement is set to expire. The MLBPA and MLB met for the first time to discuss the potential renewal of the CBA and any potential changes this week in Florida for the first of presumably many meetings between the two sides before the year is out.

Reportedly around 20 players joined the union for the dialogue with MLB as they look to extend the current 21 consecutive years of labor peace. This time around the league and the union has much to discuss including a potential overhaul of the free agent and qualifying offer system that is hampering some veteran players and players that decline the initial offer from their original club.

This will be the first set of CBA negotiations for both Union head Tony Clark and Commissioner of Major League Baseball Rob Manfred so it will be interesting to see how it all plays out in the end. I have to assume that neither want a work stoppage on their resume though so I assume both sides will do whatever bending and budging they have to do in order to get this done, I’m far from worried personally.

All signs point to this getting done eventually but it’s still good news to hear that the discussion has begun. This is something we will monitor closely all season long here at The Greedy Pinstripes and I hope you join us in it!

A-Rod and the magic number

Oh, A-Rod. Just think what could have been!

Despite the proven allegations of A-Rod’s PED use, the euphoria surrounding the chase for his 3,000 struck a similar tone to when Derek Jeter was chasing his 3,000 hit. Both Jeter and A-Rod hit homeruns to achieve the milestone. Yet Jeter is a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer while A-Rod must settle for his season of redemption.

It’s a shame that his need to artificially supplement his natural talents will prevent A-Rod from having a Hall of Fame career. He will undoubtedly go down as one of the best players to ever play the game. However, after his playing career is finished, A-Rod will be ostracized by the game in a similar manner to Pete Rose. Pete Rose’s accomplishments are certainly historic, but his actions during his playing and managerial career got himself blacklisted from the MLB.

As a result of suing the MLBPA, A-Rod — whether he wants to acknowledge it or not —alienated his peers in the game. While he is saying all the right things now, it is too little too late. With that being said, 3,000 hits is still 3,000 hits. The accomplishment may be tainted, but from where I sit, it does not take away from the hard work required to achieve this milestone.

Only if A-Rod did it the right way…

MLBPA Not Happy About Tonight's 60 Minutes

"This interview is bull...!"

Not long before the 60 Minutes episode regarding the suspension of Alex Rodriguez, the Major League Baseball Player's Association released the following statement:

It is unfortunate that Major League Baseball apparently lacks faith in the integrity and finality of the arbitrator’s decision and our Joint Drug Agreement, such that it could not resist the temptation to publicly pile-on against Alex Rodriguez. It is equally troubling that the MLB-appointed Panel Arbitrator will himself be appearing in the “60 Minutes” segment, and that Tony Bosch, MLB’s principal witness, is appearing on the program with MLB’s blessing. 

MLB’s post-decision rush to the media is inconsistent with our collectively-bargained arbitration process, in general, as well as the confidentiality and credibility of the Joint Drug Agreement, in particular. After learning of tonight’s “60 Minutes” segment, Players have expressed anger over, among other things, MLB’s inability to let the result of yesterday’s decision speak for itself. As a result, the Players Association is considering all legal options available to remedy any breaches committed by MLB. 

Throughout this process the Players Association has repeatedly shown it is committed to an effective drug program that is strong and fair. And as we indicated in our statement yesterday, although we do not agree with the arbitrator’s decision, we respect the process and will act accordingly. We believe the other involved parties should do the same.

I'd like to think this is a network trying to use this big news event to create ratings, and that they did so by pulling in Anthony Bosch and not so much MLB or Fredric Horowitz (the arbiter that made the final decision on the suspension). After all, that's what we were led to believe earlier when the interview was first announced. But, according to MLBPA, MLB had quite a bit to do with the interview. If that turns out to be true, then it'll be another black eye to the league, as going there is pretty lame. Especially so soon after the decision was made.

If you're able to see the interview live, then great. I'm really looking forward to it myself. However if you're going to miss it, or would simply like to hear an opinion on it, then check back here soon afterwards.