New CBA negotiations

[CubinNY]

Ultimately, I'm just surprised that once again the MLBPA seems to have settled for minor incremental change on a system that's incredibly owner-friendly as currently constructed.

 

After they got embarrassed by how the last CBA played out, I always expected their asks to be much bigger this time around.

 

That's kinda how it has to work given the power dynamics, right? One favorable interpretation for the players is that they learned from the owners and started opening cracks in the system that can be expanded, the same way that the way the CBT operates now is far from what it was initially marketed. The bonus pool for pre-arb is a big thing there, and it'll be easier to continue to reform pre-FA comp with that mechanism to be added to/adjusted than it was in November. Service time levers are the other in that vein, though they are more modest in their current benefit. When you layer that on top of significant increases to minimum salary, the CBT, and closing some player unfriendly loopholes(option limits, draft/tanking reforms), I think they can be reasonably happy with the outcome, even if the net result isn't as much as our hopes and dreams given the last 2 CBAs.

Yeah, the owners didn't get to the power side of the arrangement just through the last CBA, they got there through several of them. The players took a step back in the right direction this time and they'll just have to keep it up in 2026.

They should bargain for scraping the CBT and go for revenue-sharing and a salary cap/floor. To me, it's the fairest way to divide the spoils. It also seems to work in other sports pretty well.

[Bull]

 

That's kinda how it has to work given the power dynamics, right? One favorable interpretation for the players is that they learned from the owners and started opening cracks in the system that can be expanded, the same way that the way the CBT operates now is far from what it was initially marketed. The bonus pool for pre-arb is a big thing there, and it'll be easier to continue to reform pre-FA comp with that mechanism to be added to/adjusted than it was in November. Service time levers are the other in that vein, though they are more modest in their current benefit. When you layer that on top of significant increases to minimum salary, the CBT, and closing some player unfriendly loopholes(option limits, draft/tanking reforms), I think they can be reasonably happy with the outcome, even if the net result isn't as much as our hopes and dreams given the last 2 CBAs.

Yeah, the owners didn't get to the power side of the arrangement just through the last CBA, they got there through several of them. The players took a step back in the right direction this time and they'll just have to keep it up in 2026.

They should bargain for scraping the CBT and go for revenue-sharing and a salary cap/floor. To me, it's the fairest way to divide the spoils. It also seems to work in other sports pretty well.

Players would never agree to anything involving a hard cap. They want the dodgers and Yankees to be able to go crazy every other year.

[UMFan83]

Amazing

 

 

 

13 All Star games have previously gone into extras and only 3 in the last 18 years so it might be awhile until we actually see this happen but seems like a fun way to end an exhibition game

[Irrelevant Dude]

Amazing

 

 

 

13 All Star games have previously gone into extras and only 3 in the last 18 years so it might be awhile until we actually see this happen but seems like a fun way to end an exhibition game

Now that's awesome.

[Bertz]

 

This is probably a day of the week deal. I know they've tried to not have it on Sundays previously, so they might set it to always be e.g. Friday

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I would like to register my standard complaint that best-of-3 opening rounds are horsefeathering dumb and that play-in games were awesome.

[Rob]

I would like to register my standard complaint that best-of-3 opening rounds are horsefeathering dumb and that play-in games were awesome.

 

Honestly, yeah. If you’re going that short it’s mostly luck anyways. Might as well make it exciting.

[Andy]

I would like to register my standard complaint that best-of-3 opening rounds are horsefeathering dumb and that play-in games were awesome.

I agree with this take. There's little difference in variance anyway, so go all in with it.

 

I will concede that it's nice that the higher seed gets all 3 home games, even if that's really just a result of needing to avoid travel days to cram the games in.

[UMFan83]

I would like to register my standard complaint that best-of-3 opening rounds are horsefeathering dumb and that play-in games were awesome.

I agree with this take. There's little difference in variance anyway, so go all in with it.

 

I will concede that it's nice that the higher seed gets all 3 home games, even if that's really just a result of needing to avoid travel days to cram the games in.

 

I'm the board's resident hater of the 1 game playoff so I love this. Even if the variance doesn't change much, I still like the idea of feeling like you are actually in the playoffs even if you lose. I keep forgetting the 2018 Cubs were technically in the playoffs because it really didn't feel like it. Give me a 3 game series and I'm happy.

 

Sure for all games where the Cubs aren't involved, the 1 game playoff is fun to watch but also feels crappy for the fans. It took the Pirates like 20 years to get their crap together and make the playoffs. Built a nice young core and all they got to show for it is 1 real playoff series before it was dismantled. Just think 162 games of success leading to 1 playoff game is such a bummer for those teams. But I know I'm in the minority here.

[Splendid Splinter]

I would like to register my standard complaint that best-of-3 opening rounds are horsefeathering dumb and that play-in games were awesome.

I agree with this take. There's little difference in variance anyway, so go all in with it.

 

I will concede that it's nice that the higher seed gets all 3 home games, even if that's really just a result of needing to avoid travel days to cram the games in.

 

I'm the board's resident hater of the 1 game playoff so I love this. Even if the variance doesn't change much, I still like the idea of feeling like you are actually in the playoffs even if you lose. I keep forgetting the 2018 Cubs were technically in the playoffs because it really didn't feel like it. Give me a 3 game series and I'm happy.

 

Sure for all games where the Cubs aren't involved, the 1 game playoff is fun to watch but also feels crappy for the fans. It took the Pirates like 20 years to get their crap together and make the playoffs. Built a nice young core and all they got to show for it is 1 real playoff series before it was dismantled. Just think 162 games of success leading to 1 playoff game is such a bummer for those teams. But I know I'm in the minority here.

 

I loved the play in games just because we got this

 

 

and this

 

[soccer10k]

.Sure for all games where the Cubs aren't involved, the 1 game playoff is fun to watch but also feels crappy for the fans. It took the Pirates like 20 years to get their crap together and make the playoffs. Built a nice young core and all they got to show for it is 1 real playoff series before it was dismantled. Just think 162 games of success leading to 1 playoff game is such a bummer for those teams. But I know I'm in the minority here.

 

The Pirates actually had three straight WC games. They won the first one before losing 3-2 to St Louis in the NLDS.

[UMFan83]

.Sure for all games where the Cubs aren't involved, the 1 game playoff is fun to watch but also feels crappy for the fans. It took the Pirates like 20 years to get their crap together and make the playoffs. Built a nice young core and all they got to show for it is 1 real playoff series before it was dismantled. Just think 162 games of success leading to 1 playoff game is such a bummer for those teams. But I know I'm in the minority here.

 

The Pirates actually had three straight WC games. They won the first one before losing 3-2 to St Louis in the NLDS.

 

Right, they went 1-2 those WCG and thus only played in the one real series. In those 3 years they had the 3rd best record in the NL, 4th best and 2nd best and they didn’t have much to show for all the winning

[soccer10k]

.Sure for all games where the Cubs aren't involved, the 1 game playoff is fun to watch but also feels crappy for the fans. It took the Pirates like 20 years to get their crap together and make the playoffs. Built a nice young core and all they got to show for it is 1 real playoff series before it was dismantled. Just think 162 games of success leading to 1 playoff game is such a bummer for those teams. But I know I'm in the minority here.

 

The Pirates actually had three straight WC games. They won the first one before losing 3-2 to St Louis in the NLDS.

 

Right, they went 1-2 those WCG and thus only played in the one real series. In those 3 years they had the 3rd best record in the NL, 4th best and 2nd best and they didn’t have much to show for all the winning

 

Definitely misread what you wrote. Thought you meant 1 playoff game (implying the 2015 game) and not 1 playoff series.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Bertz]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

Do we know if that's for everyone or just pitchers? Lindsay's tweet made it sound like everyone but the Dombrowski quote sounded like pitchers only.

 

It's emblematic of the PA's improvement this go around that the small quality of life stuff they focused on this go-around is stuff like this and not leg room on airplanes.

[Coach R]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

Do we know if that's for everyone or just pitchers? Lindsay's tweet made it sound like everyone but the Dombrowski quote sounded like pitchers only.

 

It's emblematic of the PA's improvement this go around that the small quality of life stuff they focused on this go-around is stuff like this and not leg room on airplanes.

 

Othani could have some interesting flexibility.

[Bertz]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

Do we know if that's for everyone or just pitchers? Lindsay's tweet made it sound like everyone but the Dombrowski quote sounded like pitchers only.

 

It's emblematic of the PA's improvement this go around that the small quality of life stuff they focused on this go-around is stuff like this and not leg room on airplanes.

 

Looks like the latter

 

[UMFan83]

nooooooooooo

 

[David]

yyyyeeesssssssssss

[UMFan83]

yyyyeeesssssssssss

 

I will say that between that rule and the 7 inning doubleheaders, I'll take the ghost runner any day of the weak. But I still don't like it.

[Irrelevant Dude]

I was just coming here to post the same thing... I knew they wouldn't let the extra innings runner go, but I still hate it.

[Rob]

yyyyeeesssssssssss

 

I hope you fall into a carton of thick onion gravy.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

In 2017, NL Central teams averaged 26 extra innings played, with 7 of those innings happening in the 12th or later.

 

In 2021, NL Central teams averaged 18 extra innings played, with 1 of those innings happening in the 12th or later.

 

 

So we're bastardizing the competitive environment so teams can play one less extra inning/late extra inning per month. Good times.

[Irrelevant Dude]

In 2017, NL Central teams averaged 26 extra innings played, with 7 of those innings happening in the 12th or later.

 

In 2021, NL Central teams averaged 18 extra innings played, with 1 of those innings happening in the 12th or later.

 

 

So we're bastardizing the competitive environment so teams can play one less extra inning/late extra inning per month. Good times.

But winning the game without a hit, via a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly, is much more exciting!

[jersey cubs fan]

In 2017, NL Central teams averaged 26 extra innings played, with 7 of those innings happening in the 12th or later.

 

In 2021, NL Central teams averaged 18 extra innings played, with 1 of those innings happening in the 12th or later.

 

 

So we're bastardizing the competitive environment so teams can play one less extra inning/late extra inning per month. Good times.

Are you really bastardizing the competitive environment by implementing a rule that affects a handful of innings per year?