04-07-2010, 01:56 PM
<!--quoteo(post=86622:date=Apr 7 2010, 03:36 AM:name=mindbodyspirit)-->QUOTE (mindbodyspirit @ Apr 7 2010, 03:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=86600:date=Apr 6 2010, 06:31 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Apr 6 2010, 06:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=86597:date=Apr 6 2010, 06:30 PM:name=Lance)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lance @ Apr 6 2010, 06:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=86533:date=Apr 6 2010, 02:59 PM:name=BackyardLegend)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BackyardLegend @ Apr 6 2010, 02:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--sizeo:1--><!--/sizeo-->[size1]While I am not a fan of players making ridiculous money as role players or as bullpen filler, I think a quite valid argument can be made for collusion, should the Players' Association chose to go that route. I can't remember in my lifetime players like Jermaine Dye (25+ HR) or Hank Blalock (20+ HR), for 2 examples, not finding a roster spot SOMEWHERE. I can't remember an off-season where a relatively small group of players got FA pay increases, while the majority either took decreases or had to sign minor league deals. I'm not going to argue supply-side economics, just saying that I find it peculiar that 30 teams, without a notable exception, all followed this pattern. Even Boston, who did sign Lackey, Beltre, Cameron, and Scutaro, still did so below the cost of their combined 2009 salaries. If it happens again after this season, I think we'll be seeing a major suit brought up by the Players' Association, and there is clearly grounds for legal investigation (recession or no). The "market corrections" argument may be valid to a point, but if one looks at the Yankees (coming off of a profitable WS title season) replacing Damon with Winn/Gardner and Matsui with Johnson, clearly there is more going on than just market corrections there.<!--sizec--><!--/sizec-->[/size]
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I don't trust the owners as far as I can throw a piano, but on this topic, there seems to be some obvious reasons for the cutback. Below, Tango gives another very good reason: teams are realizing that old guys like Dye suck so badly on defense that they simply aren't worth multi-millions. From the Playing the Percentages website :
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->MLBPA: looking for evidence of wrongdoing
By Tangotiger
I’m almost always on the side of the players. But this is silly:
Agents for players, without going into specifics, have claimed they received multiple similar offers for free-agent clients and have pushed the union to contest the practice.
Ok, suppose that there’s a measure that everyone likes. I dunno, let’s call it… WAR. And let’s say that it’s constructed by researchers that both sides respect, say Tango, Rally, and Fangraphs. And say that there’s a site that lists the dollar values, like a Beckett’s price guide or NYSE. Then, teams give out offers that are consistent to what they read. Well, this is a GOOD thing isn’t it? There’s no collusion, there’s no acting in concert. There’s an understanding that, hey, maybe Tango and Rally and Fangraphs know their sh!t.
I mean, Longoria, JJ Hardy, etc, those are much more believable than teams realizing that Jermaine Dye’s poor fielding is actually very costly. But, this is the MLBPA… they care about the veterans almost to the exclusion of the young players.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--sizeo:1--><!--/sizeo-->[size1]While I am not a fan of players making ridiculous money as role players or as bullpen filler, I think a quite valid argument can be made for collusion, should the Players' Association chose to go that route. I can't remember in my lifetime players like Jermaine Dye (25+ HR) or Hank Blalock (20+ HR), for 2 examples, not finding a roster spot SOMEWHERE. I can't remember an off-season where a relatively small group of players got FA pay increases, while the majority either took decreases or had to sign minor league deals. I'm not going to argue supply-side economics, just saying that I find it peculiar that 30 teams, without a notable exception, all followed this pattern. Even Boston, who did sign Lackey, Beltre, Cameron, and Scutaro, still did so below the cost of their combined 2009 salaries. If it happens again after this season, I think we'll be seeing a major suit brought up by the Players' Association, and there is clearly grounds for legal investigation (recession or no). The "market corrections" argument may be valid to a point, but if one looks at the Yankees (coming off of a profitable WS title season) replacing Damon with Winn/Gardner and Matsui with Johnson, clearly there is more going on than just market corrections there.<!--sizec--><!--/sizec-->[/size]
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't trust the owners as far as I can throw a piano, but on this topic, there seems to be some obvious reasons for the cutback. Below, Tango gives another very good reason: teams are realizing that old guys like Dye suck so badly on defense that they simply aren't worth multi-millions. From the Playing the Percentages website :
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->MLBPA: looking for evidence of wrongdoing
By Tangotiger
I’m almost always on the side of the players. But this is silly:
Agents for players, without going into specifics, have claimed they received multiple similar offers for free-agent clients and have pushed the union to contest the practice.
Ok, suppose that there’s a measure that everyone likes. I dunno, let’s call it… WAR. And let’s say that it’s constructed by researchers that both sides respect, say Tango, Rally, and Fangraphs. And say that there’s a site that lists the dollar values, like a Beckett’s price guide or NYSE. Then, teams give out offers that are consistent to what they read. Well, this is a GOOD thing isn’t it? There’s no collusion, there’s no acting in concert. There’s an understanding that, hey, maybe Tango and Rally and Fangraphs know their sh!t.
I mean, Longoria, JJ Hardy, etc, those are much more believable than teams realizing that Jermaine Dye’s poor fielding is actually very costly. But, this is the MLBPA… they care about the veterans almost to the exclusion of the young players.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance