MLB 2023 Season: Rangers are going hunting for Snakes

[Ar-Pharazon]

The thing is, I don't know what in the world Perry Minasian was thinking by going to the press and essentially saying, "Look, we tried to take care of him but he just didn't want the MRI!" It risks (further) alienating Ohtani while also doing absolutely nothing to make themselves look any less negligent in the matter.

You have a better take on baseball contracts than anyone else. Would it be the team's call or the player's to get a scan?

And yeah, the whole situation is pretty screwed up either way.

 

[Timby]

You have a better take on baseball contracts than anyone else. Would it be the team's call or the player's to get a scan?

There's nothing about diagnostic treatments in the Basic Agreement that MLB and the MLBPA signed in 2022. However, this is on page 7 of the Uniform Player's Contract, which all players must sign:

2. The Player, when requested by the Club, must submit to a complete physical examination at the expense of the Club, and if necessary to treatment by a regular physician or dentist in good standing. Upon refusal of the Player to submit to a complete medical or dental examination, the Club may consider such refusal a violation of this regulation and may take such action as it deems advisable under Regulation 5 of this contract. Disability directly resulting from injury sustained in the course and within the scope of his employment under this contract shall not impair the right of the Player to receive his full salary for the period of such disability or for the season in which the injury was sustained (whichever period is shorter), together with the reasonable medical and hospital expenses incurred by reason of the injury and during the term of this contract or for a period of up to two years from the date of initial treatment for such injury, whichever period is longer, but only upon the express prerequisite conditions that (a) written notice of such injury, including the time, place, cause and nature of the injury, is .served upon and received by the Club within twenty days of the sustaining of said injury and (b) the Club shall have the right to designate the doctors and hospitals furnishing such medical and hospital services. Failure to give such notice shall not impair the rights of the Player) as herein set forth, if the Club has actual knowledge of such injury. All workmen's compensation payments received by the Player as compensation for loss of income for a specific period during which the Club is paying him, in full, shall be paid over by the Player to the Club. Any other disability may be ground for suspending or terminating this contract.

So the answer is I'm not sure. I mean, I have read a lot of contracts during my 39 years on this planet, and I can sort of rules-lawyer my way into interpreting this as saying that because a club can order a complete physical examination at any time, an MRI or other imaging can fall under that umbrella. But it's not airtight (because there's no provision for diagnostic testing), and I could see a hungry agent taking such an order as grounds for a grievance against the team.

 

[fireproof78]

The Mariners have tied the Rangers for first place in the AL West.

Mariners are now leading the AL West.

Didn't think that would happen this season.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

Mariners are now leading the AL West.

Didn't think that would happen this season.

I've been driving today and the sports radio announcers are talking about how far the Mariners will go in the playoffs and I'm thinking, there's still a month of baseball left, let's get to the playoffs before we start talking about how far and how many playoff games we'll win.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

How can there be Mets home games at the same time as the US Open?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I've been driving today and the sports radio announcers are talking about how far the Mariners will go in the playoffs and I'm thinking, there's still a month of baseball left, let's get to the playoffs before we start talking about how far and how many playoff games we'll win.

But jumping the gun is the bread and butter of sports commentators!

 

[Timby]

How can there be Mets home games at the same time as the US Open?

Because tennis fans and baseball fans don't necessarily have a huge cross-section and the USTA center and Citi Field don't share infrastructure?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

the USTA center and Citi Field don't share infrastructure?

Oh. Okay. I thought they did.

I mean, they are right across the tracks from each other...

 

[Timby]

Oh. Okay. I thought they did.

I mean, they are right across the tracks from each other...

As far as I know, the only major sporting facilities in the US that share infrastructure are Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. This is why Royals / Chiefs and Orioles / Ravens games cannot take place simultaneously, as they share electrical and plumbing infrastructure.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Not Lions/Tigers in Detroit?

 

[Timby]

Not Lions/Tigers in Detroit?

Ford Field and Comerica Park are ten miles away from each other.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Ford Field and Comerica Park are ten miles away from each other.

No, they're not. They are right across the street from each other. Hell, you can even see Ford Field directly from the stands at Comerica. Linky

 

[Timby]

No, they're not. They are right across the street from each other. Hell, you can even see Ford Field directly from the stands at Comerica. Linky

You're correct. However, I just looked up the plans and they both have entirely different plumbing systems.

 

[fireproof78]

How can there be Mets home games at the same time as the US Open?

People by different tickets.

I've been driving today and the sports radio announcers are talking about how far the Mariners will go in the playoffs and I'm thinking, there's still a month of baseball left, let's get to the playoffs before we start talking about how far and how many playoff games we'll win.

Yeah, I'm not getting ahead of myself and thinkin of the postseason run. I'm just surprised that they are even in the top part of the division, much less the top.

 

[cardinal biggles]

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Nice! Well played, Twins.

 

[Timby]

The Angels have placed Lucas Giolito, Matt Moore, Reynaldo López, Hunter Renfroe and Randal Grichuk on waivers.

For those keeping score at home, that's literally everyone they grabbed at the trade deadline.

Talk about throwing in the towel on the season.

 

[Aragorn]

ESPN speculates that if every Angel gets claimed, their payroll could fall below the competitive-balance-tax threshold, meaning they get a second round comp for Ohtani leaving as opposed to a fourth.

 

[Timby]

ESPN speculates that if every Angel gets claimed, their payroll could fall below the competitive-balance-tax threshold, meaning they get a second round comp for Ohtani leaving as opposed to a fourth.

I have a feeling the opposite is going to happen: No one gets claimed, the Angels are on the hook for all of those contracts and those players are free to sign for the league minimum on Thursday.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

What a mess.

I'm not surprised, but still, what a mess.