Today the owners voted 30 – 0 to approve the deal the players’ union agreed to earlier in the day. The players’ representatives weren’t unanimous; their vote was 26 – 12. According to CBS Sports, “The union voted to approve a new proposal by a 26-12 margin (a simple majority, or 20 votes, was all that was required for the new agreement to pass, but it’s notable that the eight members of the executive subcommittee all voted no).”
From MLB.com:
The deal came to fruition a day after MLB postponed Opening Day until April 14 in the absence of a new agreement and announced that each team’s first four series were removed from the schedule. However, as part of this agreement, a full 162-game schedule will be played, and the four series that were previously removed from the calendar will be rescheduled. The new five-year CBA includes increased minimum salaries, a new pre-arbitration bonus pool to reward the top young players in the game, a raise in competitive balance tax thresholds, the introduction of a universal designated hitter, the widest-ranging Draft lottery in pro sports, a system to prevent alleged service-time manipulation and limits on the number of times a player can be optioned in a season to address concerns regarding “roster churn.”
The deal also includes an expanded 12-team postseason format, bringing playoff baseball to two additional markets each year.
As part of the agreement, a Joint Competition Committee will be formed comprised of four active players, six members appointed by MLB and one umpire. Beginning in 2023, the committee will be tasked with adopting changes to playing rules such as a pitch clock, base size, defensive positioning and automatic ball/strike zone.
Notable:
The minimum salary jumps from $570,500 to $700,000, the largest single-year increase in history.
The Competitive Balance Tax jumps to $230M from $210M
A new Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool of $50M will be created from revenue earned from sources like national television rights sales. It will be distributed to the top 100 players based on awards and statistical performance). Examples: “Under this system, NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes would have seen his salary jump from $608,000 to $4.2 million last season, while Rookie of the Year winners Randy Arozarena and Jonathan India would have seen their respective salaries more than triple in 2021.
An International Draft will be instituted. “International Draft would be 20 rounds (600-plus selections), increasing the total compensation earned by amateurs by more than $20 million annually.”
Other rules changes:
Contracts for arbitration-eligible players will be guaranteed.
Top prospects who finish 1st or 2nd in the Rookie of the Year voting will receive a full year of service.
Clubs promoting top prospects to Opening Day rosters will be eligible to receive Draft picks if the player finishes in the Top 3 in the Rookie of the Year voting or Top 5 in MVP/Cy Young voting.
Expanded postseason: 12 teams, with the top two division winners receiving a bye.
Universal designated hitter.
Players may only be optioned five times per season.
Gonsolin threw three fine innings.
Votto knows how to put things into context. https://twitter.com/MLBONFAX/status/1506853789961052162?s=20&t=KUoZwQ7Ke0HBDizZZiuX8A
Roster size expands at beginning of season, but in news you can’t stand, the “ghost runner” in extra innings is back.
Matt Beaty DFAed, Hanser Alberto up.
Beaty’ll find a job. He’s a good bench bat at worst.
Andrew Heaney’s Dodger debut is not going well.
I’m still wondering what AF was thinking when he signed Heaney.
From what I read, his pitching coaches and scouts thought they could tweak his windup and get better results.
Haven’t been able to catch any of the games. For those that have, how is Rios doing?
I’d say he looks pretty good.
As for being in mid-season form, Will Smith goes deep to left and Steiner says he went “the other way.”
Seems so… https://twitter.com/danielbrim/status/1506369618725724163?s=21
Kenley’s departure was partly a function of the Dodgers trying to shed payroll before signing him to avoid hitting the maximum luxury tax.
Partly caused by the Bauer situation being unresolved.
Tough turn of events. Numbers gap must have been wide, given how well the FO did with the Freddie contract. (Trying to imagine just what sort of trade it might have taken). Kenley got himself a good spot, given the circumstances.
We’ll get to enjoy his return in 2023.
Seems more like a wish than anything
Don’t be so sure. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a3278846b250ea8cd7c085f934fc31f9eb389ff4ba38e4d1f1f92f583875bfbe.png
Sure, with school-age kids uprooting them now is the last thing you do. And not saying that returning isn’t a wish by Kenley. Just hard to imagine the future scenario where he comes back.
It sounds as if there was mutual interest, but the logistics didn’t quite work out.
Today’s game is free on MLB.tv
All of the Dodger games so far have been free on MLBTV.
“The Dodgers tried to bring me back,” says Jansen.
Wait till next year!
Dodgers sneaking up on Mariners: https://www.mlb.com/gameday/dodgers-vs-mariners/2022/03/19/706836#game_state=live,lock_state=live,game_tab=box,game=706836
Not an auspicious beginning for Pepiot, who’s a consensus top prospect.
Breaking… https://twitter.com/sjseric/status/1504879775516528642?s=20&t=35SNnGScK0zEehz_KZBV2g
A disappointing development. https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1505164936800002049?s=20&t=35SNnGScK0zEehz_KZBV2g
ITFDB! In other breaking news, https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1504913259576627200?s=20&t=m6wRh9Q6SqzkE2RxhUAsdw
One of the better articles on Joc Pederson and his new home.
https://www.knbr.com/2022/03/17/familiar-face-joc-pederson-comes-home-to-familiar-place/
Still, he’ll be happier when Farhan ships him off to a contender at the deadline.
Nice article. Joc hit lefties OK last year (league average!), but didn’t bash the righties like he used to.
Grant on Joc… https://twitter.com/grantbrisbee/status/1506400040096395275?s=21
Jansen now with Atlanta.
https://www.mlb.com/news/braves-kenley-jansen-contract
This makes me sad. Why didn’t we keep him with us?
It may be the “let ’em go a year early rather than a year late” philosophy that O’Malley and Bavasi used to espouse.
But heck, $16M isn’t all that much for another year of a guy who was highly productive last season.
Who will be our closer?
Probably closer by committee. At least to start the season. Some guys are going to have to step up.
Guessing the FO felt that his turnaround last year was not sustainable.
This Bauer situation needs to be resolved soon. Admin leave extended again. Manfred and MLB need to poop or get off the pot. It is cramping the Dodgers having him in limbo. They have had plenty of time to do their investigation. I don’t care if he pitches for us again or not. I will be OK either way. I just want them to make a decision so the whole thing can go away and the Dodgers can get on with business..
Long legal process with the Bauer now taking the offense. Guessing that MLB fears getting sued, so kicking it down the road as much as they can.
Here in Argieland, I’m watching the Twinkies and the Sawx. It’s not even 5 p.m., so dinner is at least four hours away.
Side benefit of the Freeman signing:
That’s from one of four articles about the Freeman signing in the LA Times today.
Freddie Freeman?!?!?!
Freddie ReasonablyPricedMan!
Pretty formidable lineup we’ll get to watch.
If they can stay healthy they will be a force.
Poor Joc! Maybe he’ll get traded to a contender at the deadline. https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/1504235360305483778?s=20&t=p-Gqgae9D0cnStwBQP7USQ
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1504308307967754240
https://twitter.com/kileymcd/status/1504307910058422272
MLB lost an employment case in court yesterday. A Federal judge ruled that minor leaguers are year-round employees, not “creative professionals” during those parts of the year they’re not playing organized ball.
Good. MLB has never treated minor leaguers very well; if this improves that treatment, good, particularly since MLB just severely downsized MiLB a year or two ago.
Today, on the bus ride from Buenos Aires to my wife’s hometown, there was a young Argentine wearing a LA cap. I greeted him with “Vamos, ¡Dodgers!”
Have been seeing lot more LA caps here in Mexico in recent years (Yanks caps more abundant). Argentina sighting must be rare I imagine
Trea Turner, in The Athletic:
A little more:
Significant upgrade on Seager.
I would much rather the Dodgers extend Turner before signing Freeman. I would forego both in order to keep Buehler and Urias.
Why not both?
I don’t think it is wise to go more than 3 years for a 32 year old 1st baseman. 4 max.
Rizzo to Yankees. Freemans leverage is diminishing.
Are the Mutts and Yanquis in trouble? https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1503833832168079365?s=20&t=ruxuX1Fa-RBUb5WNpBRxTw
It’s prediction time. Pecota gets the Dodgers more or less right, but grossly overrates the Gnats. https://twitter.com/cdgoldstein/status/1503828415102828547?s=20&t=KiL0IiBelHP1thb0F4IRSQ
In breaking news, https://twitter.com/pedromoura/status/1503766375277367297?s=20&t=afAQEGKQmFOmIuLtjIukCw
The Dodgers expand their broadcasting team.
Braves acquire Oakland 1B Olson. That would appear to free up Freeman for anyone willing to pay the price.
Koufax statue at the stadium finally in the works.
Long overdue.
Kershaw doing good work.
So long Joe Kelly. Signed a 2 year deal with the White Sox. No info on dollar amount yet.
Heard $17 million two-years. Nice piece of change when you include $4 million Dodger buyout.
Pricey. Leveraging his best year since 2017.
Hope they get their moneys worth from him. We didn’t.
The Hanser Alberto era has begun. https://twitter.com/JuniorMatrille/status/1502992446824890368?s=20&t=6StuX0lK_lHdRz5EKFvY1g
Not nearly as big as impact as say San Fran signing Rodón, but I kinda wonder about Dodgers doing a deal with Danny Duffy. I was wanting to see him pitch last year.
Same here, though they might want to target a lower risk innings-eater for the rotation, if not a bigger arm.
Dodgers apparently close to Duffy deal.
Looks like Tyler Anderson is the innings-eater.
Free agents to whom the Dodgers have been linked since the agreement was signed.
Happy, happy, joy, joy!
Kershaw and Dodgers agree on a one year deal. $17M plus incentives from what I’ve read.
Maybe Freddie tomorrow? He would be a welcome addition.
And then time to add a few more arms – one starting and one relieving please.
Bauer on leave for another week. MLB needs to make a decision soon about suspending him. Not fair to the Dodgers to keep the issue hanging.
Cut him loose!
https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1502416452221128709
I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
It’s interesting that it’s just a one-year deal.
Sad news.
https://twitter.com/hgomez27/status/1502089637745020952
Typo in that tweet: Perez played for the Braves, Dodgers, Royals and Nats.
How sad.
Very sad news.
Is it possible?!?!?!
It’s possible!