Major League Baseball has informed the Baseball Writers Association of America that it is planning to reopen pre-game and post-game clubhouse access to credentialed media, reports Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Notably, that course of action still remains subject to approval by the MLB Players Association.
MLB hasn’t afforded clubhouse access to credentialed media in either of the past two seasons on account of COVID-19 concerns. Clubhouse access was suspended in March 2020, with reporters generally limited to conducting interviews via phone or video chat that year. Fully-vaccinated members of the BBWAA were permitted to again meet with players and coaches on the field midway through the 2021 season, but they were not allowed entrance into the clubhouse. Tom Haudricourt tweets that clubhouse access in 2022 and beyond, if approved by the union, is likely to again encompass vaccination and masking requirements.
If the MLBPA signs off, the return of clubhouse access figures to be a welcome development for reporters. Expanding individual access to players and avoiding possible technological difficulties associated with speaking over video chat are among the potential benefits for reporters speaking with players and staff for stories. Shortly after MLB first suspended clubhouse access, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote about the advantages he felt clubhouse access afforded reporters, which he opined has a trickle-down benefit for fans consuming their stories.
At this stage, take any “yes” the two sides will give. I don’t care if they are agreeing on their favorite episode of Seinfeld, just get a “yes” and build off it.
Breaking News: MLB and MLBPA Agree…that their favorite Seinfeld is the one where George keeps trying to buy a Twix at the car dealership.
Who knows if the players will say “yes” though. It doesn’t seem like the players are saying “yes” to anything these days unless it involves owners paying them more money. They probably will in this case but only because they know pissing off the media wouldn’t be a good idea if they want to maintain a good public image. The media would rip them apart if they couldn’t do their jobs because the players wouldn’t let them. Never F with the media. Unless you are in politics. Then, F with the media and make that your campaign platform.
Frank Costanzo to George Steinbrenner immediately after being told his son is dead:
“What the heck did you trade Jay Buhner for? He hit 30 homeruns, over 100 RBI last year, he’s got a rocket for an arm, you don’t know what the heck you’re doing!!”
One of my favorite episodes is when George pretended to be a marine biologist and saved a beached whale after Kramer hit a golf ball into it’s blow hole.
prov – That hole in one ending was arguably the best segment of the entire series.
Personally my fav episode is still “The Contest”.
That episode is epic.
The sea was angry that day, my friends….
Google “Hennigans Scotch”. Oh how I love that but
Everybody’s talking at me, I can’t hear a word they’re sayin, just drivin round in Jon Voight’s car…
I still laugh out loud Fever.
“Is that a Titleist?”
Is there any real Scotch called Hennigans? If not, I’m surprised no one has made it yet. That’s a whole lot of built in free advertising. Even if it doesn’t exist, I bet it still “goes down smooth.’
joshbell – I shamefully admit a few times I’ve placed my palms on a vending machine window and yelled “What are you waiting for, jump! Jump!”.
The episode where Kramer gets the old Merv Griffin set
A classic.
Sure seems like MLB is trying to make themselves look as good as possible, and influence the power of the pen.
For one, I think it’s a little too soon.
And secondly, why announce this now? Shouldn’t their focus be 100% on a new CBA?
i agree!
Reasons I can conjure:
Beat writers can now talk with their employers about traveling when teams are out of town. Budgets can be set.
Foreign press will need to get visas set up. After Ohtani’s season and no Japanese press around for two years, that will be big here.
Not my place to say too soon or not. I think we are close enough to discuss it. I’d imagine a Covid outbreak traced back to a reporter would lead to said reporter being frowned upon at best..
set up media/interview rooms like nfl, la liga, premier league, etc.
Heaven – I do like your thinking, but I disagree with the necessity to do it now.
No budget can be set until rosters are set and they know what kind of schedule we’re looking at, and that won’t happen until at least two weeks after the lockout ends.
And visas are not required, all they need is a ESTA which they can obtain in as little as 30 minutes.
I’m not going to get into a Covid debate, but you certainly do have a right to express an opinion about whether or not it’s too soon. There is nobody on this planet that can accurately predict with certainty whether or not reporters will spread a virus to team members or vice versa.
This lockout is killing Independent George!
#Freethepress
Firing Ken Rosenthal from MLB Network shows Manfred cannot prioritize the best interests of the game.
If you are looking for a similar effect I can throw my 8 year old in a suit and bow tie
no, no!
Now the press can report on all the pitchers and catchers not reporting to camp
Oh my gosh.
The hot stove finna be cookin
@HalosHeavenJJ – I couldn’t agree more!!!
Maybe set out three cartons of milk (chocolate, strawberry and regular) then come to a consensus on what everyone will drink.
If MLB and MLBPA used our suggestions, they could probably solve the CBA without sacrificing the 2022 season.
Chocolate
They need to put “MLB Baseball” on the side of those milk cartons.
We need to get back to living. This is a good sign.
ban them forever. they don’t belong in the clubhouse
Enemy of the people
I think this is a good sign.
Its a sign that when spring training starts for the minor leaguers, they want to get as much press as possible.
Generally speaking, we’ve got to realize that we the FANS are the REAL owners of the game of baseball. Not the team owners, not the players. No fans, no money. If we let them know that if they don’t reach an agreement in about a week we’ll go on strike, you’ll see how quick they will agree on everything. After all, it’s the fans’ money that keeps the industry rolling. One crazy thought… there should be a fans association. I know it’s not going to happen but…
Following this reasoning, there should be a car buyers’ association, etc. Businesses consider customer input, but customers don’t get a seat at the table.
If you want to go pie in the sky….fans should unite and demand a real national election for the next commissioner of baseball.
I saw someone suggest Bob Costas, so let’s use him vs. say Brian Kenny vs. Manfred.
Have them campaign. Let the fans register with MLB. One fan, one vote. And have a deadline to email your ballot.
Then, you would have a commissioner who was accountable to the fans and no longer worked for the owners. Nor would they answer to the players. Two year terms.
They could actually have the best interests of the game itself in mind.
This is necessary. Hopefully the MLBPA doesn’t limit access to the media. It impacts fans too based on the quality of news coverage.
I think the Union, as history supports, will require a concession from the owners to make this happen, unfortunately.
The irony of owners granting media access is that the lockout has been completely void of insider reporting. Essentially, Evan Drelitch and Bob Nightengale have reported everything and everyone else has twiddled their thumbs and re-tweeted.
Since this won’t be relevant if they don’t actually play games I have a hard time giving a damn.
The greedy players will not agree to anything unless they get paid more money.
What about the greedy owners? They’re looking to get $100M+ per season for expanded playoffs and offering the players little in exchange.
Players get 50% of gate. They got $81 million of the 2019 postseason revenue so they are well taken care of.
BBWAA writers are trash too. Bunch of pretensious jerks like seemingly everyone else involved with MLB these days. They’re complicit in the killing of the sport too.
Can we get a poll on if people think Trevor Bauer will play in MLB again? Even if the comments are closed.
He will definitely play in mlb.
1, wife beaters are not prevented from playing after suspention.
2, there are pitcher shortage in mlb and if he is blackballed he will sue and win. if he wins, which is very likely, he will be back or be very rich.
Regarding the wife beater part, clubs always release some bs pr about how the player has learned their lesson and will be under strict watch or something. Bauer would probably just say he was innocent the whole time and learned nothing which wouldn’t sit well from a pr standpoint.
Ha ha. Manfred just keeps on keeping on. Baseball season at a seemingly impenetrable impasse, fans beside themselves with anger and in an uproar, players launching an orchestrated social media war against him……
Manfred: Oh yeah, by the way, we are hoping media can access the clubhouse now COVID is almost sorted.
The man is unflappable. He can’t be human.
That genius GM ,Al Avila, must have some big plans by now….,
…….but what about the milk and Seinfeld???
What are they reporting on in the clubhouse with no players?
Maybe they can check for sewage leaks at Oakland Coliseum.
Players can set up their own Sprin Training camp during this lockout for a reality show if they really want to throw reporters a bone and spite the owners.
This is good news but already a tactical miscue by the owners. Why couldn’t Manfred talk this through with the MLBPA already to issue a joint statement instead of potentially bringing even more dispute into these negotiations?
Gruß,
BSHH
Exactly. He could have easily cleared this with the MLBPA before making an announcement. He’s just doing this now in the hopes that the players don’t agree and therefore make themselves look like the bad guys to the media. It’s pure politics and really kind of gross.
A number owners are some of the worst people in the nation. The greediest most misogynistic people in the world.
It’s really hard to sympathize with billionaire a holes.
Just which billionaire owner is in jeopardy of going bankrupt from baseball salaries?
Hopefully Manfred doesn’t ban Ken Rosenthal from clubhouse access.