2019-2020 Offseason Discussion

[fish16]

5 rounds seems completely fucking ridiculous. Not sure if MLBPA approval was needed or if they dont have say over draft things but its surprising they allowed that given how powerful that players association generally is.

[Lee Stone]

MLB proposed 10 rounds, with allotments for rounds 6-10 to be one half of last year's figures. MLPA turned that down and countered (no specified numbers) but was refused. So five is it.

[tjfla]

5 rounds seems completely fucking ridiculous. Not sure if MLBPA approval was needed or if they dont have say over draft things but its surprising they allowed that given how powerful that players association generally is.

They pretty much gave MLBPA 2 options

10 Rd Draft with a limit on UDFA
5 Rd Draft with NO limit. Which means teams could sign 25+ guys and it would be like a "Normal" draft. U just need a good scouting dept which MIAMI has!!

Pretty much only people who get screwed are the players. Either sign for 20K or go back to school and lose a year off your clock. Most college baseball players want to get into a system before 22 and lots of HS guys have no desire to go to school.

[Lee Stone]

I think the issue of player salary will ultimately scuttle negotiations for an abbreviated season with no fans in attendance. I keep reading that players believe that a proration of their salary based on games played (1/2 salary for 81 game season) is the deal. Obviously, that's illogical. Owners would receive much less than half normal revenue ... closer to 30% probably. Ultimately, rather than a half major league season, I can envision a 2020 minor league season instead. Each team formulates a 40-man team of prospects that plays in either the major league or a minor league park. I think such a season would draw a good TV audience, allow development of players, and be interesting for the game. I don't know what would prevent MLB franchises from exercising such an option.

[Nick]

There's no way MLB comes back this year without major league players. You want to talk about some bad PR. Have a strike while a pandemic is going on.

[Namaste]

I’ve been saying it on this board for 2 months, MLB will be playing regular season games in July, Lee.

[fauowls44]

New ESPN mock draft this morning...interesting note.

3. Miami Marlins: Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M

The thought here is that Miami just takes whichever of the top three prospects gets to this pick, but there's also some buzz that if the wrong one is here, they could take a college player projected a half dozen or so picks later for some savings for their later picks. Lacy has big stuff with a mid-90s heater and a slider that are both at least 65-grade pitches, as well as a changeup that has flashed 55-to-60 grade quality at times. The issue is his command, as a result of his somewhat awkward finish to his delivery. Scouts who have followed Lacy since high school swear on his makeup and his performance on the biggest stages, where his command has been at its best.

I wonder who the "wrong one" is? This is pretty much exactly what people were saying last year before the draft and they just took the best available player in Bleday, so I guess we will see.

I personally wouldn't mind taking Gonzales. Also, Mitchell from UCLA or Kjerstad from Arkansas are interesting although we have lots of OF prospects already.

[Lee Stone]

I would say that last year Miami selected the most proven college hitter available, not the best available player ... who I saw as CJ Abrams. In my eyes, Bleday's ceiling is a Michael Conforto. Abrams, with four great tools and the potential to develop a power tool as well, has a higher ceiling.

Some scouts see Blake Snell in Lacy. I'd take that any time. Power lefties are rare.

[Lee Stone]

There's no way MLB comes back this year without major league players. You want to talk about some bad PR. Have a strike while a pandemic is going on.

Under the scenario I suggested, MLB would not be coming back this year. Also, a failure to agree on terms to play an abbreviated season under the current circumstances would not constitute a strike by players. I could be wrong, of course, but I haven't read anything that would preclude franchises from creating a minor league season of their own design.

[Lee Stone]

So that everyone is on the same page, the following article lays out the circumstances.

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/05/10...ry-reductions/

It all boils down to this paragraph: A source familiar with that agreement says that there is a provision in which the players agreed to engage in good faith discussions about the economic feasibility of playing games without fans, but those familiar with the agreement say that provision relates to the decision of whether to play the games or not if fans can’t be present, not that the presence of or lack of fans might alter how players would get paid.

Logic dictates otherwise. There can be no reason for this clause other than the issue of player compensation under altered circumstances.

[Nick]

Under the scenario I suggested, MLB would not be coming back this year. Also, a failure to agree on terms to play an abbreviated season under the current circumstances would not constitute a strike by players. I could be wrong, of course, but I haven't read anything that would preclude franchises from creating a minor league season of their own design.

Yeah, but if the MLB doesn't come back, and something else comes back in it's stead. It's basically a strike, even if they don't call it one, because they had the ability to come back and just didn't.

[Lee Stone]

Yeah, but if the MLB doesn't come back, and something else comes back in it's stead. It's basically a strike, even if they don't call it one, because they had the ability to come back and just didn't.

All true. However, in the end, MLB owners have to decide how much of a beating they are willing to take - and how much risk. A revenue-sharing arrangement seems like the most prudent approach for both sides. Viewership of games in front of empty bleachers might come off like an episode of Big Bang Theory without the canned laughter added.

[Namaste]

Viewership of games in front of empty bleachers might come off like an episode of Big Bang Theory without the canned laughter added.

Safe to assume you haven’t been watching any KBO on ESPN2?

[Lee Stone]

Safe to assume you haven’t been watching any KBO on ESPN2?

That's a safe assumption. However, if things were normal, I'd be watching tons of Wind Surge baseball this season.

[Nick]

I've enjoyed watching KBO, recorded every game so far. It's not having the MLB back, but it scratches an itch.