MLB News & Notes (other than Cubs or Sox)

[1060Ivy]

Hmmm so Cubs have won as many playoff games as the Sox so far this post season - always be ready with a dick comment in case theres a WS fan nearby

[Butcher]

Hate watching these playoffs has been exhausting.

[MrSheps]

Well, Sox are done. I didn't realize this is the 5th straight ALCS for Houston. Sheesh.

[rok]

https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/1...4503286791

[1060Ivy]

Can recall the time of “sustained success” commentary from Cubs front office and ownership. How did the Dodgers accomplish what Cubs said they were going to do? Yeah, the Dodgers’ TV contract is one difference and probably a main element of story but there are others elements e.g. Focus on pitching rather than position players ?



Article notes mix of potential HOF veterans with Dodger homegrown talent and how Dodgers pared their rosters of homegrown talent to continue bringing in veterans



https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/18/sport...depth.html

[MrSheps]

I feel like whether you build primarily around pitching or position players doesn't matter as much as if you're willing to spend to help the side that's lacking. I think it is indeed the Dodger's TV contract that has mattered the most. I may just not be able to find the right info, but I don't know or understand the details surrounding Marquee nearly as well as the bottom line of the Dodgers' deal. The Dodgers got a ton of guaranteed money and were happy to publicize that, even if they couldn't reach carriage deals. The Cubs on the other hand-- who knows what money they got or what % of profits from carriage deals they're getting.  The Chicago media hasn't dug into this at all, the focus was on the team not being on WGN anymore, and why the broadcast team was forced to wear suits, and why the score bug was positioned center bottom and not upper left and all this crap that doesn't matter. I can't imagine the Cubs aren't wildly profitable in terms of attendance and game days with all that has been done around the stadium, but the lack of reporting around the tv network is just lazy, because that more than anything would let fans know if they screwed up or are all well positioned to spend or what. I hope someone will do a deep dive into this, because it would be nice as a fan to have a better picture of the finances of the team. 

[1060Ivy]

My assumption is Ricketts are rolling in cash - is their TV deal more profitable than the Dodgers deal? Nope but are the Ricketts real estate deals, media, and political deals - that are Cubs related e.g. Ricketts running the National Trump re-election fund raising because their association with the Cubs - more profitable than the Dodgers? Most likely, yet the club couldnt afford to add one high end free position player beyond Joc Pederson in the last 3 freaking off seasons and had to dump Darvish in the last off season. Shameful.

[1060Ivy]

Athletic reporting that the Blue Jays signing Gausman for 5 years $110 MM

[rok]

And Rangers now getting Gray for 4 years and $56mm.



Maybe the Cubs are sitting out the offseason after all...

[Auz]

Yep. Jon Gray ticks a lot of boxes for the Cubs and for Gray to sign to the Rangers at that price tells me they are throwing the towel in for next season as well.

[1060Ivy]

Rumor is that Mets offer to Scherzer is around $42 MM per year for 3 or 4 years.



He may still decide to stay on West Coast but damn that’s a major offer



Didn’t anyone tell these guys that payroll flexibility, not players, is what wins the World Series!

[Butcher]

Mets let Thor walk and they're going to sign Scherzer for that kind of money? What an odd organization.

[funkster]

Seager to the Rangers.

[1060Ivy]

Mets acting like a big market team owned by billionaire



Rangers acting like they want to win



While the Dodgers seem like they havent begun to open their sizable wallets

[Bricklayer]

Guys? I thought we were going to not give out big contacts to try and break the union and then set a hard salary cap. Remember thats what we were saying? Guys?

Tom Ricketts trying to talk to other owners right now, probably