2025 Major League Baseball Thread

[Batman1980]

Time for the Tigers to increase that divisional lead tonight by pasting one on the Twinkies.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Goldensuitcase

It is a sad day for sports all around. You Yankee fans should be ashamed of what your team is doing. It's a joke to have that good a team. An absolute joke.

Nah, they don't care and neither do I to be honest. I rarely if ever watch MLB anymore largely because of this nonsense. The game has become a joke on many levels. Lack of any salary cap is only the tip of the iceberg. Yankees will probably win their 20th-whatever championship and NY fans will beat their chest and brag about how awesome they are. Whatever floats their boat.

I'm sure it's just some crazy coincidence that of all the NY sports teams only the Yankees have had real success. And baseball just happens to be the only sport with no salary cap.

[Wingman1977]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

Lee has made it clear that he intends to test free agency and isn't interested in discussing a long-term deal. Both the Phillies and Mariners tried to talk long-term deal with him and he rebuffed them. I suppose it's possible he could work something out with the Yankees since they spend more than any team, but it would be a pretty dramatic 180 from the stance he's been taking.

My understanding is that he wants CC Sabathia money. If we lose him, not really a big deal. Since they are packed at catcher in the farm system (which is another thing the Yankees have as well is a strong farm system so they have prospects that other teams want).

[fatediesel]

While I think there should be a salary cap at least the Yankees have been fairly smart with how they spend their money. Look at the Cubs, who have the 3rd highest payroll and a bunch of horrible contracts. The Phillies have the 4th highest payroll and are in 3rd place in their division. The Angels have the 8th highest payroll and are 5.5 games behind the Rangers who have the 27th highest payroll. It really doesn't matter how high your payroll is if you are giving out bad deals.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

While I think there should be a salary cap at least the Yankees have been fairly smart with how they spend their money. Look at the Cubs, who have the 3rd highest payroll and a bunch of horrible contracts. The Phillies have the 4th highest payroll and are in 3rd place in their division. The Angels have the 8th highest payroll and are 5.5 games behind the Rangers who have the 27th highest payroll. It really doesn't matter how high your payroll is if you are giving out bad deals.

Be nice if the Twinkies would use the lack of a salary cap once in a while to keep their young stars and sign big name free agents but our owner's wallet is snapped tightly shut.

[toef]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Nah, they don't care and neither do I to be honest. I rarely if ever watch MLB anymore largely because of this nonsense. The game has become a joke on many levels. Lack of any salary cap is only the tip of the iceberg. Yankees will probably win their 20th-whatever championship and NY fans will beat their chest and brag about how awesome they are. Whatever floats their boat.

I'm sure it's just some crazy coincidence that of all the NY sports teams only the Yankees have had real success. And baseball just happens to be the only sport with no salary cap.

It's all in how you interpret statistics. MLB has had more WS champions in the last 20 years than the NFL has had Super Bowl champions or the NBA has had NBA champions.

And the Giants have won a couple Super Bowls in the last 20 years, and have lost a couple others, so it's not like they're unsuccessful. Even the Knicks have been to a few NBA Finals, and then Isaiah ran the team into the ground.

The Yankees have had the highest payroll for 15 years running, and don't have 15 World Series titles, or even AL Pennants, in that time, so something about salary caps ruining sports doesn't compute.

Look at the Lakers and Spurs in the NBA, or the Patriots and Steelers in the NFL. Salary caps don't make much of a difference. Imagine how much worse the Lions and Rams would've been last year with no salary cap.

[Wingman1977]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

While I think there should be a salary cap at least the Yankees have been fairly smart with how they spend their money. Look at the Cubs, who have the 3rd highest payroll and a bunch of horrible contracts. The Phillies have the 4th highest payroll and are in 3rd place in their division. The Angels have the 8th highest payroll and are 5.5 games behind the Rangers who have the 27th highest payroll. It really doesn't matter how high your payroll is if you are giving out bad deals.

The players union won't let a salary cap in MLB happen (that's why there hasn't been one).

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

Be nice if the Twinkies would use the lack of a salary cap once in a while to keep their young stars and sign big name free agents but our owner's wallet is snapped tightly shut.

Like signing Justin Morneau to an $80 million contract and Joe Mauer to a $184 million contract? This year the Twins had the 9th highest payroll, and that doesn't take into account Mauer's new deal. They should start to spend more now that they have an outdoor stadium and better attendance.

[sfmarine]

A lot of Yankees hate going on today lol. The Lee deal will be nuts if it is sealed. Jesus Montero is a really great prospect and I'd hate to see him go.

[Wingman1977]

Originally Posted by toef

It's all in how you interpret statistics. MLB has had more WS champions in the last 20 years than the NFL has had Super Bowl champions or the NBA has had NBA champions.

And the Giants have won a couple Super Bowls in the last 20 years, and have lost a couple others, so it's not like they're unsuccessful. Even the Knicks have been to a few NBA Finals, and then Isaiah ran the team into the ground.

The Yankees have had the highest payroll for 15 years running, and don't have 15 World Series titles, or even AL Pennants, in that time, so something about salary caps ruining sports doesn't compute.

Look at the Lakers and Spurs in the NBA, or the Patriots and Steelers in the NFL. Salary caps don't make much of a difference. Imagine how much worse the Lions and Rams would've been last year with no salary cap.

That's not true. The team was screwed already (Signing Allan Houston to that large contract was one of the worst moves the Knicks ever made). With Checketts & Laydon's screw ups. Isiah just pushed it along further.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

Like signing Justin Morneau to an $80 million contract and Joe Mauer to a $184 million contract? This year the Twins had the 9th highest payroll, and that doesn't take into account Mauer's new deal. They should start to spend more now that they have an outdoor stadium and better attendance.

I want to know where that money was when Torii Hunter and Johann Santana left in free agency. Maybe I'll swing by the new stadium for a bit later this year when I go up north for that Vikings game.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by Wingman1977

The players union won't let a salary cap in MLB happen (that's why there hasn't been one).

That's an argument I don't understand. Let's say hypothetically there was a salary cap of $120 million and a salary floor of $80 million. This would force the low spending teams to start paying their players better while still enabling the big spenders to have large payrolls. Currently the average team payroll is about $90 million, and I guarantee you if they put a cap and floor in place that average would rise by quite a bit.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

That's an argument I don't understand. Let's say hypothetically there was a salary cap of $120 million and a salary floor of $80 million. This would force the low spending teams to start paying their players better while still enabling the big spenders to have large payrolls. Currently the average team payroll is about $90 million, and I guarantee you if they put a cap and floor in place that average would rise by quite a bit.

Owners would have to agree, wouldn't they? A lot of sports owners just own teams to make money, they don't care about winning as long as the cash just keeps rolling in.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

Owners would have to agree, wouldn't they? A lot of sports owners just own teams to make money, they don't care about winning as long as the cash just keeps rolling in.

Yeah, I actually think it'd be the owners that would turn down this proposal, because none of the low spending teams like the Marlins or Pirates would agree to it, and the high spending teams like the Yankees and Red Sox wouldn't like it either.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

Yeah, I actually think it'd be the owners that would turn down this proposal, because none of the low spending teams like the Marlins or Pirates would agree to it, and the high spending teams like the Yankees and Red Sox wouldn't like it either.

Plus the revenue sharing thing keeps smaller market teams content with the loserdom of having no salary cap.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by toef

It's all in how you interpret statistics. MLB has had more WS champions in the last 20 years than the NFL has had Super Bowl champions or the NBA has had NBA champions.

And the Giants have won a couple Super Bowls in the last 20 years, and have lost a couple others, so it's not like they're unsuccessful. Even the Knicks have been to a few NBA Finals, and then Isaiah ran the team into the ground.

The Yankees have had the highest payroll for 15 years running, and don't have 15 World Series titles, or even AL Pennants, in that time, so something about salary caps ruining sports doesn't compute.

Look at the Lakers and Spurs in the NBA, or the Patriots and Steelers in the NFL. Salary caps don't make much of a difference. Imagine how much worse the Lions and Rams would've been last year with no salary cap.

It's the dynamic of MLB. Baseball will always be a game where luck plays more of a role than it does in say the NBA. In the NBA there are 5 guys on the court at any given time. It's more of a game focused on a handful of superstars carrying teams to titles on their back. in MLB no one or two guys can lead a team to a championship. Well... except for Schilling and Johnson.

But I do believe MLB team salaries has FAR more parity in the 1980's and the game was at the peak of it's TV ratings and competitiveness that decade. I believe there were 8 different championship teams in MLB in the 80's.

[fatediesel]

In a shocker, Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe have been traded to the Rangers for Justin Smoak and 3 others, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

http://twitter.com/JoelSherman1

Edit: Sounds like the Yankees deal broke down over the players the Mariners wanted in addition to Montero. It was going to be second baseman David Adams, but the Mariners were concerned about his health, and the Yankees and Mariners couldn't agree on a replacement.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

Time for the Tigers to increase that divisional lead tonight by pasting one on the Twinkies.

I certainly hope so.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

In a shocker, Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe have been traded to the Rangers for Justin Smoak and 3 others, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

http://twitter.com/JoelSherman1

Edit: Sounds like the Yankees deal broke down over the players the Mariners wanted in addition to Montero. It was going to be second baseman David Adams, but the Mariners were concerned about his health, and the Yankees and Mariners couldn't agree on a replacement.

Take that Spankees, your coveted free agent just went to a team that's up for sale!

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

In a shocker, Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe have been traded to the Rangers for Justin Smoak and 3 others, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

http://twitter.com/JoelSherman1

Edit: Sounds like the Yankees deal broke down over the players the Mariners wanted in addition to Montero. It was going to be second baseman David Adams, but the Mariners were concerned about his health, and the Yankees and Mariners couldn't agree on a replacement.

Oh wow. The Rangers have seriously improved their pitching if true. Which was what they needed to compliment their terrific offense.