The Orioles have lost another legal ruling in the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network saga that never ends. As conveyed through an AP report, the New York trial court has reaffirmed its major recent decision upholding an arbitration award in favor of the Nationals, who have sought for years to force the O’s-controlled MASN to pay more for their television rights fees. It’s time for the Baltimore club to pony up some long-awaited payments to its southern neighbor, the court ruled, with interest now running on the balance due. This doesn’t end the matter — the O’s can still pursue recalculation of the profit tabulations, appeal these trial court rulings, and/or fight the next market re-set period — but it does mark another step towards final resolution.
More from Baltimore:
- Orioles GM Mike Elias chatted with Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun about his first year in charge of the organization’s baseball operations. Elias conveyed broad optimism about where things are headed, while taking every opportunity to caution fans not to expect too much too soon. Process is the name of the game here. “I think the most important thing of this year has been the capabilities of the [baseball operations] department,” he says, though he also noted some player-development strides in the minors and even at the MLB level. Elias warned: “We’re still going to be in a process where it’s possible that we take a step back to take two steps forward at the major league level.” Even once some strides are evident, he noted, “these types of rebuilds don’t always progress linearly.”
- Trades of veteran players are a potential part of the O’s strategy, of course, which Elias acknowledged. So what of righty Dylan Bundy? Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com looks at that possibility. While the accounting of Bundy’s trade candidacy doesn’t reveal an especially enticing profile, it does highlight an important point about the former first-round pick: despite some ups and downs in the performance department, particularly in terms of controlling the long ball, Bundy has thrown a good number of solid-enough innings over the past few seasons. Teams routinely pay good money in free agency hoping for the sort of 2-2.5 WAR season Bundy just turned in. He’s projected to earn a palatable $5.7MM with one more season of control remaining thereafter. Bundy posted a career-high 12.9% swinging-strike rate last year and only just turned 27, so perhaps there’s still hope there’s more in the tank.
Palatable isn’t a word that baseball readers palatable.
There’s a lot of ways to use the word “there’s”.
Anyone else feel this is a lower point than 98-11? Or is it just fresher in my memory?
Not an Os fan but live in the area, I don’t see how 98-11 wasn’t worse. They were not actively trying to compete and they were not rebuilding either. Just floating in space. Now you know that they have a plan at least.
Amen. I can take this because there is a plan and purpose. 98 through 11 were literally wasted with no direction whatsoever.
98-11 was a nightmare. But I’d argue that in 2008 Andy Macphail got us on the right path. When he dealt Bedard for the Tillman/Jones package.
I think Bundy is a very probable target for the Mets. He’s affordable, team controlled for more than one year. That’s the type of trade Brody goes for.
Citifield might also be very productive for Bundy, given that his HRs are his only major pitching issue.
But Bundy has not performed well so why would any team want him. He has minimal value.
The Phillies traded for Jason Vargas and the brewers traded for Jordan lyles at the deadline last yeAr. Bundy is comparable with arguably more upside. The o’s won’t get much in a deal but I have no doubt there is some interest.
Bundy’s better than you think. There aren’t many rotations in baseball in which he wouldn’t be the #3 or #4, going off of last year’s results. And some where he’d be #2. He’s also still young. I think he’s quite an interesting target, for plenty of teams.
@wordonthestreet, Bundy’s WAR was 2.5 last season and yet you say he has not performed well. You are a moron. Stop posting. Thanks.
This MASN nonsense is crazy. Multiple teams are making over a billion dollars on their TV deals, while the Nats have to put up with a fraction of that percentage.
“put up”
“There’s kids starving in China, eat your meatloaf”
Yet somehow won a world series despite such a “hardship”. Nats fans biggest whiners in MLB.
In modern day times a team wouldn’t be allowed to poach another teams TV market period. It shouldn’t have been allowed to happen at all. The orioles were forced into allowing a team into DC in the 1st place. Can’t blame them for taking as much as they could monetary wise as possible from the situation.
Would dearly like to see what empty promises and threats used by Selig and company went down from the start.
Get out of here with your facts! -Every Nats Fan
Totally agree with this,the Orioles were definitely screwed over when the Expos were allowed to move in.
How would the Yankees have responded if the Expos were relocated to Newark?
Yeah, and the Washington Senators were screwed over when the St. Louis Browns were allowed to move in.
In 2005, MASN was created to televise both O’s and Nats games, and the O’s were given 90% equity to the Nats 10%. The shares would adjust annually but the largest stake the Nats could get was 33%.
Ya boy. Those poor Orioles sure got screwed. The Nats generate more MASN revenue but only receive a fraction of what the O’s get.
Let me grab my violin
They generate more but they also moved into the orioles market…
That was part of the deal when they agreed to change cities.
“these types of rebuilds don’t always progress linearly.”
———————————————–
Always a useful warning. There’s a lot of teams out there, where you expect 81 wins, get 71 wins, and next season, they’re at 91 wins.
Yep. Can’t stress that enough. You see so many fans worrying when a rebuilding a team wins 62 games in year 2 of the rebuild or something. And it makes absolutely no difference. I’d rather have the team win 65 games and have the young players progress further than go out and win 75 because a bunch of vets in their contract year had a nice season.
Front Office will continue to spin a very long road ahead to being competitive
Relocate after the 2021 season when the lease is up. Otherwise, figure it out.
Why would they relocate rather than sell? A badly run team is a badly run team whether it’s in Baltimore, Anaheim or Queens.
Because the franchise does not want to share with the Nationals. Relocation would avoid that.
The rent paid by the Orioles, and Ravens, is a sweetheart deal. No chance they leave. William Donald Schaefer made sure it wouldn’t happen again.
If the O’s could secure a TV deal for big money they’d absolutely leave regardless of the “sweetheart deal”. This is why they continue to fight.
Spoken like someone with no idea about the situation. Mr. Angelos owns 70% of MASN. The Orioles have no interest in leaving that.
The Birds are fighting to pay a smaller piece out to each team for their television rights. They want to keep a larger piece of the television money. They for sure do not want to leave the arrangement. What would that change if they did? They’d still owe the back money to Washington.
Your suggestion of that is contentless conjecture from someone that hasn’t the faintest clue about the issue. You either want to rile up O’s fans or you like talking out of your hole.
@Birdsfordays, winner winner winner
Best weird new phrase in a comment, “contentless conjecture”
Best name calling without specifying who the name applies to: “someone that hasn’t the faintest clue about the issue”
Awesome blowhard comment sir!
Thanks little buddy. Made sure I put a comment in there for you so you could get your rocks off. Sleep tight.
Birds….interesting, because I know a local who said Angelos and the O’s make a ton off the Nats since they are the watchable team, not Baltimore. Yet it’s Baltimore that has the issue. Interesting indeed.
What I know? They can stop complaining and be happy the Nats help them make money or leave Baltimore after the lease ends. Find a new location, secure a TV deal and a stadium for 2022 and be rid of the drama over MASN (which they helped escalate).
All I see from your comment is, well, conjecture.
There is a better chance the team is sold than relocate. And neither is happening.
“We’re still going to be in a process where it’s possible that we take a step back to take two steps forward at the major league level.”
Translation: We have no intention of being competitive for quite some time if we can sell off anything. Tough to hear if you are an Orioles fan unless you believe a long period of penance is good for the soul.
Bundy is a perfect target for either the Brewers or Twins.
The Brewers because he is a decently dependable arm that won’t cost a ton of prospects(which the Brewers don’t have).
The Twins because maybe Target Field helps his HR problem, which is really his major flaw. Kinda a Kyle Gibson replacement.
He may be a good change of scenery guy.
I like him in Milwaukee. That or put him in San Diego stadium , that would bring his homeruns back in line or even Atlanta for Camargo
@Matt Tobin
MLB average HR9 was 1.4 in 2019, Bundy’s HR9 was 1.6…major flaw?
They should keep Dylan, His value could be a lot higher in a year in a half plus his value ain’t that great .
Bundy has thrown 614 innings in Baltimore and has 2 seasons of control left. At some point we have to bite the bullet and let another team pay for the “upside.” He’s probably not going to unlock a second gear here in Baltimore. If we can get back an interesting prospect I’d do it. It would definitely be a guy who is years off but we certainly have time to wait.
162 game season next season between the Nats and O’s. If Washington wins over 100.5 games, they win the court case. Baltimore wins it if they hold them under that number. This is the only acceptable solution.
Might not be a bad option for the Cubs if Hamels doesn’t come back.
Bundy still has a ton of potential. Playing for that team in that ballpark hasn’t helped him harness his potential. I think a team like the Astros and many others should be all over this guy.
Astros with prospects sounds much more plausible than MIL, if MIL isn’t giving up any top prospects. With two yrs of control , BAL is in a good position to hold him unless they find a winning deal. Phils might look at him but probably have sights set higher..
Any team looking to contend and in need of a starting pitcher in it’s rotation for the next two years would be smart to take a chance on Bundy!
Bundy to Astros. Could be Cole version 2.0……
You heard it hear first !!
Cole 20.0. First.
Why can’t the Nationals just give it to the Orioles for gods sake? There is an NBC Sports Washington, and the Nationals can move there.
Because the Orioles would still own the Nationals TV rights. The lawsuit isn’t about the ownership of MASN. It’s about whether the Nationals will ever own their own TV rights. MLB never thought about the long term consequences of one team controlling another teams rights.
If the Nationals can’t negotiate on the open market for their TV rights then we’ll never know what fair value is and the lawsuits between the teams will continue.
I see no reason to trade (or attempt to) Bundy this off season. While he’ll never be the top of the rotation starter he was projected to be with all his arm injuries and diminished stuff, he’s still been a solid back end starter outside of 2018 when his hr/9 spiked to league leading levels. He’s a good bridge guy in the rotation the next 2 years while the next pitching prospect wave masters the high minors.
If he does take a step forward (not impossible but unlikely) and have a big first half next year and limit the HRs you can flip him mid season to a pitching needy contender that will overpay for 2 playoff runs of a mid rotation starter.
The MASN thing is far from over. Even if MASN is forced to pay the Nats the extra $100 mil, the Nats and MLB will force another fight for the next period.
Why would they do that, you ask yourself?
Because MLB is going to do whatever they can to get the Nats their own network, or at minimum squeeze MASN and the O’s to renegotiate the deal. That was ALWAYS the plan: give Angelos just enough to shut him up, then as he ages and some years go by, squeeze them to force a renegotiation.
It’s as clear as day, and I’m stunned no one in the press has seen it.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
The knee was down!