The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact almost every facet of normal Major League Baseball business, both in the immediate future and looking ahead to what may be a tumultuous 2021 season. The latest alterations include two expected changes to a pair of major offseason events, as both the Winter Meetings and the annual owners’ meetings have both been changed into virtual events rather than in-person gatherings.
The Winter Meetings have long been the focal point of the offseason calendar, often collecting just about every major power broker in baseball (owners, general managers, top free agents, player agents, media, etc.) under one roof for a four-day span. While the rise of electronic communication over the last couple of decades has made it easier for teams to swing trades and signings at any point in the offseason, the Winter Meetings is still a major hub for winter business, whether it be completing transactions or laying groundwork during those four days that results in completed deals a few days or weeks later.
This year’s Winter Meetings were set for December 7-10 in Dallas. The Rule 5 Draft has traditionally fallen on the final day of the Meetings, and while MLB’s press release made no specific reference to this event, it can be assumed that the Rule 5 Draft will be conducted in the same virtual manner as last summer’s amateur draft.
The owners’ meetings, which were set to be held November 17-19 in Arlington, aren’t as well-known to the casual fan, though naturally there is plenty of import whenever the sport’s owners gather in person. Ironically, the owners and league officials have more to discuss this year than in any other offseason in recent memory, though the many discussions about how MLB will proceed under the threat of the coronavirus will undoubtedly continue throughout the coming months.
For one, revenue sharing between teams is likely to be eliminated again in 2021, according to Evan Drellich of The Athletic. Some form of revenue sharing plan between larger-market and smaller-market teams has been in place for the better part of 25 years before the shortened 2020 season halted the regular plan this year. As one club executive noted to Drellich, this was a greater detriment to smaller-market teams than the pandemic: “The big markets have lost anywhere between $150 to 200 [million], middle markets about $100 [million], and the small markets really, haven’t lost anything. They got crushed because they got no revenue sharing.”
Labor talks with the MLB Players Association also loom this winter, as the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in December 2021. Drellich notes that there is a chance the league could explore an extension on the current CBA, delaying talks about a new deal for at least a year until baseball’s business looks at least somewhat more normal. Working out a CBA extension would obviously be a huge undertaking unto itself, however, as the players’ union has long been eager to rework the terms of what it felt was an unfavorable contract in the last set of negotiations.
That said, Drellich writes that the players could have extra leverage in any CBA extension talks, if the league truly is eager to forestall any bigger-picture labor negotiations. Any number of short-term concessions could be floated by the MLBPA as conditions for extending the CBA, though given the wide range of issues the players have with the current deal, an attempt to make wholesale changes might as well amount to unofficial CBA renegotiation already.
ASapsFables
Virtual Hot Stove this winter.
brave new world
My guess is extension till December 2022, and the Universal DH & roster extension to 28 players, and 40 man roster goes to 45.
17dizzy
John Mozeliak of the Cardinals will be setting up a nice fire sale booth at the winter meetings. This is to no surprise because pandemic or no pandemic——Thats Mozeliak’s style!! Sell or trade off the Cardinals young talent for Marginal minor league “somewhat”prospects, or players to never be named later.
First order of business for the Cardinals John Mozeliak is to kick the Cardinals Gold Glove 2nd baseman off the team!! (Oh—-he’s already done that!).. Next— look for a trade to get rid of Paul Goldschmidt & Tommy Edman to give Matt Carpenter more playing time. Insert Luke Voit into first base (can’t do that… he’s already given him to the Yankees).
Mozeliak will be glad to trade any talented player of the Cardinals to any team who would like to unload over the hill or washed out players to go along in fashion of Brett Cecil, Holland, type of deals where they just have to sit at home for 4 years and still get paid until their contracts lapsed
Come join John Mozeliak and the Cardinals at the Winter Meetings and watch how quick he can move solid players for nothing. Just to be a good friend to the other Pres of Baseball Operations and any aspiring General manager.
Plus
johnsilver
Team reps must be after such intangible items such as 5 card stud tables, slot machines, full time baby wipe/care section for their use only during the season (by team approved nannies) in upcoming negotiations.. You know.. dire necessities worth fighting for and striking over.
ASapsFables
It’s been a mixed bag over the years in regards to MLB work stoppages with both player strikes and owner lockouts: sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/mlb-free-agents-labor…
DocBB
No brainer. Ozuna killed it and may not make much more than Castellanos next year…
LordD99
I’m not sure it’s in the best interests of the MLBPA to extend to current CBA for an additional year. The owners lost a ton of revenue in 2020, they are facing an additional revenue shortfall in 2021, so the the last thing they need is a strike and shutdown in 2022. The players should use that to their advantage to change the framework of the next CBA.
arc89
If there is a strike the owners will most likely play hard ball tougher than previous years. There is no advantage for the players to go on strike since revenue is at its lowest point in years. All 4 major sports in America had a big decline in TV audience. This signals to the networks not to up any deals. Best for players to do is extend the current deal another year and see if the market for baseball goes up next year.
Stevil
No advantage for the players? Do you think MLB owners want to endure more losses after the limitations and restrictions this season? Those losses aren’t going to be made up next year alone and there are still questions surrounding next season.
Those unknowns, along with the threat of a strike, should motivate owners to get a fair deal done. The bigger question, for me, surrounds Clark’s ability to negotiate.
arc89
That would be the owners initiating a strike not the players. Which would hurt MLB more than it already has with Covid. The smart thing is for both sides to just extend the contract another year. There will be no winner if either side wants to strike. Feeling sorry for a billionaire owner or millionaire player makes no sense since they both would not help you out.
Stevil
You’re missing the point. The players do have some leverage knowing MLB owners are keen on not losing any more money.
Cosmodogs
Out of curiosity, what major changes do the players want that they didn’t get from the last CBA deal?
arc89
Only thing i read is they want to get rid of compensation for free agents.
Stevil
Better to research questions like that than to trust the commenters here.
Cosmodogs
Off the top my head, the things I, personally, would think of are:
1. Better pay for the minor leaguers. It is criminal how poorly these players are getting paid.
2. I would institute a 10 year until free agency rule for HS signees, 8 for college, 12 for international kids that sign under 18. It doesn’t matter when you come up, the clock starts the minute you sign. This would help stop the games being played to hold back service time on the better prospects, and allow the players that blossomed latter to not have to wait until their 30’s to see free agency. It would benefit the minor league, major league, and fans by having the best players on the field sooner.
3. More revenue sharing for the smaller clubs, with the condition that a certain set % had to be spent on player salaries over a 3 year period of time.
I don’t think the compensation thing was hindered barely any ball players. They have watered that down to almost nothing at this point.
Just my thoughts.
DarkSide830
those FA numbers really arent any different then they are now and just hurt late bloomers and guys who get to the Majors quickly
LordD99
They should push to significantly increase the luxury tax threshold levels, decouple free agent compensation and draft picks, push for a lottery in the first ten picks of the amateur draft. Basically, they should remove anything that encourages teams to tank, while reward the division winners and teams with the better records that make the post season compared to the lower Wild Card teams that slip in. None of these things will require the owners to pay any additional money unless they elect to spend more, but in reality it will force greater competition and push player salaries higher. They’ve grown but significantly lagged revenue growth. In return, the players can give the owners some form of expanded playoffs, which will deliver real money to owners.
Cosmodogs
Imop, the luxury tax levels are too high already. How many teams do they truly effect? Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, and once every 4-5 years one or two others. These are the only teams that would consider spending any additional $ if the luxury tax was higher, and, in turn, you would have an EVEN BIGGER disparity between the small and mid market clubs vs the big ones. That isn’t good for MLB or the fans, and only a very small handful of already extremely wealthy ball players would benefit.
DarkSide830
why do the players care about a lottery?
Stevil
The idea behind a lottery is that teams intentionally tanking, and/or not spending money, wouldn’t be guaranteed a top-5 pick.
In other words, it could persuade teams to make more of an effort; spend more.
Stevil
I’m surprised Kevin Cron’s release hasn’t been mentioned yet.
Questions remain about his ability to hit (or not chase) breaking balls, but surely a number of teams are interested.
Cosmodogs
I find this surprising also.
Dtownwarrior78
Exactly Stevil. Not to undermine anyone here but there are waaaaay too many opinions expressed rather then stone cold facts. I don’t see the pros on either side to striking over the CBA. If that’s what happens with the world going through this Covid mess and struggling the way most of the economy (us little people) has, then you can expect to lose ALOT more eyeballs then MLB already has! Not the time to yell foul, on either side!
slider32
I would bet the teams made a higher percentage of their normal revenue this year than the players, does anybody know the stats on revenue by teams in 20. All we hear is how much revenue was lost, but the Yanks usually make over 670 million a year according to Forbes.