2019-2020 MLB Non-Phillies News/Notes Discussion

[Philsmania]

What is sad is that even in a weak division you used to have teams positioning themselves to win it, and then maybe with a couple of hot starters they could beat a team in the playoffs kind of like the Nationals did a couple of years ago.

See also the 2006 Cardinals who won it all after an 83 win regular season.

[Philsmania]

I realize it's probably water under the bridge but you look at the beasts the Braves and Padres have become and remember that they started their rebuilds around the same time as the Phillies started theirs. Sigh.

[allentown]

They both were very adventurous internationally, at least severely bending the rules, with some outright breakage, while the Phillies took their normal reticent boy scout approach and have done far worse in adding international talent. Now, except for over-25, that is capped, but, of course we still don't participate in the over-25 international market. In many ways, the new Middleton regime has been all talk with far too little action. The Padres were full-bore rebuilders. They new talent was to be had in Latin America and they went out and got it. I think our international program may be the least functional part of the Phillies organization today. Ruiz was our last international, obviously plus major leaguer signed and developed by us. Perhaps Sixto will be an obviously plus over multi-years player for the opposition.

[zambonir]

Not sure about that. Yes, Comcast/the Flyers control (and get all the money from) the parking lots surrounding and adjacent to the WFC and XFinity Live. The Eagles control (and get all the money from) the parking lots around the Linc. The Phillies control (and get all the money from) the parking lots around CBP and Pass & Stowe (which isn't as much of a going concern as the old McFadden's was).

I actually thought Comcast Spectacor controlled all the parking, but maybe they just manage it? But I was referring more to the Live complex and now the new hotel/casino. The Cubs have that sort of thing going on all around Wrigley Field, which is of course also a vibrant urban neighborhood rather than a complex. Hotel, multiple bars and restaurants, they also bought a bunch of the private rooftop viewing clubs. All empty now. And they financed the whole thing, including the Wrigley renovation and the original purchase of the club. They are heavily leveraged - though they ain't poor, and I don't feel sorry for 'em!

It seems like a combination of pandemic fire sale and a Tampa-like mentality. Obviously Hoyer knew what he was signing up for. There's also something to be said for doing it early rather than late. But it's different when you have the ring already.

I remember when the Padres went on their first spending spree and Preller was roundly mocked, especially after they didn't win. Heck, we got Eflin from that period. But he was able unload or get past most of his mistakes. We're still living with some of ours.

[zambonir]

Good read

A year without fandom: Why these baseball fans stopped watching in 2020, and how...

[zambonir]

More on the Cubs situation from Passan

The Cubs, actually, are a fascinating case. Over the past half-decade, the team claims to have invested nearly $1 billion into renovating Wrigley Field and the surrounding area. The Cubs bought rooftops and razed fast-food joints and raised a boutique hotel. They took on debt because that's what businesses do to accumulate wealth -- and there is always risk in that, even as safe as the sports industry had proved pre-COVID-19. They also could net a nine-figure tax credit thanks to Wrigley being named a National Historic Landmark and will be able to write off losses incurred in 2020, lessening the financial blow.

However badly the pandemic hit the Cubs, there remains the truth: The Ricketts family bought the Cubs and Wrigley Field for $845 million in 2009, and if the team sold today, it would likely fetch in the $3 billion neighborhood. That is quite the biblical gain in franchise value.

Passan: Why the Yu Darvish trade is frightening for all of baseball

[Philsmania]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Cubs do one of those strategic bankruptcies like Trump often did.

[zambonir]

Heh all bankruptcies are strategic. Not sure they are allowed in sports? (I mean, I recall bankruptcies, but usually the parent company is also selling the team as part of it.)

They sound like they are fine with the tax credits and write-offs. They can just accurately say they are losing money.

I wonder if the tax credit/historic landmark is the reason why all those moves were (seemingly) done by the team itself, rather than a related corporation.

[zambonir]

The reluctance to spend extends to Asia

Haruki Nishikawa Not Expected To Sign With MLB Team This Offseason

[andyb]

He seems the type of marginal big leaguer that can make more money in Japan than the U.S., especially at his age. Not sure it is the reluctance to spend money. There is just lots of competition for 4th and 5th outfielders and there is no longer much of a Japanese discount for the unknown (i.e. how their game will translate).

[zambonir]

Why MLB's 2021 spring training is still likely to start on time

I have a hard time reconciling this with the pace of off-season activity, and the reality of both the virus and the unresolved issues. But I guess it's the position they have to take regardless.

I suppose spring training could also just be 10 weeks long, with staggered camps and interruptions. I guess that also means if you sign someone late a la Arrieta (or even Harper) it won't matter very much.

Last year when they shut down the players got advances on their salaries, since they don't get paid until the first real game is played. That will be another sticking point this year I'm sure.

[andyb]

Curt Casali signed with the Giants. He had been the former teammate of our new pitching coach and was one of the plausible JT backup options.

Free agent catching market thinning as potential Phillies' target heads to SF

[andyb]

As expected, the minor league training camps will be delayed until after the major league camp is complete. Probably will shorten the minor league seasons by 2-3 weeks, though I suppose there is nothing stopping them from finishing in September after the traditional season end at Labor Day. They might even prefer that as a late April season start gives them a better chance of more fans in the stands at the start of the year (due to COVID, but also the colder weather early in the year).

Start Of 2021 Minor League Season At Double-A And Class A To Be Delayed

[zambonir]

It is going to be a very difficult minor league season. Some teams will still be hard-pressed to have fans at all, depending where they play. I assume the new system/10-year agreement obligates the owners to participate, so long as the affiliate is sending players. Revenue will still be really tough.

[andyb]

More games in September when there is a good shot to have fans would be good for the minors.

I imagine they will do a very local schedule in the leagues that are more spread out geographically. FSL might unbalance the schedule so the Phillies would be playing almost exclusively against the Tampa area teams.

[zambonir]

Close to home for me, it'd be funny if the Vancouver Northwest League team had to set up in the States. They could play in the market that was just kicked out (Salem-Keizer).

PCL Pacific could be a mess, with half the teams in strict locales and half not (El Paso has also tried to be strict but Texas keeps overruling them).

Theoretically they could play into mid-October, even. I wonder if they'll just embrace doubleheaders and shortened games too.

[andyb]

Vancouver did just give the OK for NHL games. Obviously not involving border crossings, but signs that they are going to give sports a shot.

[zambonir]

Yeah by then it's certainly possible that more open borders (or at least waivers/no quarantines) are possible. But letting the Hillsboro Hops into your country/province is a lot lower priority than helping out the NHL or MLS (which will also have to be dealt with before baseball season). It's increasingly unlikely there will even be junior hockey, but if there is, the Western Hockey League plan is to restrict the US teams to the US and the Canadian teams to their own province (with Manitoba joining Saskatchewan). Being the only Canadian team in an all-US league (and the only Canadian team in all of affiliated ball) they might just have to settle into Washington or Oregon, instead of letting five teams repeatedly travel to BC.

Big hockey game in Edmonton tonight involving Americans (and Flyers prospects).

[andyb]

Mets about to get Lindor and Carrasco. Not sure JT will be enough.

Mets "Deep Into Talks" On Francisco Lindor Trade

[zambonir]

I wonder if that means they are off Bauer/Springer or if they'll still get that extra piece.