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.
Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and Jr., credit: Wikimedia Commons/Google Man (Sr.), and DR. Buddie (Jr.)
For many families, baseball has been an integral part of Father’s Day for years, and although the pros won’t be on the field this Sunday to help dads celebrate with their children, Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com), the market leader in sports simulations, is keeping the tradition alive by playing out a seven-game series featuring some of the greatest fathers and sons to compete on the diamond. From Bobby and Barry Bonds to Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. to Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and Jr. to Sandy, Sandy Jr. and Roberto Alomar, the Fathers and Sons teams, managed by big league skippers Bob and Aaron Boone, will battle it out, with results to be published on Sunday.
Some of the other father-son combinations featured on the respective 30-man squads are Tom and Dee Gordon, Dante and Bo Bichette, Clay and Cody Bellinger, Tony Gwynn Sr. and Jr., Craig and Cavan Biggio, Mel and Todd Stottlemyre, Ivan and Dereck Rodriguez, and Lance McCullers Sr. and Jr. Strat-O-Matic will utilize the best seasons of these standout players in creating the “cards” used in the simulation. Toronto’s current trio of big league progenies Bichette, Biggio and Guerrero are among the standouts for the sons’ side.
“We wanted to find a uniquely ‘Strat-O-Matic’ way to pay tribute to fathers enjoying baseball with their sons and daughters on their special day,” said Hal Richman, Strat-O-Matic founder, whose son Adam is the company president. “With so many fathers and sons, many of them Hall of Famers and All-Stars, on rosters throughout baseball history, this fun simulation will highlight some of the best family connections the sport has known.”
Full rosters for the teams with their primary teams are as follows:
Fathers (manager: Bob Boone):
Mel Stottlemyre, p., New York (A.L.)
Floyd Bannister, p. Seattle, Chicago (A.L.)
Dizzy Trout, p., Detroit
Clyde Wright, p., California
Tom Gordon, p., Kansas City, Boston (A.L.), Philadelphia (N.L.)
Pedro Borbon, p., Cincinnati
Jeff Russell, p., Texas
Lance McCullers, p., San Diego
Steve Bedrosian, p., Atlanta, Philadelphia (N.L.)
Paul Quantrill, p., Toronto, Boston (A.L.)
Jeff Shaw, p., Los Angeles (N.L.), Cincinnati, Montreal
Bryan Harvey, p., California, Florida
Ivan Rodriguez, c., Texas, Detroit
Fred Kendall, c., San Diego
Tony Perez, 1b., Cincinnati, Montreal
Craig Biggio, 2b., Houston
Buddy Bell, 3b., Cleveland, Texas, Cincinnati
Maury Wills, ss., Los Angeles (N.L.)
Cecil Fielder, 1b.-d.h., Detroit, Toronto
Sandy Alomar, inf., California, Atlanta, New York (A.L.)
Dick Nen, 1b., Washington (A.L.)
Clay Bellinger, ut., New York (A.L.)
Fernando Tatis, 3b., St. Louis (N.L.), Montreal, New York (N.L.)
Bob Oliver, ut., Kansas City, California
Felipe Alou, of., Atlanta, San Francisco, New York (A.L.)
Tony Gwynn, of., San Diego
Ken Griffey, of., Cincinnati, New York (A.L.)
Bobby Bonds, of., San Francisco, California
Dante Bichette, of., Colorado, California
Vladimir Guerrero, of.-d.h., Montreal, Los Angeles (A.L.)
Sons (manager: Aaron Boone)
Lance McCullers Jr., p., Houston
Todd Stottlemyre, p., Toronto, St. Louis (N.L.)
Brian Bannister, p., Kansas City
Steve Trout, p., Chicago (N.L.), Chicago (A.L.)
Robb Nen, p., Florida, San Francisco
Jaret Wright, p., Cleveland
James Russell, p., Chicago (N.L.)
Pedro Borbon, p., Atlanta, Toronto
Cam Bedrosian, p., Los Angeles (A.L.)
Cal Quantrill, p., San Diego
Hunter Harvey, p., Baltimore
Dereck Rodriguez, p., San Francisco
Darren Oliver, p., Texas, Los Angeles (A.L.)
Sandy Alomar Jr., c., Cleveland, Chicago (A.L.)
Jason Kendall, c., Pittsburgh, Oakland
Prince Fielder, 1b., Milwaukee, Texas, Detroit
Roberto Alomar, 2b., Toronto, San Diego, Cleveland
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3b., Toronto
Dee Gordon, 2b., Los Angeles (N.L.), Miami
David Bell, inf., Philadelphia (N.L.), Seattle, St. Louis (N.L.)
Bret Boone, 2b., Seattle, Cincinnati
Eduardo Perez, 1b., St. Louis, Cincinnati, California
Bump Wills, 2b., Texas
Cavan Biggio, ut. Toronto
Bo Bichette, ss., Toronto
Fernando Tatis Jr., ss., San Diego
Travis Shaw, inf., Milwaukee, Boston
Barry Bonds, of., San Francisco, Pittsburgh
Ken Griffey Jr., of., Seattle, Cincinnati
Moises Alou, of., Montreal, Chicago (N.L.), Houston
Cody Bellinger, of., Los Angeles
Tony Gwynn Jr., of, Milwaukee, San Diego, Los Angeles (N.L.)
MLB was thrown a curveball when the coronavirus forced the professional baseball league to call off the 2020 season just ahead of its big Opening Day this past March. Since then, team owners and players have been caught up in a virtual tennis match to get the season restarted, lobbing plans back and forth that neither side wants to approve. While they continue to battle it out, potentially closing in on an amicable, acceptable plan, the MLB Draft is taking place. However, it isn’t anywhere close to where it should have been and only five rounds – out of the normal 40 – are being held. Next season, only 20 rounds will be held.
The reduction in rounds means that a lot of aspiring professional baseball players won’t get their chance anytime soon. It’s safe to say that even those who have been selected may not get their chance if team owners and players can’t reach an agreement. This means that players like third baseman Spencer Torkelson out of Arizona State and outfielder Heston Kjerstad out of Arkansas can only wait around to see what happens. Torkelson was picked up as the first pick in the draft and is going to the Detroit Tigers, while Kjerstad, who wasn’t a top favorite for the draft, is on his way to the Baltimore Orioles. Shortstop Austin Martin from Vanderbilt had been highly considered to be the second pick in the draft, but ended up going to the Toronto Blue Jays as the fifth selection.
Now, the new selections and existing players can only wait to see what happens next. There exists a possibility that a deal to resume games could be reached before the end of this weekend, but anything is possible. According to Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports and his own Live on The Herd radio broadcast, “I was told last night by a source that I trust inside baseball that they’re close. My prediction is that the MLS will start July 8th, and that baseball will start July 10th. I’m going to make a prediction that in 48 hours – this is from a source up the ladder – that we will have a resolution and be on our way. I’m going all in on this, there will be around 75-80 games. The owners want to wrap up the regular season by September 27th, and they do not want to play in November. The owners have no interest, and are worried about a second wave of the virus. Frankly, they don’t want to play in crappy weather either… By 10:35 PT on Saturday, we will have a deal done.”
However, there is still a lot that needs to be done. Should the two sides fail to reach an agreement, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has the authority to establish how many games would be played to allow the 2020 season to run its course. If it comes to that, a number of players have already stated that they are prepared to boycott and will sit the season out. Even league executives aren’t entirely optimistic, with one telling USA TODAY Sports, “If we don’t get an agreement real soon, this is going to be ugly. Real ugly. And it’s just going to get worse.’’
Time is running out if the US is to see any professional baseball in 2020. The back-and-forth between MLB team owners and players continues, with one proposal after another being sent – and rejected. The MLB had presented an economic plan to restart the season to the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) a week ago, which was immediately rejected by the union. A counterproposal was then sent back with the rejection, which, while not completely tossed in the trash can, wasn’t totally accepted, either. A new counter-counterproposal is now on the table, but a decision has to be made soon if there is going to be MLB baseball this year.
In the MLBPA’s counterproposal, a longer regular season and deferred salaries were included, items that many knew would meet a brick wall with team owners. Now, owners are suggesting a much shorter season – somewhere around 50 games (the previous numbers have been anywhere from 82 to 114) – in order to try to maintain a schedule that will allow the league to stay on track going forward. The good news is that the owners are willing to support the ide of prorating players’ 2020 salaries, depending on the number of games that are ultimately played.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, “Major League Baseball intends to propose a shorter season in which they would pay players a full prorated share of their salaries, sources told ESPN. The league believes the late March agreement allows it to set the schedule, and that this would fulfill players’ pro rata desire.”
The owners aren’t totally responsible for the movement on the negotiations – league commissioner Rob Manfred has the legal authority to alter the length of the season, and could have been involved in coming up with the latest figures. When the MLB and the MLBPA signed an agreement following the suspension of the season because of COVID-19, that contract included a clause that would allow Manfred to designate the number of regular-season games and pay players 1/162 of their regular salary per game played. The relative part of that agreement reads, “Based on that feedback received from the Players Association, the Office of the Commissioner will construct and provide to the Players Association, as promptly as possible, a proposed 2020 championship season and postseason schedule (or multiple schedule options) using best efforts to play as many games as possible, while taking into account player safety and health, rescheduling needs, competitive considerations, stadium availability, and the economic feasibility of various alternatives.”
Things aren’t looking great for a return to the baseball diamond in the U.S. this year. MLB was forced to call off the season just ahead of Opening Day at the end of March because of the coronavirus and, at the time, team owners and players had come to an agreement on how to handle salaries. However, when the owners later tried to change the plan, players balked and made it clear that they wouldn’t be willing to suffer a financial hit. The owners tried to force the issue, anyway, causing additional consternation among the players. When the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) was presented with an economic plan drafted by the owners, it was immediately rejected, and a counterproposal has now been sent to the owners. However, some in the sports community believe it won’t find a lot of support and this could mean that baseball won’t be ready to return to the diamond anytime soon.
In hopes of trying to get MLB bats swinging, the MLBPA delivered a proposal to the league yesterday that would see the league play 114 games, instead of the 82 proposed by owners, which would be held from June 30 to October 31. The union also suggests deferred salaries until next at least season for players, as well as an option for players to opt out of any games this year due to concerns over COVID-19. The salary deferrals would only be triggered if the postseason were forced to be canceled, and are a counterdemand to the owners’ suggestion that players agree to a scale that would see them give up as much as 80% of their normal salaries.
If players were to opt out of the action, they would only be eligible to receive their salaries if they are deemed “low risk” for coronavirus infection. In addition to the other items listed in the MLBPA’s proposal, there would also be expanded playoffs for two years – as opposed to one year with 14 teams, as suggested by the owners – and a $100-million salary advance that would be made available to a player pool. In return, more players would have to mic up during games, as well as commit to other broadcasting initiatives.
Team owners have asserted that they are going to lose billions of dollars because fans won’t be allowed to attend games; however, they have yet been able to back this up on paper. Without demonstrating the losses, the MLBPA made it clear that they would not accept any salary reductions. This point, from the beginning, has been non-negotiable and the union is holding its ground on the subject.
Monkey Knife Fight (MKF), the fastest growing gaming platform in North America, announced a new partnership with the San Diego Padres. As the Official Fantasy Sports Partner of the Padres, MKF will be prominently displayed on signage at Petco Park and on all the Padres’ social media outlets.
In addition to the partnership, Monkey Knife Fight has contributed $50,000 to The Padres Foundation. The foundation is focusing their efforts during this pandemic on food insecurity and support for frontline workers in addition to their other outreach initiatives supporting the San Diego community.
“The Padres are excited to partner with MKF to grow and expand their tremendous lineup of fantasy sports platforms,” said Erik Greupner, President of Business Operations for the Padres. “Their very generous donation to The Padres Foundation will also provide much needed resources to combat hunger in the San Diego community during these challenging times.”
Bill Asher, Founder and CEO of Monkey Knife Fight commented, “I am excited to see MKF in such a world class city and to be associated with a team that is so intertwined with the community. The Padres have made it a priority to take care of San Diego’s frontline workers and to help where needed. The foundation has demonstrated the Padres unwavering support for their players, fans, and community.”
Following a similar announcement earlier this month with the Milwaukee Brewers, this signifies a real commitment that MKF is making to Major League Baseball and its fans, especially within these two cities. The moves reinforce MKF’s belief that there is a large appetite among these baseball fan communities to play fantasy sports games that allow them to focus on their local home town teams and favorite players.
Baseball in the U.S. has been at a standstill because of the coronavirus, which came in and knocked MLB on the head before Opening Day in March. Since then, everyone has been in a “wait-and-see” mode until a determination could be made regarding when games could be resumed. As the league continued to suffer economic damage, team owners were getting more frustrated and began to make crazy assertions for when the action resumed, such as players taking a bigger cut in salaries, while the billionaire owners reaped more benefits. That started a rift that threatened to force the cancelation of the entire season, but progress is now – slowly – being made. If things go well (which is still a huge if), MLB could see a return to spring training within just a few short weeks.
MLB owners and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) are actively trying to work out how best to make a return to the diamond. One proposal centers on the health aspect of a resumption of games, while another concentrates on how to overcome the economic hardship COVID-19 has caused. The former has already been sent by owners and management to the union, which provided its response yesterday. The latter was only handed over yesterday, and the players’ take on the suggestions won’t be known until probably early next week.
Among the options included in the 67-page health proposal, among plenty of others, were “frequent” testing of players, a ban on the use of showers and hydrotherapy equipment and arriving in uniform to the ballparks. Players didn’t react favorably to the majority of the suggestions, rejecting having to wear their uniforms to the parks and balking at the idea of not being able to use the showers or hydrotherapy equipment. Instead of “frequent” testing, they want players to be tested more often. The owners and managers will now have to review the union’s input and come up with a counterproposal.
While that’s happening, the union and player representatives will be mulling over the economic proposal. Owners have tried to argue that they stand to lose as much as $4 billion if players don’t take further pay cuts, an assertion that players don’t buy. They believe the owners are exaggerating the potential losses to justify not paying the players, and add that the owners are in a better financial position to incur the losses.
Reports started to surface yesterday, reportedly from baseball insiders, that MLB might start Spring Training 2 sometime next month. One story was presented that had training reactivating on June 10, with Opening Day being held on July 1. However, this is apparently not the case, and there is not yet any definitive timeframe to get baseball players back on the field.
Trevor Plouffe tweeted this past Monday, “… I just heard from multiple sources that on June 10th, Spring Training 2 will start. July 1st will be Opening Day and all teams will be playing at their home ballparks…” It would circulate for about a day before being debunked by Jon Heyman, who said that league sources were still busy talking to health officials and politicians, and that no date had yet been established.
That resonates with statements coming out of the MLB Player’s Association. The group’s boss, Tony Clark, explained to ESPN that players definitely want to play, but only once it is considered safe enough for players, staff and everyone else to share close quarters and spaces with others. He added that the league hadn’t shared any plans with the union, stating, “Despite all that has been floated and all the rhetoric that is out there, we have not received anything formal that details an actual plan.”
The first step to seeing baseball again is to ensure that there won’t be any health risks associated with the games. This could mean reducing the number of fields where games are played, as well as changing salaries because of a potentially shorter season. These issues, and others, have to be worked out before any concrete plan can be put on the table. Clark adds, “As these ideas find their way into mainstream media, there are some ideas that seem to make sense, there are others that don’t track very well. All of them are being viewed against the backdrop of getting back on the field and affording our guys an opportunity to do what they love to do. At this point, it’s unfortunate that there are things that keep finding their way into the conversation and are being represented as proposals when they aren’t.”
Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com), the market leader in sports simulations, continued an unparalleled month of growth and recognition this week, being selected by People.com as “Best Board Game for Sports Lovers” amongst their list of iconic games that have gained steam during these unusual times. The list includes other classics such as Monopoly, Candor, Scrabble and Candy Land. The entire list can be seen here https://people.com/entertainment/best-board-games/
“While the events of the last six weeks are certainly not what anyone wanted or expected, we continue to forge ahead by providing quality and engaging content on a daily basis, not just for our traditional players, but for thousands of new consumers of every demographic who have found us for the first time or returned to us after time away,” said Hal Richman, Strat-O-Matic founder and president. “We are honored to make this list. and are continuing to find new ways to have consumers connect not just with us but with each other; a connection that we believe will continue into the future.”
In addition to the recognition, the increased interest is also reflected in sales, traffic and social numbers, which continue on the upswing. 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.
Some Strat-O-Matic by the numbers highlights include:
Baseball Board and Windows platform sales from March 15-31, 2020, are more than 50% higher compared to the same time period in 2019
Baseball Board game product sales are more than 60% higher comparing second half of March 2020 to first half of March 2020
Baseball Windows platform sales are more than 45% higher comparing second half of March 2020 to first half of March 2020
New Members on Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365 are more than 75% higher between March 17-31, 2020, compared to the same time period in 2019
Traffic on Strat-O-Matic.com from March 27, 2020, was 472% higher compared to March 27, 2019
Since MLB’s scheduled March 26 Opening Day, traffic on Strat-O-Matic.com has been 380% higher compared to the same time frame of 2019
Since MLB’s scheduled March 26 Opening Day, new users on Strat-O-Matic.com have been 781% higher compared to the same time frame of 2019
Fans with questions about any facet of the Baseball Daily and Basketball simulations can contact Strat-O-Matic at [email protected].
Some potentially good news last week regarding the chances there will be a Major League Baseball season at some point this year. Needless to say, owners and players are both going to do whatever it takes to play even 50-60 regular season games and a postseason because both sides would lose hundreds of millions of dollars if there’s no baseball in 2020.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the United States and really the public face of battling the coronavirus, said he could see a way that sports could return this summer – he didn’t give a date and wasn’t going to make a prediction – and that’s if games are played in empty stadiums/arenas and the players are quarantined in hotels.
MLB seems to be looking at a plan to have all 30 teams play in Arizona, which has 10 spring training sites with ballparks, a few major colleges with fields and Chase Field – all in the greater Phoenix area.
Just as Major League Baseball (MLB) was preparing for Opening Day, along came the coronavirus, preventing the league from even entering the batter’s box. That was almost two months ago, and there is still no clear picture about when, and if, the 2020 season will be allowed to resume. Ideas on resuming play, such as holding all games in Phoenix, Arizona, have been floated, but the odds of that happening are about as good as Hillary Clinton winning this year’s presidential election (since she’s not even a candidate, the result should be clear). Still, MLB was willing to recognize the efforts being made by its employees across the country to keep the league ready for action, and agreed to cover certain salaries for a while. However, all good things must come to an end, and MLB brass is giving teams permission to make cuts where necessary – players excluded.
About a week ago, MLB announced that it would pay its employees through the end of May and that the top league officials were going to reduce their pay by an average of 35%. It also said that players would be eligible to receive some type of compensation from a $170-million fund that was being created. As of today, though, teams could have the green light from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to temporarily lay off employees or reduce their salaries if they feel it’s necessary. The only exemption, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic points out, is that players cannot be touched.
Nothing would be better than to see all sports leagues back in action. Ideas of games in different sports beginning in May or June are still being discussed, but nothing definite has been, or will be, decided quickly. According to Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated, “[According] to the experts—medical experts, not the money-making experts in league offices—we will not have sports any time soon.”
Still, others in the medical community believe that something could happen soon. Most notably, the top coronavirus fighter in the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, said last week, “There’s a way [for players to play]. Put them in big hotels wherever you want to play. Keep them very well surveilled and name me a surveillance. But have them tested, like every week and make sure they don’t wind up infecting each other or their family. And just let them play the season out. People say, ‘Well, you can’t play without spectators. Well, I think you’d probably get enough buy-in from people who are dying to see a baseball game, particularly me. I’m living in Washington. We have the world champion Washington Nationals. I want to see them play again.”
