It was considered one of baseball’s most unbreakable records. But on September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. added to his Hall of Fame resumé by playing in his 2131st consecutive game, eclipsing the mark of another immortal, Lou Gehrig, in front of the home fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Now, a quarter century later, in celebration of the achievement, the all-time great shortstop has worked with TOPPS to curate two special edition collectible card series which tell the story of his journey to 2131, the magical night—which included a Ripken home run—and the day he finally ended the streak four years later.
The Ripken set will be available for a limited time beginning on Sunday, 25 years to the day he passed Gehrig, in a deluxe collector’s edition which includes a Ripken autograph card as well as a standard edition. Cards will depict numerous highlights of his career as well as other players and games Ripken selected as personally most memorable.
“Baseball cards have been a part of my family’s life for years, and I couldn’t be happier to be working with TOPPS to create this set,” said Ripken, whose father Cal Sr. coached and managed and brother Bill also played in the Majors. “I selected cards that represent special moments and people that have made my life in baseball special, and ones that I think fans will enjoy collecting.”
“Cal Ripken’s ‘Ironman’ streak is one of the sport’s classic records, set by one of its most popular players ever,” said Jeff Heckman, Topps’ Global Director of Ecommerce. “We are excited that Cal wanted to commemorate this 25th anniversary with cards that represent what the game means to him, in the context of this achievement.”
A commemorative TOPPS Project 2020 card celebrating Jackie Robinson Day Friday across MLB posted today at http://topps.com/project2020. Artist Don C‘s interpretation of the classic 1952 Topps Robinson card is available through 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The Robinson card, issued today along with Jacob Rochester’s reimagining of the iconic 1955 Roberto Clemente, is one of a series of 20 cards posted by each of 20 commissioned pop artists, two each weekday since the originally scheduled opening of the 2020 season in March. The series has been extremely popular with fans and collectors, and is now more than halfway through the full set of 400.
Don C’s Robinson work places the all-time great in front of his retired #42, which will be worn by all Major Leaguers in games today, with “In Loving Memory” in script above and his signature below the legendary pose from the original card, on a light blue background.
Some of the elements selected by Alonso include NYC street art (bright colors, graffiti lettering, bright textures); and “Molon Labe” derived from King Leonidas, leader of the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae, which Alonso says captures his approach at the plate.
Included are 20 base cards featuring top stars of today, plus 30 insert cards with Alonso’s season award picks, the 50-homer club (of which Alonso became a member last year), franchise favorites and more, all with strong ties to the second-year Mets star.
This past weekend saw sportsbooks have a lot of action to offer. It also marked the transition of the regular season to the postseason for the NBA, with only one seeding game played on Saturday, which is probably why there wasn’t a lot of interest in the basketball league on Bodog. The NBA dropped in the rankings of the most bet leagues on the global sportsbook this weekend, giving up space to both MLB and the NHL, which continue to provide some exceptional entertainment.
Last Friday saw the end of the NBA’s regular season, with the Eastern Conference teams already set for the playoffs. There was only one question remaining – who would be the eighth seed in the West. That spot was determined on Saturday when the Portland Trail Blazers edged out the Memphis Grizzlies, eliminating them from playoff contention. Without any addition games on the weekend calendar, NBA action only accounted for 15.25% of the wagers. Now that the postseason is officially underway, as of yesterday, this will certainly change, and basketball will rebound to the top of the list.
MLB took first in the top-ten list on Bodog, capturing 34.17% of the bets. It was, by far, the most popular target for sports gamblers, with the second-place NHL only seeing 17.14% of the wagers. Also getting a piece of bettors’ money was the UEFA Champions League, with 5.71%, PGA’s Wyndham Championship (4.21%) and the WNBA, with 2.93%. Table tennis, which helped sportsbooks survive the coronavirus pandemic, still manages to stay in the upper rankings, and saw 2.67% of the action.
While MLB, as a whole, saw most of the action, the Trail Blazers-Grizzlies game was the favorite among sports gamblers, accounting for 18.08% of the bets. Several NBA games brought the regular season to a close on Friday helped contribute to NBA’s share of the action, with three additional games capturing a little more than 20% of Bodog’s top ten events.
Did the St. Louis Cardinals put their season at risk by visiting a casino? That’s what many in the baseball community are trying to figure out, and thanks to strict safety guidelines at a Milwaulkee area casino, it appears we have the answer.
The controversy started because Jerry Hairston Jr., put out speculation on Twitter that the Miami Marlins had gotten sick by going to the club, and the Cardinals had contracted Covid-19 by visiting a casino.
Never named names, which city or which casino. Even had question mark after casino in my tweet from what I heard from reliable sources. @JonHeyman confirmed. Cards said got it from outside. President said it could’ve been store or Bar. Hope everyone gets healthy/back on the field pic.twitter.com/jZOZQie14p
— Jerry Hairston, Jr. (@TheRealJHair) August 5, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
One thing’s for sure – no one will ever forget the 2020 MLB season. Just days before it should have kicked off this past March, it was forced to suspend the action because of COVID-19. That was only the beginning of what would turn into enough drama to fill a five-year soap opera, with just as many twists and surprise plot changes. Chances are, we’re not done yet, with everything from new coronavirus cases to wayward drones forcing the season to change course once again.
Since the season reboot began, MLB has had to deal with major coronavirus outbreaks in two teams that apparently thought they didn’t have to follow the rules. The Miami Marlins were the first after a number of players allegedly decided to go clubbing, leading to at least 19 players and staffers being diagnosed with COVID-19. Not to be outdone, players with the St. Louis Cardinals are said to have gone to a casino close to home, which led to a second outbreak. In both cases, games had to be postponed, throwing the already-confusing schedule into turmoil and leading to threats by league commissioner Rob Manfred to cancel the season (a bluff that would never materialize).
New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes traveled with his team to Atlanta to take on the Braves this past weekend when he suddenly went MIA. There was apparently no word, no phone call, no text message – he simply vanished from his hotel room with his personal belongings. It was later revealed, after the club began scrambling to cover the game, that he had made an impromptu decision to sit out the remainder of the season because of the coronavirus. However, that may have just been a cover for another reason. Cespedes had seen his playing time reduced and wasn’t going to be on the field much for the game against the Braves. He reportedly got fed up and decided to walk away, using the league’s coronavirus opt-out policy as an excuse. With it being so easy to abandon the season, other players could choose to follow suit and take a year off.
The plan for the MLB reboot was to have all teams top out with 30-man rosters, which would be reduced to 28 after two weeks, then to 26. Because of the continuing number of positive COVID-19 cases, the league has decided to drop only to 28 for the remainder of the season and postseason, fearful that too many players might end up riding the bench because of the virus. Taxi squads, reserve players who practice with the teams, will be increased from three to five.
When MLB restarted its season a couple of weeks ago, sports fans, as well as sportsbooks, breathed a collective sigh of relief. After all major sports were called off in March, it was time to get back into the swing of things and a return of sports means a return to a sense of normalcy. It only took a couple of days for the dreams of recovery to be shattered, however, when an unusually high number of baseball players and staffers with the Miami Marlins suddenly tested positive for COVID-19. Less than two weeks later, the number of positive results has soared to 20, but the Marlins aren’t the only team to see an outbreak, and things are getting worse. As MLB explores the reasons why, it has discovered that several teams are treating health protocols as a joke. As a result, there’s a chance that the league might shut down the season entirely, all because a handful of people couldn’t be responsible and mature enough.
In addition to the Marlins, the St. Louis Cardinals have also seen at least three positive cases following the revelation that two players were found to have COVID-19. As a result, MLB looked into where the team had been and discovered that a number of players had traveled to a casino, possibly one of those located near Busch Stadium where the team plays. There are two gambling venues within a mile of the stadium. In the case of the Marlins, the players had decided to visit a nightclub.
As a result of the presence of the coronavirus in these two teams, as well as others, a number of MLB games have already been postponed – 17 and counting. This not only impacts the Marlins and the Cardinals, who have had to alter their schedules, but their opponents and their opponents’ opponents as the entire season schedule is upended.
According to Steven Souza, Jr., outfielder for the Chicago Cubs, the blame is squarely on the shoulders of those who haven’t been smart enough to follow the rules. He tweeted last Friday, “Every player in this league better take a hard look at what you’re doing off the field, because what you do affects, more than just you and your team. Your decisions off the field will put all of our seasons in jeopardy this year.”
Last week brought with it something no one thought could happen – the start of the MLB regular season. It took forever for team owners and players to reach an agreement on how to handle issues regarding games and salaries, but, once they did, baseball fans everywhere were ready for Opening Day. What they weren’t ready for, however, was an unwanted player on the field; one that could threaten the season and bring it to an even shorter end than the 60 games already imposed. COVID-19 appears to be ready to play baseball.
Yesterday, the Miami Marlins took on the Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia. Noticeably missing from the Marlins lineup was right-handed pitcher Jose Urena, who was scratched ahead of the game. While there wasn’t a reason given for his removal, it was later learned that he tested positive for the coronavirus. In addition, it was revealed that catcher Jorge Alfaro (he was scratched last Friday), infielder Garrett Cooper and outfielder Harold Ramirez have also tested positive.
As a result, the Marlins, which would beat the Phillies 11-6, delayed their return flight home, choosing to hang out in Philadelphia a little longer and fly out today – the same day they have to play the Baltimore Orioles at home. According to a statement from manager Don Mattingly, “We were more comfortable flying as a group later. We’re talking about these guys traveling back home to their families and their kids, and it’s the reason we want to be safe.”
Undoubtedly, health officials are already looking to trace how the virus is being spread through the league. Last week, the Marlins took on the Atlanta Braves in exhibition games, and three Braves – first baseman Freddie Freeman and catchers Travis d’Arnaud and Tyler Flowers – are out after showing signs of COVID-19 symptoms. It isn’t clear of the Marlins players picked up the virus during those games, or if they passed it on, having been contagious without realizing it.
The 2020 baseball season will be unlike any other, a 60-game sprint that began last night replacing the normal 162-game grind. And just as that means different strategies and maybe a different outcome than a full slate would have produced, Strat-O-Matic’s (www.strat-o-matic.com) simulation of the truncated schedule meant a new winner, as Cleveland topped Los Angeles, four games to two, in the World Series.
Cleveland, which posted the second-best A.L. record at 39-21, swept No. 7 Boston (29-31) in the expanded first round and No. 3 Tampa Bay (38-22) in the ALDS, then survived a seven-game series with No. 1 Houston (44-16) in the NLCS before topping Los Angeles (44-16), the N.L. top seed, winning the last three games to erase a 2-1 series deficit. Domingo Santana was a surprise hero, batting .417 with two homers in the series, and Franmil Reyes slugged three round-trippers for the winners.
“We figured there would be a difference between the 162- game and 60-game simulations, but Cleveland winning is certainly a surprise,” said Hal Richman, Strat-O-Matic founder. “The upcoming ‘sprint’ season and expanded playoffs mean that truly anything can happen, and Cleveland winning it all for the first time in more than 70 years certainly qualifies.”
Some other statistics and items of note from the season:
Daniel Murphy of Colorado (.380) and Xander Bogaerts of Boston (.345) won the league batting titles, respectively
Joey Gallo of Texas got on a home run roll, blasting 17, matched by his N.L. counterpart, Kris Bryant of Chicago. Carlos Correa of Houston knocked in 46 runs to lead the A.L., and Eduardo Escobar had 39 RBI to pace the N.L.
Charlie Morton won an A.L.-high 9 games for Tampa Bay, while Jack Flaherty’s 10 wins for St. Louis led all of baseball.
Atlanta’s Mike Foltynewicz posted a miniscule 1.27 ERA, best in baseball, while Gerrit Cole of New York led the A.L. at a stingy 1.51.
Four pitchers had 20 saves: Roberto Osuna, Houston; Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles (N.L.); Hector Neris, Philadelphia; and Daniel Hudson, Washington
Division winners were Tampa Bay (38-22), Cleveland (39-21), Houston (44-16), Atlanta (38-22), St. Louis (39-21) and Los Angeles (44-16).
Seven of the first-round series were sweeps, six of those won by the home team/higher seed. Only No. 7 Colorado’s win over No. 2 St. Louis went the full three games.
Strat-O-Matic has experienced unprecedented growth over the past quarter, registering sharp increases in sales, traffic and social numbers. Board and Windows games, digital platform Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365, Website traffic, new users and social media have all seen significant boosts over comparable time periods as fans continue to satiate their thirst for baseball, Strat-O-Matic style, connecting with the game and each other across all of these areas.
MLB brass and players have accomplished they haven’t been able to do easily in recent history – agree on something. As the league met with members of the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) yesterday, they came up with a solution to finish out the current season, making changes to the playoffs that will see more games added in the run for the World Series title. It’s a move that should make both players and fans happy.
Now, instead of ten teams in the playoffs, there will be 16. All six divisions in the MLB will send their second-place teams to the playoffs, with the seventh and eighth playoff teams from each league determined by who has the best record at the end of the modified regular season. Explains MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement, “This season will be a sprint to a new format that will allow more fans to experience playoff baseball. We look forward to a memorable Postseason concluding a year like no other.”
The postseason will start with its first round on September 29 to October 2. This round will include four three-game series for each league, the American League (AL) and National League (NL), and the higher-seeded team will have home-field advantage. Following this, the normal playoff structure will be seen, with divisions holding five-game series leading up to the leagues’ finals. The AL and NL Championship Series, as well as the World Series, will both be best-of-seven tournaments. Tony Clark, the executive director of the MLBPA, is supportive of the changes, and states, “We hope it will result in highly competitive pennant races as well as exciting additional playoff games to the benefit of the industry and all involved heading into next year.”
What hasn’t been officially released, but provided by an unofficial source to the Associated Press, is that there won’t be any luxury tax owed this year. This tax, also known as the Competitive Balance Tax, is paid annually by each club once it surpasses a predetermined payroll threshold. For 2020, that threshold was $208 million, an $11-million increase over the past two years. That could be good news for some clubs, since the league has agreed to allocate $50 million to players, which will be given out following each round of postseason action, and which could be increased if fans are allowed to hit the stands.
The Houston Astros were warned. As MLB gets its season underway, currently holding exhibition games ahead of the launch of the regular season, teams are facing off on the diamond, and certain Astros players are finding out that no one has forgotten the cheating scandal that rocked the team – and the entire league – last year. As the team took the field on Tuesday to play against the Kansas City Royals, a few players were probably wishing they had worn additional padding as they became targets of “errant” pitches coming from the mound.
There have been rumors of possible retaliation coming for months, and the coronavirus hasn’t done much to help certain players forget the past. Talk of pitchers taking revenge as Astros players stepped up to the plate even resulted in odds being posted, and William Hill had, at one point, an over/under of 83.5 on the number of players expected to get pelted by a pitch. The MLB average for “accidental” hits is around 66.
In yesterday’s game against the Royals, three Astros players were targets of baseballs that, for some reason (sarcasm), couldn’t be delivered straight over home plate. Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and George Springer were hit by two Royals pitchers – Jackson Kowar and Jorge Lopez – with both Altuve and Bregman becoming targets with the bases loaded. Based on a video uploaded to Twitter of the events, none of the players was seriously hurt (getting hit by a baseball is never a pleasant experience), but the message was still delivered. Altuve took a pitch to his right forearm and Bregman received one that looks to have been aiming for his gut.
The Astros franchise has already suffered because of the scandal, which reportedly involved illegally filming the opposition, and had to pay a fine, as well as lose several key draft picks. The team’s manager and general manager, A.J. Hinch and Jeff Luhnow, respectively, were let go, but no player was ever held responsible. That has led other league teams to promise to levy their own punishment and, as the new MLB season gets underway, they seem ready to deliver.
The 2020 Major League Baseball season was to begin March 26, but the coronavirus changed all that. Nearly four months late, the 60-game regular season starts Thursday night with two ESPN nationally televised games: New York Yankees at Washington Nationals (7 p.m. ET) and San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers (10 p.m. ET). Play ball!
The Nationals won their first-ever World Series title last October and in normal circumstances would raise their championship banner at Nationals Park and hand out World Series rings to players before the season opener, but GM Mike Rizzo has said neither will happen until fans are allowed in the stands – and that’s almost surely not going to be the case until 2021.
Until late last week, it wasn’t even a sure thing the Nats were going to be able to play at Nationals Park due to strict coronavirus protocols in DC, but they have been cleared to do so. Washington actually lost all three home games in last year’s World Series yet still beat Houston in seven.
Just because baseball fans aren’t allowed to attend MLB games in person doesn’t mean they still can’t be seen at the games. Because of the coronavirus, MLB, and all other sports leagues, have decided that allowing fans to grab a seat at the games wouldn’t be a smart idea. This means considerable losses in revenue, as on-field advertising loses its purpose and concessionaires can’t sell their goods. However, teams across the MLB have come up with a novel, out-of-the-box solution that will allow fans to be seen at the games while, at the same time, recovering some of the lost revenue. Welcome to the world of fan cutouts.
The idea emerged earlier this month and has since caught the attention of several teams, including the San Francisco Giants, the LA Dodgers, the Milwaukee Brewers and more. The concept is simple – fans can submit a picture, pay a fee and the team will build a cardboard cutout of the fan to be placed in a seat during games. Each team has its own procedures and policies, but, for some fans, they will even be able to keep their cutouts and, should their virtual self be hit by a foul ball, will be sent a game ball as a keepsake.
Prices range drastically, some as low as $49 and some as high as $299. Just like with most ballparks, the difference in price depends on where the fan wants to be seated. Other clubs are restricting the sales to only season-ticket holders. The money generated from the sales could be substantial, too. The response has already high and, to use Oracle Park as an example, the return could be substantial. The home of the Giants has 41,915 seats; if it sold half of these at $50 (season-ticket holders get them for free), it could pick up over $1.04 million. That certainly isn’t enough to offset all the losses incurred by the lack of having beer-guzzling, popcorn-munching fans in the stands, but it’s better than nothing.
The Brewers are taking a slightly different approach. The team will place two-foot images of fans together with the “Last Row” statue of Bob Uecker located at the top of Miller Park. Uecker has been a game-caller for the club for 50 years and has been around baseball almost as long as the game itself. The cutouts cost $50, and the promotion sold out almost as soon as it was launched.
Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich’s two-run home run in the fourth inning was one of five circuit clouts in the game as the National League topped the American, 7-2, in Strat-O-Matic’s simulation of the All-Star Game Tuesday night. TV host Drew Carey (American) and musician Slim Jim Phantom (National) managed the teams during a live video stream on Wizard World Virtual Experiences.
Fans can watch a replay of the contest on Twitch, Facebook or YouTube.
Yelich’s shot gave the N.L. a 2-0 lead. One out later, Matt Carpenter of St. Louis followed with another blast for a 3-0 edge for Phantom’s squad.
Carey’s Junior Circuit team pulled to within 3-2 in the sixth, but three runs in the bottom of the frame put the game out of reach.
“It’s just great to be part of this,” said Phantom, an avid baseball and Strat-O-Matic fan who hosts a fantasy baseball show on SiriusXM Radio, following the victory. “It’s keeping baseball going. We were all going crazy, and Strat-O-Matic was so helpful, we’ve been able to play fantasy ball all year. The same thing I love about Strat-O-Matic when I was a kid I love about it now.”
“I’ve been playing this game since the ’70s,” added Carey, a member of several Strat-O-Matic leagues, including one with Phantom. “I used to play my brother all the time, some of my fondest memories of growing up and always loved the game.”
Max Scherzer of Washington earned the win with a scoreless inning. Gerrit Cole of the Yankees gave up the three fourth-inning runs and took the loss.
Strat-O-Matic will continue its simulation of the regular season until the teams return to action on the field. Fans can follow the action, updated daily at 2 p.m. ET, at https://www.strat-o-matic.com/2020-season-simulation/.
As baseball prepares for its return to Yankee Stadium and Citi Field this month, some of the standouts from years past take the virtual stage when former Mets Subway Series manager Bobby Valentine, currently A.D. at Sacred Heart University, former Yankees hard-hitting outfielder Roy White, Yankees postseason standout Jim Leyritz, and Amazin’ 1969 Mets World Series champions Ed Kranepool, Ron Swoboda and Art Shamsky appear in a pair of FREE live moderated video Q&A sessions via Wizard World Virtual Experiences (www.wizardworldvirtual.com). Fans can catch Valentine, White and Leyritz on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. ET, while the ‘69 Mets are live on Thursday, July 16, at 4 p.m. ET.
Joe West has, for years, been a controversial umpire in MLB. He has unparalleled experience in the league, but is also known as the umpire with the “second worst percentage of bad calls,” a description he earned from a study conducted by Boston University after the 2018 season. The 67-year-old head of the MLB Umpires Association (MLBUA) has called baseball games since 1976, has appeared on radio and TV (even picking up a role in the movie “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!”), has released two country music albums and is never afraid to speak his mind. That latter trait is what has put him under the spotlight now, and it could be enough to end his career. According to West, who is at high risk for contracting COVID-19, people aren’t dying from the virus, and it’s just an excuse for hospitals to make money.
[Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]
West’s comments were made to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. He asserted, “Those statistics aren’t accurate, I don’t care who’s counting them. When country music [singer] Joe Diffie died, they said he died of the coronavirus. He had Stage 4 lung cancer. The coronavirus may have accelerated his death, but let’s be realistic. Our system is so messed up they have emptied hospitals because there’s no elective surgery. The government has been giving these hospitals extra money if someone dies of the coronavirus. So, everybody that dies is because of coronavirus. I don’t care if you get hit by a car, it’s coronavirus.’’
Given that over 130,000 people have died from COVID-19, according to health statistics, the remarks didn’t go over well with virtually anyone except West’s closest friends. West has shown, on more than a few occasions, that his ability to provide proper scrutiny of baseball action has waned over the years, and this may be the proverbial nail in the coffin.
The 2020 Major League Baseball 60-game regular season will begin July 23/24 after commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implemented a schedule of his choosing Monday and the MLB Players’ Association signed off on the health and safety protocols Tuesday. Spring training 2.0 will open next week in teams’ own cities.
Frankly, both owners and the union come out of this three-month stalemate looking horrible from a public relations standpoint, but at least there will be some semblance of a season. It would end on September 27 as originally planned and the postseason field would remain at 10 teams.
Owners had hoped for a postseason expansion to 16 teams, but the two sides couldn’t come to an overall agreement so Manfred used his power to set the schedule. AL East teams will play games only inside the division and against NL East opponents. NL Central vs. NL Central and AL Central, etc. This is to help limit travel as much as possible. Teams will play 40 games inside their division and 20 interleague matchups.
Professional baseball in the U.S. has had a tough few years. It has had to deal with major cheating scandals – some of which still haven’t been resolved – and then the loss of its regular schedule when the coronavirus pandemic forced it to shut down ahead of Opening Day. The cherry on top was the blatant disregard of passion for baseball, and love of money, that led team owners and players to spend over two months trying to negotiate a deal to get back on the field. After unable (or unwilling) to reach an agreement on their won, the two sides allowed Commissioner Rob Manfred to intervene and, to the surprise of many baseball fans, players and owners have now kissed and made up. MLB is coming back and could be here within a month.
Manfred decided that 60 games would be enough to call it a season, explaining in a statement on Monday, “Major League Baseball is thrilled to announce that the 2020 season is on the horizon. We have provided the Players Association with a schedule to play 60 games and are excited to provide our great fans with Baseball again soon.” The union signed off on the arrangement yesterday, and players are expected to begin training by July 1.
Teams will play a total of 40 games against division rivals, as well as 20 interleague games. 30 players will be included in the initial lineup, but teams are expected to submit 60-men rosters. According to Mark Feinsand with MLB.com, the 30-man lineup will be reduced to 28 after two weeks and then again to 26 after Week Four. In addition, there will be a designated hitter for the entire league and, if a game goes to extra innings, second base will see a baserunner every half-inning in order to speed up the game.
The idea now is to have Spring Training begin on July 1, with the season getting underway on July 23 or 24. The schedule was put into place after owners and players reached an agreement on a variety of health and safety issues last night, for which MLB explains, “The health and safety of players and employees will remain MLB’s foremost priorities in its return to play. MLB is working with a variety of public health experts, infectious disease specialists and technology providers on a comprehensive approach that aims to facilitate a safe return.”
If it weren’t for the fact that this is a serious breach of public trust, the continued – and exasperating – situation regarding the restart of MLB in the US would be laughable. Players and owners have spent the past two months lobbing proposals back and forth, each one rejected as soon as it lands in the opponent’s territory. Last week saw the possibility of a 2020 season slip even further out of reach, and another step backward has now been taken. A potential agreement was apparently in the works before team owners decided to scratch through several items on the list, forcing the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) to scrap a planned vote and start all over – again.
An idea had been floated to play a 60-game season and it had received a relatively acceptable response – lukewarm, at best, but this is better than what had been seen to date. However, Commissioner Rob Manfred scribbled in some changes, according to ESPN, and the MLBPA was forced to delay the vote until all the points could be considered.
Manfred said in a letter to MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark, which was apparently intercepted by the Associated Press, “Tony, am writing to reiterate what I told you on the phone a few minutes ago. Given the Covid developments, I understand that the players are concerned that the 2020 season will be truncated beyond the agreed upon number of games (for example, we agree to play 60 and can only play 40). If that were to happen, I would be prepared to eliminate the 2021 components of the deal. That would mean that we would not get the expanded playoffs in 2021 and the DH rule would revert to the current rule (DH in AL, no DH in NL).”
The MLBPA executive board was ready to get to work and vote on a proposal this weekend. Saturday was going to be a good day for baseball, once the union took a closer look at reports that new coronavirus cases have been seen. The board intended to take a vote yesterday, but Manfred threw a monkey wrench into those plans when he sent Clark his email with the proposed changes. The commissioner added, “I think I have previously agreed to give you full termination pay for players who were salary arbitration eligible in 2019, are on non guaranteed [sic] contracts and are terminated in spring training. Those players would get the numbers of days of termination pay equal to the number of games we agree to play, subject to the repayment of salary advances.”
If you ask him, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred will tell you that the meeting he had in Arizona Tuesday with the head of the MLB Players Association (MLBPA), Tony Clark, was “productive.” If you hit Clark with the same question, you might get a completely different answer. MLB team owners and players have been battling for two months as they try to figure out how to get players back on the field, and they’re no closer to a resolution now than they were then. Manfred invited Clark to a sit-down yesterday to try to hash out an amicable, mutually-beneficial plan of attack, but no one should expect a miracle.
Manfred issued a statement yesterday, explaining, “At my request, Tony Clark and I met for several hours yesterday in Phoenix. We left that meeting with a jointly developed framework that we agreed could form the basis of an agreement and subject to conversations with our respective constituents. I summarized that framework numerous times in the meeting and sent Tony a written summary today. Consistent with our conversations yesterday, I am encouraging the Clubs to move forward and I trust Tony is doing the same.”
Rumors of the success of the meeting had begun to circulate before Manfred published his comments. The MLBPA got wind of them and wanted to cut them off at the knees. It tweeted ahead of Manfred’s statement, “Reports of an agreement are false.”
As before in the ongoing negotiations, both sides are standing their ground, unwilling to make any type of major concession. Owners want players to agree to salary cuts of as much as 80% for some players, and players want owners to get stuffed. Manfred said after Tuesday’s meeting that he was happy with the outcome and that a proposal would be coming. Clark, on the other hand, said that there were “significant issues” with Manfred’s recommendations and that no tentative agreement had been reached.
