MLB Offseason: Owners got a dinger of a CBA

Let's all rise for the National Anthem, performed by none other than Meat Loaf:



(from the 1994 All Star Game)

 

MLB and MLBPA negotiators met for the first time since December today. Apparently the union has dropped its requests to have free agency begin before six years of service time and to drastically cut the amount of revenue-sharing funds that go to small-market teams.

So, they basically rolled over and gave up their two biggest bargaining points.

 

Meanwhile, Bonds and Clemens have both lost out in their last year of eligibility. So now it's up to the Veterans Committee.

 

I'm not going to deny that Big Papi was a Hall of Fame hitter (though his candidacy owes a ton to Edgar), but him sailing in while guys like Clemens and Bonds got shut out is more or less the biggest giant example of hypocrisy possible.

 

Going back to Hall of Fame stuff, I was initially surprised that Tim Lincecum had already fallen off the ballot and ... uh, wow. Two Cy Youngs, three World Series rings, and zero chance at the Hall because he had all of five above-average seasons. Holy shit, did he fall off a cliff after 2011.

When I have an afternoon to blow (translate: bored at work and feel like dredging through numbers), I really want to do a deep dive and figure out what the hell happened to ol' Timmy ... which is funny, because my name is Tim and he's only a month older than I am. Dude had a fascinatingly weird career curve.

 

Well, most of it, anyway.

 

A New York Times writer (translation: pro-business) has written a story that MLB owners are convinced that Bruce Meyer--the guy the MLBPA picked to lead their CBA negotiations after he kicked the NHL and NBA's asses--is simply serving as a mouthpiece for ... wait for it it ... wait for it ... the dreaded Scott Boras.

I love how much of a bogeyman Boras has become for both fans and owners because he, uh ... *checks notes* ... is really good at his job.