Random Baseball Musings

[ConstableRabbit]

Silly question, but can the Cubs just buy out the remainder of their TV contracts? Or will their TV partners never agree to such a deal?

 

this is something i've wondered about as well. this doesn't make sense at all. i mean, obviously this would have happened by now if it was possible, but why the hell can't we just give csn and wgn some huge pile of cash tomorrow in exchange for letting us go get 100 million a season or whatever from what the new deal would be? even if ricketts really is rubbing nickels together to heat up his ramen while living in the visitors' clubhouse, this seems like the easiest investment ever for some other rando to wander into. give tom the buyout upfront, get all the money back plus whatever you want in a month when the cubs sign a new tv deal.

 

The biggest problem is that the organization most likely to parter with the team to form a Cubs only network is Comcast, which is already their partner in CSN Chicago. Plus, Reinsdorf is a partner in that deal (accounting for 2/5 entities in the Cubs/Sox/Hawks/Bulls/Comcast partnership). There just isn't enough motivation for the parties to agree to a deal, without a huge payoff, and Ricketts can't afford a huge payoff.

FWIW, Ricketts also owns 25% of CSN Chicago.

 

Not exactly.

 

Ricketts owns 1/5th, 20%. Reinsdorf owns 2/5th, 40%. There are 5 entities, the 4 teams plus Comcast. Reinsdorf owns 2 of the 5 entities.

 

The point is that Ricketts' counterparties do not have motivation to help him make a bigger deal with another company.

 

Also, I already noted Ricketts was part of that

most likely to parter with the team to form a Cubs only network is Comcast, which is already their partner in CSN Chicago.

I'll be damned. The original deal had him with 25% ownership. Was that incorrectly reported by media sources, or did he sell a portion?

 

In any case, I agree with your original point.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'll be damned. The original deal had him with 25% ownership. Was that incorrectly reported by media sources, or did he sell a portion?

 

In any case, I agree with your original point.

 

What original deal?

 

I have always heard it described as a partnership with comcast and the four teams splitting ownership five ways.

[ConstableRabbit]

I'll be damned. The original deal had him with 25% ownership. Was that incorrectly reported by media sources, or did he sell a portion?

 

In any case, I agree with your original point.

 

What original deal?

 

I have always heard it described as a partnership with comcast and the four teams splitting ownership five ways.

It was initially reported as Rickets buying 25% in the Cubs deal.

[Pushfrog98]

Great. Now Cardinal fans are going to complain that the Red Sox cheated and that's the only reason they lost.

 

nm... already being discussed here: viewtopic.php?p=3001176#p3001176

[Clem Fandango]

Has there always been gold glove finalists? I'm getting notifications in a fantasy league that each position has 3 finalists. Is this new?

 

If so, is MLB designating players that need to be chosen at that position before hand? Cause all the finalists seem like solid choices. That could be the best thing for that award, if MLB is pre-selecting finalists based on actual numbers and analysis.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'm guessing it's the top vote getters, they're doing the finalists so they can hype the awards show

[davell]

Castillo has the best defensive numbers in MLB, doesn't he? He should have been nominated, at the very least.

[rocket]

Also posted in the game thread, but this is important. The St. Louis radio call of the pickoff is even more amazing than you're imagining.

 

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?topic_id=11493214&content_id=31189779

[jersey cubs fan]

Also posted in the game thread, but this is important. The St. Louis radio call of the pickoff is even more amazing than you're imagining.

 

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?topic_id=11493214&content_id=31189779

 

Huh huh, no idea why they are holding him, huh huh.

[BeerHere]

Also posted in the game thread, but this is important. The St. Louis radio call of the pickoff is even more amazing than you're imagining.

 

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?topic_id=11493214&content_id=31189779

I love the timing of the comment - "No idea why they're holding him on", and the incredulous, somewhat cocky laugh right before he gets picked off ending the game.

[Sammy Sofa]

Who the hell is their announcer? He sounds like this guy:

 

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/RORm1z90-Bs/hqdefault.jpg

[CubInOK]

Who the hell is their announcer? He sounds like this guy:

 

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/RORm1z90-Bs/hqdefault.jpg

It's still Mike [expletive] Shannon.

[Sammy Sofa]

GROSS, and I was right.

[ConstableRabbit]

Swallow the goddamned brat, Shannon.

[Derwood]

oh so much schadenfreude

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Also posted in the game thread, but this is important. The St. Louis radio call of the pickoff is even more amazing than you're imagining.

 

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?topic_id=11493214&content_id=31189779

I love the timing of the comment - "No idea why they're holding him on", and the incredulous, somewhat cocky laugh right before he gets picked off ending the game.

 

That is the greatest thing in the history of things.

[Banedon]

http://public.tableausoftware.com/views/Moneyball/PythagoreanTheory?:embed=y#1

[mul21]

Who the hell is their announcer? He sounds like this guy:

 

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/RORm1z90-Bs/hqdefault.jpg

It's still Mike [expletive] Shannon.

 

I've despised him from the first time I heard him say Maduxx's name. He insists on pronouncing it Maddox. Drunken d-bag.

[CubColtPacer]

I've been thinking about the DH rule. What about a compromise? Allow a DH for the starting pitcher only. Once the starting pitcher leaves, the DH or some other player has to leave the game and that becomes the pitcher's spot. The DH can replace a position player when the starting pitcher leaves, or the DH can also replace a position player earlier with the loss of the DH spot being the only penalty.

 

That preserves the vast majority of the NL strategy while making sure that pitchers rarely bat. It also allows for teams to hide players defensively for most of the game while at least forcing tough choices if their defense is atrocious. It doesn't feel too gimmicky or complicated, at least not more than the current rules surrounding the DH or double switches. It still allows for professional DH's or players returning from injury although it of course doesn't offer all the benefits that it does now.

 

Thoughts? I of course know I'm not the first one to come up with this idea, but I haven't heard it discussed much at all.

[seanimal]

I've been thinking about the DH rule. What about a compromise? Allow a DH for the starting pitcher only. Once the starting pitcher leaves, the DH or some other player has to leave the game and that becomes the pitcher's spot. The DH can replace a position player when the starting pitcher leaves, or the DH can also replace a position player earlier with the loss of the DH spot being the only penalty.

 

That preserves the vast majority of the NL strategy while making sure that pitchers rarely bat. It also allows for teams to hide players defensively for most of the game while at least forcing tough choices if their defense is atrocious. It doesn't feel too gimmicky or complicated, at least not more than the current rules surrounding the DH or double switches. It still allows for professional DH's or players returning from injury although it of course doesn't offer all the benefits that it does now.

 

Thoughts? I of course know I'm not the first one to come up with this idea, but I haven't heard it discussed much at all.

 

you damn idea stealer

 

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47724&p=1722101&hilit=modified#p1722101

 

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=60288&p=2717422&hilit=modified#p2717422

 

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=60383&hilit=i+trust+i+can+rely+on+your+vote&start=1425#p2753526

[seanimal]

actually i think i stole that idea, but i can't remember who from, so it's like i invented it

[UK1679666180]

Its better than the current setup between the Leagues, I do think NL managers would keep their starters in there longer to get that one more ab.

 

Not to sound like an old man but Id just get rid of the DH in the AL.

[SABR Gamer]

Just add the DH to the NL. End of discussion. It may not be ideal from some point of views, but it's the only realistic solution and levels the playing field.

 

Getting rid of the DH is not an option because the players union would not allow 15 job spots to just disappear.

[mul21]

Just add the DH to the NL. End of discussion. It may not be ideal from some point of views, but it's the only realistic solution and levels the playing field.

 

Getting rid of the DH is not an option because the players union would not allow 15 job spots to just disappear.

 

I've never understood this argument. It's not like all of a sudden the AL teams can only have 24 guys on their rosters. This would actually make it more likely that a marginally talented hitter would get a roster spot as a defensive replacement just about every game. There would still be the same number of players on rosters, they'd just be arranged a bit differently.

[USSoccer]

Just add the DH to the NL. End of discussion. It may not be ideal from some point of views, but it's the only realistic solution and levels the playing field.

 

Getting rid of the DH is not an option because the players union would not allow 15 job spots to just disappear.

 

I've never understood this argument. It's not like all of a sudden the AL teams can only have 24 guys on their rosters. This would actually make it more likely that a marginally talented hitter would get a roster spot as a defensive replacement just about every game. There would still be the same number of players on rosters, they'd just be arranged a bit differently.

 

They wouldn't agree to losing 15 job spots that make s crapton more money than some random all glove Rey Ordonez type who gets onto a roster as the 25th man.