JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/1/20

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/1/20

powered by

Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page

Ben Clemens

2:23

I don't exactly get the idea on why they haven't, but I think it would really help with negotiations for sure.

Red

2:23

How about MLB refunds 1/162nd of subscription fees per game missed?The players refunder 1/162nd of their compensation per game missed...

Ben Clemens

2:24

Haha yeah it doesn't really work this way. It's not fairness. It's just about what you can demand and who has leverage.

And I, the mlb.tv subscriber, don't have much leverage

And even if I did

The RSN that pays fees has NO leverage

because at this point they're justifying their existence ot the cable channel based on that contract

2:25

Now, maybe teams that wholly own their RSN's will pro-rate back fees

to hide profits away from the big league team

But imagine if YES and the Yankees were actually independent, and YES asked the Yankees for a refund or they'd cancel the deal

They'd have no leverage whatsoever

Chris

2:25

I'm really struggling to figure out how we can appropriately discuss the positives of minor league reductions without feeling like a terrible person

Ben Clemens

2:26

This is definitely a difficult question. It's part of a difficult overall genre of questions, which is when something with bad intentions has some good consequences

2:27

I think one way you can consider it is by asking if there are other ways to achieve these positives

And why the current plan won out instead of one of those alternatives.

Stephen Strasburg

2:27

HAve you written a book?

Ben Clemens

2:28

I have not! However, I did write the player blurbs in the Cardinals section of this year's BP Annual

Which doesn't really count but was still a blast.

Syndergaadengnomes

2:28

So, is this season going to happen? What is your prediction for # of games, terms, etc?

Ben Clemens

2:28

I give it about a 1 in 3 chance.

I think that the way forward is through deferrals, so the players including that in their plan makes me more confident.

2:29

But it seems as though some owners are very insistent behind closed doors that they're willing to tank the season, per reporting from Ken Rosenthal and Jeff Passan

(separately, though they'd make quite the dream team together)

And if the owners don't want a season there won't be one

I don't actually think the same is true for the players, because the owners can exert far more leverage in the court of public opinion

If the owners want there to be a season they can just, gasp, abide by the existing agreement

2:31

So I think it comes down to whether these ownership groups that either actively don't want a season or would trade a season for torpedoing the union end up bein the main voice among owners

One thing I'm not sure about is how the league would handle splintered ownership interests

If Arte Moreno says 'I won' take this deal, the Angels won't play.'

What happens?

Tim

2:31

Eric Sogard has a good contact ability(93.2% Z-contact, 89.3% contact) and plate discipline(8.6% BB, 14.3% K, 4.2% SwStr). He is a leadoff of MIL in this year, but his ADP seems too low. If you have to choose one 2B in deep league among Sogard, Dubon, L Urias, S Long and B Rodgers, Who is your choice?

Ben Clemens

2:31

I am a little worried that Sogard won't get enough AB's

2:32

Hiura needs to play every day, Urias is likely to play almost every day, then they have Brock Holt and Gyorko and even Orlando Arcia

Sogard's flexibility matters a lot less when you also have Holt

Who does a similar thing. I think it hurts both of their values.

2:33

I think I'd most prefer Brendan Rodgers but I'll admit to being eternally hopeful on him

So, take that with a grain of salt.

Dubon I'm not seeing, particularly in SF

Dave

2:33

What do you think of the MLBPA's recent proposal for 2020 baseball (114 game season, etc.)?

Ben Clemens

2:34

I mean, I don't think it has a chance at being the final working proposal.

Connecting…

Register

Message History

On Off

On Off

On Off

Your current subscriptions

None

Register now to continue managing your subscriptions

E-mail Address	Chat Owner	Status	Remove

Enter your email address to be notified when Ben Clemens hosts a chat