JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 6/8/20

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Ben Clemens

2:08

It gets realllly good reviews and I love the theme.

The Stranger

2:08

It seems like there are too many unmet conditions in the March agreement for the players to just accept MLB’s right to decide on a 50-game season. If MLB tries that do you think we see baseball in 2020?

Ben Clemens

2:09

I think they'll probably play anyway

A 50-game season sucks but I don't think anyone is interested in having no baseball at all this season without resolving the CBA

2:10

That's just a great way to get both sides to dig in more, and I do think that this is a pivotal point for baseball in general

David

2:10

What would be so bad about just skipping 2020 at this point and coming back for a normal 2021?

Ben Clemens

2:10

Aside from another year of trying to make up baseball topics for me? :)

2:11

Lost playoff contract revenue would be a HUGE deal for the owners

That's money that they just ignore when calculating their 'per-game costs' that is a windfall for every team

And the national networks have a lot more leverage than RSN's in just saying 'haha okay bye not paying'

2:12

Then there's the fact that if baseball doesn't play when every other sport does, they'll likely miss the interest bump of 'oh finally thank god there are sports on tv again'

The league office has been talking about the declining interest in baseball and their desire to remain relevant for quite a while now

2:13

Not playing when the country is starved for sports seems like... not the smartest move from that perspective.

tomerafan

2:13

We can never ignore history... and the players have reason to question the prior conduct of the owners in negotiations... but if you look at just the here-and-now in 2020, the MLBPA signed an Agreement in March to consider modifications to that March agreement if there are no fans in the stands. Now the Union says that salary modifications are, per se, a nonstarter and they are unwilling to negotiate salary on any terms. The Owners may be "greedy" or <insert your word here> but it takes two parties to negotiate, and one side has spent the last couple weeks refusing to even come to the table. So how are the Owners the bad guys right now? How is the one side willing to talk the villain in this current setting?

Ben Clemens

2:13

Uh, to be clear, the players have negotiated.

They've already given up more concessions than the owners by far

2:14

It's also very unclear whether the lack of fans is legal cause for a re-negotiation.

If you're unclear on that, any of Craig Edwards' articles on the topic would be a good way to get familiar with it, or his podcast where he discussed it

The league is claiming that's obvious in the agreement, and they produced a smoking gun

Their smoking gun is an email between league officials

With no PA officials on it

That says 'oh hey I talked to a guy in the PA who asked me if we meant no players means renegotiate'

'and I told him yes'

So uh

2:15

I dunno

I do think that the whole 'not willing to negotiate salary on any terms' will have to change

But they've given a lot of other sweetners, while the owners haven't

So, call it what you will, but I think the current player position is closer to equitable than the owners' by far

2:16

For example, what if the owners offered my above deal -- minimum salaries and league-sanctioned Scherzer punches.

Is that an offer?

I'd say no

And that's close to the league's first offer

I do think the second offer is promising

And if the players don't counter wiht something, then I'll move closer to your view

2:17

Because now both sides have given *something*, though the players have still given more

David

2:17

A significantly shortened season with possible Covid rule changes and altering the playoffs all just feels like a gimic. NBA and NHL playoffs that they are going to do, I see as just exhibition tournaments that don't actually mean anything.

Ben Clemens

2:17

Oh yeah, to me it's definitely a gimmick

2:18

Sorry, one second

My fire alarm just went off

2:19

False alarm, AND Ruby didn't start barking

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