2021 Misc. MLB News

[Eye Black]

Dave Cameron is reportedly leaving the Padres front office. The former Fangraphs editor has been with the team since 2018.

 

The Padres seem to be in disarray.

Wow, I had missed that. Dave is so good, I hope he either comes back to the public side or joins the Brewers front office.

 

Found this article, Padres reportedly losing senior analyst Dave Cameron which included this paragraph:

 

A.J. Preller did utilize the services of Cameron as the senior analyst was vital in the Padres trading for both Trent Grisham and Jake Cronenworth. The Padres are getting tremendous value from this duo, and Cameron was essential in recognizing their abilities. Losing him from the department is concerning. Not just for his eye for talent, but the fact he was a well-known name who brought clout to the Padres’ analytical department.

[DHonks]

Their sister city plan with Montreal is a dumb idea however. If the Expos couldn't make it work with Montreal and Olympic Stadium the Rays won't fare any better once the novelty has worn off.

 

That was a totally different time. The Expos had the worst owner in professional sports, the Canadian dollar was crushing them, etc.

 

I’ve loved the two-city idea since it was announced. Rays fans won’t be affected, since they have high TV ratings but don’t attend games. Nobody wants to play in Tampa in June-Aug, and nobody wants to play in Montreal in April, May, or Sept.

[tmwiese55]

Definitely give credit for creativity. But will it fix the attendance problem? TB fans still won't go, will Montreal fans go for a team that's half theirs, presumably still in a bad stadium? I'd think yes initially, but when the newness wears off? Or maybe they'll look at it like a test run, think of OKC in NBA. Where if they do well in the part time role they then try to get the new stadium there permanently and leave TB?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Florida is a horrible sports state. It just is. It always has been. All these things about the stadium's poor location may be true, but no team in that state gets strong support until they are knocking on the championship's door. In every sport. They just don't care.

[sveumrules]

Florida is a horrible sports state. It just is. It always has been. All these things about the stadium's poor location may be true, but no team in that state gets strong support until they are knocking on the championship's door. In every sport. They just don't care.

 

Yeah, the best was that one year the Heat were in the Finals and a bunch of fans started leaving early when they were losing late & then tried to get back in the stadium after the Heat came back to tie the game & send it to overtime.

[markedman5]

Tingler fired

 

[logan82]

Miami Dolphins seem to do ok. Baseball though, yup, pretty horrendous.

[owbc]

I think Florida sports fans are the smart ones. Florida is the scam capitol of the US and those fans know how to detect a shady owner when they see one. Loyalty is a two-way street.

 

The better run Florida sports teams do just fine. The other Tampa sports franchises do not have attendance problems. Baseball as a sport is incredibly popular in Florida.

 

MLB knows they are at fault here and they will happily push the narrative of blaming the fans or city or stadium or whatever. It's all baloney. Don't fall for it.

[nate82]

I think Florida sports fans are the smart ones. Florida is the scam capitol of the US and those fans know how to detect a shady owner when they see one. Loyalty is a two-way street.

 

The better run Florida sports teams do just fine. The other Tampa sports franchises do not have attendance problems. Baseball as a sport is incredibly popular in Florida.

 

MLB knows they are at fault here and they will happily push the narrative of blaming the fans or city or stadium or whatever. It's all baloney. Don't fall for it.

 

I still believe MLB missed their opportunity where they should have moved the Rays to Miami and moved the Marlins to Montreal. The Rays in Miami would sell out while the Marlins barely sell out at all.

 

Also the Rays owners have supposedly pissed off a lot of the other MLB owners especially the smaller market teams that have been investing their shared revenue by improving their MLB teams by using that money to increase payroll while the Rays have been mostly pocketing the money. It is one of the reasons why the $100m minimum cap was leaked to the media. Some of the small market teams are not happy with the Rays ownership right now and I wouldn't be surprised to see a vote where they force the Rays owners to sell at some point in the future especially if they get a new stadium and don't commit to spending. If the owners are not able to convince or force a sale get ready for a salary cap minimum to be set at some point. I think the salary cap minimum is going to be part of the new collective bargaining along with the DH to the NL and one or two more playoff teams. The salary cap minimum will be the owners concession to the players to add another playoff team or two. I believe the owners will take away a teams revenue sharing and probably bonus slot money for the draft and international signing.

 

As much as MLB likes what the Rays are doing on the field they hate them even more business wise.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Shame on the Rays for somehow staying competitive in the same division as the Yankees and red Sox!

 

7 playoff appearances and 2 trips to the ws in 14 years. obviously payroll isn't hampering them too much.

 

the stadium and the location sucks.... no getting around that. I don't know how anyone in baseball can grouse about how the rays spend their money.

[jerichoholicninja]

Shame on the Rays for somehow staying competitive in the same division as the Yankees and red Sox!

 

7 playoff appearances and 2 trips to the ws in 14 years. obviously payroll isn't hampering them too much.

 

the stadium and the location sucks.... no getting around that. I don't know how anyone in baseball can grouse about how the rays spend their money.

 

Exactly. They are the best run organization in all of pro sports right now. If fans don't want to go to the ballpark to watch that then they don't deserve a team. And I know everyone loves to rip on Luira but the guy shelled out money to win two Championships. Ya, he blew it apart and penny pinched the rest of the time but his trophy case has more hardware than most other owners.

[nate82]

Shame on the Rays for somehow staying competitive in the same division as the Yankees and red Sox!

 

7 playoff appearances and 2 trips to the ws in 14 years. obviously payroll isn't hampering them too much.

 

the stadium and the location sucks.... no getting around that. I don't know how anyone in baseball can grouse about how the rays spend their money.

 

If it was just the Rays money then sure but the Rays are pocketing the revenue sharing and not even including it in their financials. So basically the Rays are using the revenue sharing money as bonuses to the owners instead of what it is meant for which is for improving the team either through the minors, stadium, or salaries. This is what the owners are mad about at least the small market teams at least from the rumors that have come out.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see some rule changes to revenue sharing and what teams can and can not spend it on and how it has to be reported to the league. That $100m minimum cap was aimed at the Rays.

[MadThinker88]

Shame on the Rays for somehow staying competitive in the same division as the Yankees and red Sox!

 

7 playoff appearances and 2 trips to the ws in 14 years. obviously payroll isn't hampering them too much.

 

the stadium and the location sucks.... no getting around that. I don't know how anyone in baseball can grouse about how the rays spend their money.

 

If it was just the Rays money then sure but the Rays are pocketing the revenue sharing and not even including it in their financials. So basically the Rays are using the revenue sharing money as bonuses to the owners instead of what it is meant for which is for improving the team either through the minors, stadium, or salaries. This is what the owners are mad about at least the small market teams at least from the rumors that have come out.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see some rule changes to revenue sharing and what teams can and can not spend it on and how it has to be reported to the league. That $100m minimum cap was aimed at the Rays.

 

I dont believe the part in bold is true.

Why target a team that is spending money and being successful when other clubs (Pitts/ Miami) collect money and are not successful & have limited product on the field??

[wntrtxn21]

I think Florida sports fans are the smart ones. Florida is the scam capitol of the US and those fans know how to detect a shady owner when they see one. Loyalty is a two-way street.

 

The better run Florida sports teams do just fine. The other Tampa sports franchises do not have attendance problems. Baseball as a sport is incredibly popular in Florida.

 

MLB knows they are at fault here and they will happily push the narrative of blaming the fans or city or stadium or whatever. It's all baloney. Don't fall for it.

 

I still believe MLB missed their opportunity where they should have moved the Rays to Miami and moved the Marlins to Montreal. The Rays in Miami would sell out while the Marlins barely sell out at all.

 

Also the Rays owners have supposedly pissed off a lot of the other MLB owners especially the smaller market teams that have been investing their shared revenue by improving their MLB teams by using that money to increase payroll while the Rays have been mostly pocketing the money. It is one of the reasons why the $100m minimum cap was leaked to the media. Some of the small market teams are not happy with the Rays ownership right now and I wouldn't be surprised to see a vote where they force the Rays owners to sell at some point in the future especially if they get a new stadium and don't commit to spending. If the owners are not able to convince or force a sale get ready for a salary cap minimum to be set at some point. I think the salary cap minimum is going to be part of the new collective bargaining along with the DH to the NL and one or two more playoff teams. The salary cap minimum will be the owners concession to the players to add another playoff team or two. I believe the owners will take away a teams revenue sharing and probably bonus slot money for the draft and international signing.

 

As much as MLB likes what the Rays are doing on the field they hate them even more business wise.

 

I can't see the owners settling for a salary minimum without a hard cap (which the players would never want). No small market management could or should be upset with the way the Rays spend their money. Every franchise can do the exact same thing if they think it's the right thing to do. No way in the world smaller market owners would take on a $100M minimum just to add a playoff team.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The combination of a state where the outdoors are available most of the year, thus drawing all kinds of entertainment options + a huge amount of transplants does not make for feverish support of sports teams. SoCal has the same kind of thing going, but they have far more iconic franchises.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

...and there goes any chance of Jim Kaat in the Hall of Fame.

[Jimbo]

Their sister city plan with Montreal is a dumb idea however. If the Expos couldn't make it work with Montreal and Olympic Stadium the Rays won't fare any better once the novelty has worn off.

 

I kind of like the outside the box thinking. Is the thought behind is "fans will only go to so many games a year, so offer only 40 instead of 81...leads to larger crowds"?

[Patrick425]

I posted this in the general "in game" NLDS playoffs thread. However, also posting here as I'm hoping more people will see it and someone will have some information about this, because I'm really curious.

 

I'm watching the TB/Bos game. I noticed that they have a black tarp on the seats in the batters eye in CF. I remembered watching a game recently where fans were sitting there and thought it was odd that they allowed that. I could not remember if it was the wild card game or a regular season game. So, I went back and watched highlights of the wild card game and the Sept 25th game vs. the Yankees. Wild card game, fans were allowed to sit there. Sept. 25th (and today), it was blocked off with a black tarp. What is the rhyme or reason on when they allow fans to sit there?

[Vgmastr]

Those seats are only tarped off during day games.

[Patrick425]

Those seats are only tarped off during day games.

 

Ah, ok. I thought maybe it was something like that, but I also thought the game on the 25th was a night game. Went back and looked, and saw that it started at 4:10. I still think that's an odd policy. I guess because it's a bit darker at night, so sun reflecting off the fans is not an issue to the batter's eye?

[markedman5]

Shildt fired…..kind of surprising

 

[folly412]

Shildt fired…..kind of surprising

 

 

Interesting that Cardinals fans are pleased by this, but other teams' fans can't figure out why. Do they think too highly of themselves, or did they actually have a better roster than most believe?

 

Either way, I'm sure they'll hire someone we all consider to be insufferable.

[jerichoholicninja]

Schildt had a face that was very punchable. He seemed to fit in well with the long line of turd Cards managers with TLR and Matheny.

[nate82]

This makes no sense at all:

 

"We have a philosophical difference of the direction that our Major League club is going," president of baseball operations John Mozeliak

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Shildt fired…..kind of surprising

 

 

Interesting that Cardinals fans are pleased by this, but other teams' fans can't figure out why. Do they think too highly of themselves, or did they actually have a better roster than most believe?

 

Either way, I'm sure they'll hire someone we all consider to be insufferable.

 

Yadi as a player/manager would do that for me.