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Should MLB Players Be Wary Of A Deal To Change Defensive Shifts? | Sports Takes & News | TooAthletic.com
Changes are coming to how Major League Baseball will be played next season, that is, if commissioner Rob Manfred has his way. Speaking this week during the All-Star break, Manfred talked about which Covid-19 rules were soon to be a distant memory, and how one of the game’s oldest traditions may be etched into the rulebook to help save baseball from itself. Some might say the commissioner is caving to those who have taken over the sport, namely the people who run the game by looking at spreadsheets and spray charts. I, however, I am here to tell you that not everything that Manfred is saying is fake; but I am also here to warn the MLB Players’ Association to beware of commissioners bearing gifts. That’s because with every single thing Manfred is willing to give the players, there will be a price they need to pay in order to keep it.
There was a party atmosphere in Denver as Major League Baseball held its 2021 All-Star Game, and the love fest included the game’s commissioner Rob Manfred and the players’ union leader Tony Clark. It was Manfred who brought the champagne to the Mile High City as he announced the two-year experiment of seven-inning doubleheaders and having “ghost runners” on second base to begin every extra inning will likely disappear after the 2021 season. Then, like the showman Manfred wants to be, he continued to openly discuss the elimination or regulation of defensive shifts, something that is widely regarded as one of the causes for scoring and players’ batting averages to be at historic lows.
Speaking with the Baseball Writers Association of America, the 62-year-old Manfred talked about defensive shifts, and told the gathering:
“Let’s just say you regulated the shift by requiring two infielders on each side of second base … What does that do? It makes the game look like what it looked like when I was 12 years old. It’s not change. It’s kind of restoration. That’s why people are in favor of it. I’m hopeful that we will have productive conversations with the MLBPA about non-radical changes to the game that will restore it to being played in a way that is closer to what many of us enjoy historically.”
It always makes me nervous when I hear people negotiating any kind of deal publicly and use the “it’s what the people want” in their comments. That kind of spin puts pressure on those they are working out the deal with to accept what “the people want” or make that side of the bargaining table appear to be denying the public something they desire. It is a smart move by Manfred to paint the controlling of defensive shifts as an item the fans want rather than the owners since, if he doesn’t get what he wants out of the players, the commissioner is already on record saying he heard the cries of the fans, took them to the union, and was turned away.
Why I also feel Tony Clark and the Players’ Association should be nervous about what Manfred is proposing is much more basic, MONEY. Think about it, if defenses are going to be forced to keep two infielders on each side of second base, there will likely be an increase in offensive production, mainly in the areas of higher batting averages, fewer strikeouts, and more runs scores. This, of course, will be good for all hitters by leading to an increase in their salaries, something the owners likely will not give away without asking for something in return.
One of the biggest clouds hanging over the December 1, 2021 expiration of the current MLB collective bargaining agreement is how each side will address service time and free agency. Owners have been able to buy an extra year of service time by keeping top prospects in the minors a few extra weeks to limit the credit those players get those their free agency, with Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs being one of those high-profile players affected by this rule.
Will owners say, “Sure, you can have hitters face a normal defense again, just don’t ask for free agency in less than six years?” Or will the players be willing to give up something else, if asked, in order to shorten the amount of time it takes to hit the open market and work out a deal with the highest bidder?
History tells us that everything a baseball commissioner has offered the union came with a string attached, and I promise you, getting rid of defensive shifts won’t be any different. Yes, baseball fans want to see more action, but like in any contract negotiation, everything has a price, even things that both sides know are good for business. That’s why Rob Manfred took the point this week of painting this issue as something he and the owners wanted to do on behalf of baseball fans.
Now, sadly, it is up to the players to give in or find out what the fine print says in their deal with Manfred the all the MLB owners, because I believe defensive shifts will become a point of bargaining between now and December 1, with someone needing to give up something in order to give the people what they want and what the game of baseball desperately needs.
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Should MLB Players Be Wary Of A Deal To Change Defensive Shifts? | TooAthletic.com
The post Should MLB Players Be Wary Of A Deal To Change Defensive Shifts? appeared first on TOOATHLETIC TAKES.
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By: Rafael Thomas
Title: Should MLB Players Be Wary Of A Deal To Change Defensive Shifts?
Sourced From: tooathletic.com/should-mlb-players-be-wary-of-a-deal-to-change-defensive-shifts/
Published Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2021 18:34:30 +0000
