New MLB Commish "open to154 game sched"

[swoboda]

I just read on the espn website that the new commissioner mr manfred is" open to changing the 162 game schedule." As the 162 schedule has only been in force since about 1961, a return to 154 would of course cause much debate about records.
what do you say?

[MBarrett]

Anything that reduces wear and tear on star players and subsequently allows them to play more is ok by me.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by swoboda

I just read on the espn website that the new commissioner mr manfred is" open to changing the 162 game schedule." As the 162 schedule has only been in force since about 1961, a return to 154 would of course cause much debate about records.
what do you say?

I like it. Start later finish earlier and get the WS over before snow.

Not sure the MLBPA would like this but it makes an excellent bargaining chip to get rid of draft pick compensation.

These musings are all aimed at the next CBA IMO.

[swoboda]

what about the owners? I don't think they want to give back four home games at the turnstiles, they have to get something back in real dollars to agree to that. But it's usually the case that the commissioner won't say something unless he already knows that the most powerful owners will support him.

[Westheim]

Eight games left or right don't make any difference. To get any noticeable effect on overall health in the player population you would have to get down to some 130 games, or five games per week over 26 weeks, to offer time to recover more or less constantly.

And I'm opposed to it.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by swoboda

what about the owners? I don't think they want to give back four home games at the turnstiles, they have to get something back in real dollars to agree to that. But it's usually the case that the commissioner won't say something unless he already knows that the most powerful owners will support him.

The owners are just as interested in the next CBA. Giving up something like that may get significant concessions from the players. Consider a more graduated arb process for example. Cost certainty is worth big bucks.

[darkcloud4579]

Makes sense. Minor change and also it's nice because then you can go back to Ruth being the single-season home run champion. It's an ancillary concern, but surely something that has come up in those rooms as a side benefit.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by RchW

Not sure the MLBPA would like this...

The MLBPA for a long time called for a return for the 154-game schedule. As the owners had no interest in doing so, they eventually stopped asking.

Originally Posted by RchW

... but it makes an excellent bargaining chip to get rid of draft pick compensation.

Uh, it's the players who would like to get rid of draft pick compensation, not the owners.

Originally Posted by RchW

Consider a more graduated arb process for example.

I highly doubt the players would go for a rollback on arbitration. They have only once ever conceded on arbitration—that was in 1985 CBA, when eligibility was raised from two to three years (but which did not start until 1987). But in CBA immediately following the arbitration threshold was increased (with the addition of the "Super-2"), and it was increased again in the 2012 CBA (when "Super-2" eligibility went from the top 17% to top 22%).

Everyone talks about free agency driving up salaries, but the real driver in growth has been arbitration. (At least, such is the opinion of some econometric studies that have examined pay for major league players.)

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by swoboda

I just read on the espn website that the new commissioner mr manfred is" open to changing the 162 game schedule." As the 162 schedule has only been in force since about 1961, a return to 154 would of course cause much debate about records.
what do you say?

Interesting. Did he/they say why they might want to do this? Is it just because of the lateness of the season-ending schedule?

I cannot see the owners being happy about it unless they get the players union to give up 5% of salaries (8 / 162 games). Don't think that's going to happen.

"Feh" about the effect on records. My concern about such things died in the aftermath of the steroids era.

[Le Grande Orange]

There have been very few cases of the 'big four' pro sports leagues voluntarily cutting the length of the regular season. The last to do so was the NHL, when it trimmed the 84-game schedule to 82 games for 1995-96 (when it eliminated of the two neutral site games adopted for the 1992-93 season).

[David Watts]

Really wish I would see this thread or headline....New Commish says he's always hated interleague play and can't wait to banish it forever.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Uh, it's the players who would like to get rid of draft pick compensation, not the owners.

I clearly indicated that it was a player chip.

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

I highly doubt the players would go for a rollback on arbitration. They have only once ever conceded on arbitration—that was in 1985 CBA, when eligibility was raised from two to three years (but which did not start until 1987). But in CBA immediately following the arbitration threshold was increased (with the addition of the "Super-2"), and it was increased again in the 2012 CBA (when "Super-2" eligibility went from the top 17% to top 22%).

Everyone talks about free agency driving up salaries, but the real driver in growth has been arbitration. (At least, such is the opinion of some econometric studies that have examined pay for major league players.)

I said nothing about a rollback. Don't know why you think I did. All sorts of stuff may happen during negotiations for the next CBA. Arbitration is somewhat unsatisfactory to both sides which is why so few arbitration cases actually go ahead. This year 14 of 140 or 10% went to a hearing and that was the most since 2001.

Players Win Six Of 14 Arbitration Hearings ? MLB Trade Rumors

Via MLBTR’s 2014 Arbitration Tracker, only three players (Andrew Cashner, Vinnie Pestano and Josh Tomlin) had hearings last year, so 14 hearings this year marks a dramatic spike. No players had hearings in the 2012-2013 offseason, and seven players did in 2011-2012. The number of hearings this offseason was the most since 2001, although not everyone is convinced this is the start of a trend, according to the Associated Press. ”Just as I didn’t think [2012-2013] was the start of a trend when we had no hearings, I do not think any conclusions can be drawn at this point from the increased number of hearings this year,” says MLB chief legal officer Don Halem.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by David Watts

Really wish I would see this thread or headline....New Commish says he's always hated interleague play and can't wait to banish it forever.

A team in Mexico and a return to Montreal would do the trick.

[timmermac]

You want the regular season to go by quicker? How about the occasional scheduled doubleheader.

[Jason Moyer]

Originally Posted by darkcloud4579

it's nice because then you can go back to Ruth being the single-season home run champion

Segregation, abusing an illegal substance (alcohol), injecting monkey semen. Next.

[darkcloud4579]

Originally Posted by Jason Moyer

Segregation, abusing an illegal substance (alcohol), injecting monkey semen. Next.

We share the same opinion on this topic, but so many people don't agree.

[swoboda]

Formula for keeping players healthier through the season? 154 game schedule, regularly scheduled Sunday double headers with extra days off on Mondays (and allowing teams to add the extra starting pitcher for the nightcap), and yes here its another radical proposal, only the WS goes 7 games take the LCS back to 5 games like it was when it began.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by David Watts

Really wish I would see this thread or headline....New Commish says he's always hated interleague play and can't wait to banish it forever.

I have to say, for someone who's new on his job for literally five minutes, he has floated some really crazy ideas (bordering on outright nuts) around since taking office.

It's like me starting a new office job and at 9 am on the first day I'll go like "Yeah I know you've had the Xerox over here for 18 years, but I'd like it over there much better. Let's get moving this bitch!"

I'm starting to not like him.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by RchW

I clearly indicated that it was a player chip.

You said in regards to a shorter season:

Originally Posted by RchW

Not sure the MLBPA would like this but it makes an excellent bargaining chip to get rid of draft pick compensation.

It's never been the players objecting to a return to 154 games, it's always been the owners. So a shorter season is (was) a player position, and no free agent compensation is also a player position.

Originally Posted by RchW

I said nothing about a rollback. Don't know why you think I did.

What else would owners ask for? Many times in the past arbitration was one of the things the owners wanted to roll back, either by raising the eligibility standard or capping the amount that a player could be awarded. The Players Association has steadfastly opposed such things.

Originally Posted by RchW

Arbitration is somewhat unsatisfactory to both sides which is why so few arbitration cases actually go ahead.

That's not a knock against arbitration. It doesn't matter how many cases players win, what matters is that arbitration, even when players lose their case, results in hefty salary increases for the player. Arbitration was a way for players to get pay more fitting to their ability while still under reserve to the major league club, something which it has achieved extremely well.

Originally Posted by timmermac

You want the regular season to go by quicker? How about the occasional scheduled doubleheader.

Unless clubs are willing to give up ticket sales, that would mean split (i.e. day-night) doubleheaders. Players hate those, which is why the ability of clubs to schedule them is limited to make up games.

[Goody]

Would really help out my team considering the travel wear and tear is the worst on them and the other west coast teams.... Now, with all the Wild Card slots it does really matter when you're at the end of the season and your team has been flying all over the country all year with long grueling flights and you're going against an Eastern team that has only had a few long jaunts cross country.

I don't see anything wrong with it. 154 is still a good number. But what games do they cut out? Divisional games? Interleague?