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In an memo to players today, the MLBPA said it is weighing the timing and substance of a potential response to MLB’s proposal that “sought additional paycuts of more than $800M that it contends are necessary to make it economically feasible to play games without fans.” 1/2
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 29, 2020
The MLBPA’s memo to players also states, “Importantly, the union still awaits key documents from MLB that would support the dubious financial distress claims the league has made in its attempt to force the additional givebacks from players.” 2/2
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 29, 2020
The Royals GM had these comments. They may still release players before next summer, but do have some acceptance and appreciation of the timing and the current situation.
In a conference call with local media members today, Royals GM Dayton Moore said this about the club's decision to stand by their minor league players: pic.twitter.com/8ZfWWx95Jh
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) May 29, 2020
Baseball writers broadly calling on MLB/MLBPA to "put aside their differences" or "rise to the occasion" or "realize what's at stake" without actually engaging in the specifics and equities of the matter are about as useless as useless can be.
— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) May 29, 2020
Onyx wrote:
The Minor league cuts were going to HAVE To happen if they are cutting that many minor league teams…it was just a matter of when it was going to happen
This is true. However, the cuts are a year earlier than absolutely required. That is a year lost for at least some of these players to step up and improve their stock.
However, the reality of no 2020 minor league season, the down revenue for MLB and the folding of resistance to the MiLB contraction plan together moved the cuts forward on the calendar. That it was apparently inevitable doesn’t make it less painful, especially for those who had been holding out slim hopes.
David Price joins Adam Wainwright, Shin-Soo Choo and other MLB players helping out minor leaguers.
This is great that David Price has reportedly stepped up to help others, and not surprising given his history of charity. https://t.co/LkZcX6DggG It's also embarrassing for the owners who have directed firings and furloughs and 401K cuts, while bearing much more wealth than David
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) May 29, 2020
MLB Trade Rumors got to the Cardinals in their series.
Which of these #STLCards would you keep? https://t.co/mpPVXU213q pic.twitter.com/LSMC7R3I6M
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) May 28, 2020
#MLB announces that the #MLBDraft will be carried on multiple networks for the first time.
June 10: @MLBNetwork & @ESPN
June 11: @MLBNetwork & ESPN2More details: https://t.co/VZtoJQ8RRf pic.twitter.com/ACLvA03Hi5
— MLB Draft (@MLBDraft) May 29, 2020
MM3 asked:
Am I wrong in presuming that there will be NO minor league season this year? Doesn’t seem possible to support them with no fans in the stands.
It is a very good assumption, and the player cuts now seem to put the final nail in the coffin, but there has been no formal announcement.
Some media types are misrepresenting the minor league cuts as “they would have happened, anyway.” Some, yes, but not anywhere near all. However, many organizations did not drop players in March, so their numbers will be higher now.
According to BA data, here are the prior number of releases by the Cards in recent years between March and May:
2018 36
2019 19
2020 (prior to now) 10All 30 organizations are listed here.
It is a possibility until it is not. Too many unanswered questions between now and then to even guess what will happen.
My speculation: With the expense pressures teams are facing, I wonder if the AFL decision would require all 30 teams to buy in. Based on what we are reading, do we think Oakland would participate unless they were forced to?
14NyquisT asked:
Would it be accurate to guess that the Cards will release +/- 30 players? Or will it be more? Any ideas about who is near the top of the list?
Numbers unknown. I will not speculate on names. That would not be fair or appropriate, IMO.
MM3 asked:
Will the Cards release a list of players who are let go?
Eventually. This entire matter is being handled oddly. (Guessing there is an MLB-wide moratorium until they have contacted all the players.)
Interesting if true. It would explain how and why all teams agreed to pay through May 31.
And, under the Paycheck Protection Program of the CARES Act, the teams received forgivable loans to carry them (and all employees) for 60 days, meaning, as soon as the grants expired, they stopped paying the players.
— (((EugeneFreedman))) (@EugeneFreedman) May 28, 2020
The Braves have released over 50 minor leaguers. Most years, that number is about 25. This is not the norm. This is an unprecedented moment in baseball history.
— More Than Baseball (@mtb_org) May 29, 2020
The #stlcards released 10 players on March 31. We are waiting to see how many more are out. Excluding the 40-man roster and about 90 DSL players, there were 160 minor leaguers remaining under contract – until now. (free) https://t.co/NxSySQHrZF
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) May 28, 2020
Given my background on both sides of the fence in pro sports, I've been asked for my take on @MLB_PLAYERS & @MLB return to play negotiations. Putting aside the more serious & complicated health and safety issues, this summarizes why I believe the parties are facing a stalemate: pic.twitter.com/bwzWu7w1oS
— Greg Bouris (@bourisg) May 28, 2020
Looks like this wave will be game-wide.
In normal years, cuts happen but not en masse like this. The fallout from the coronavirus, expected minor league contraction and the anticipated cancellation of the 2020 minor league season prompted organizations each to release dozens of players, who were being paid $400 a week.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 28, 2020
New odds courtesy of BetOnline (www.BetOnline.ag, Twitter: @betonline_ag).
Will there be an MLB regular season?
Yes -500 (1/5)
No +300 (3/1)Goold delivers the good news. National guys deliver the bad.
#Cardinals will continue to pay the allowance to their minor-league players through the end of June, official says. Decisions are made month to month, but team is hopeful to pay through the end of a season. #stlcards #MLB
— Derrick S. Goold (@dgoold) May 28, 2020
#STLCards another team releasing minor leaguers today, according to multiple sources. Known teams to make cuts: Mariners, Brewers, Reds, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Rockies, Braves, DBacks, Rays.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) May 28, 2020
CFICT, you raise the real wild card. How will fans react? I don’t mean the angry words now. That is very predictable. I mean the REAL actions later. My guess is that the owners may feel the game is bulletproof. Until last season, MLB drew more than 70 million fans for 15 years in a row. They have been making record profits, less and less of which depends on rear ends in stadium seats.
Danny Mac and I talked about this briefly on our last podcast. I think the game will bounce back whether they play or not because the situation across our entire country is so disjointed and disrupted this year. Dan is not as sure. I hope I am right and he is wrong, but it surely could go the other way.
bikemike asked:
I would think the union would have had the right to see the books written into the agreement years ago.
Opening the books is not something the owners want. Further, players have not been participating in revenue sharing, so it was not an area they needed to dig into deeply. The only revenue sharing has been between the owners themselves. I do believe there are some basic audited statements the players had access to.
ICYMI https://t.co/QqgRG3OHEW… if players end up taking less $ to play, the chances of at least a few refusing to return goes up. Some thoughts on why and what kind of players might abstain.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) May 28, 2020
Jayson Stark tweeted concern that June 1 is already so close. I replied with an assessment that unless the players give in, the owners’ motivation may be to delay the regular season as long as possible.
Since owners assert they would lose money with every game played, why would they be in a hurry to start the regular season? Isn't their best-case financial scenario (without further concessions from the players) a short regular season and extended playoffs?
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) May 28, 2020
Using various measures, I evaluate which level of play in the #stlcards minor league system has been most successful since 1963. Triple-A and Class A duke it out. ($) https://t.co/TfV028vKCH pic.twitter.com/EVq9Pjvocd
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) May 28, 2020
