ROB MANFRED & THE PLAYER'S ASSOCIATION AREN'T PLAYING NICE

"My preferred path is a negotiated agreement with the players. But if we can’t get an agreement, we are going to have rule changes in 2018, one way or the other." - Rob Manfred

Photo: Getty Images

And my preferred path here is for Rob Manfred to NOT act unilaterally and not make drastic changes to the game but....we can't always get what we want according to Manfred it would appear.

So the pace of play has been a concern for awhile now. Personally, I don't have a big issue with how long the games last. Would it be nice if they went a little faster? Sure. Does it make me more or less inclined to watch an entire game? No. I love the game. I will watch it from start to finish even in extra innings and it won't bother me. If I know I can't watch the game from start to finish I have it waiting for me on my DVR. It's really not a big deal.

Photo: Getty Images

Manfred's newest proposal both a 20 second pith clock would be enforced and there would be a limit to the number of mound visits in each inning. Granted, the minor leagues already uses a pitch clock and don't seem to have many discrepancies using it big leaguers aren't sold on it. The proposal says the pitch clock would start when the pitcher gets the ball on the mound (important note: not on the rubber) and would allow for 20 seconds between each hitter. If a pitcher or batter violates the rule a warning would first be issued but another violation would result in added balls or strikes, ESPN has a breakdown of this HERE. As far as mound visits are concerned, those would be limited to one visit per pitcher, per inning whether it is from player, coach or manager. A second visit means there is a pitching change.

This seems like something both sides should be able to negotiate yet Manfred and the Player's Association can't come to an agreement and if that's the case Manfred is ready to flex his muscle and act unilaterally....which I think would be a mistake. It creates a standoff and brings extra tension to the game. It also makes Manfred look like an a-hole on a power trip.

Source: Jason Miller/Getty Images North America

I found an interesting piece by the Star Tribune HERE where Brian Dozier has a lot of strong opinions on the proposal that the Players' Association rejected. “We don’t want to damage the integrity of the game and change the game completely. If this does go through, it definitely changes the integrity of the game, and we are all against it. There’s so much gray area in the proposal, it just didn’t sit well with us.”

It's a reasonable concern. Baseball is a game of strategy and it has a lot of human error. We recently had the addition of instant replay and the intentional walk. The change to the intentional walk certainly makes a small change to the pace of play but I still can't say I'm in love with the idea. It changes the real time dynamic of a game. And what about instant replay? That can really slow the game down, yet it was added to help improve accuracy.

Armando Galarraga, anyone?

As for the gray areas in the proposal....that is a legitimate concern in any matter baseball related or not. If Manfred is going to unilaterally enforce his proposal he is going to have to really remove uncertainty and subjectivity from the new rules. I think Dozier's extreme example of a walk-off bases loaded home run after a batter takes too long to get into the batter's box is something that obviously needs to be addressed. "Say it’s the bottom of the ninth, full count, bases loaded, and a guy needs to take a deep breath or gets the hiccups or something. Is that a walk off? Come on."

Photo: Chicago Tribune

Dozier's example seems wild, but if Manfred wants the players to stop fighting the proposed changes he needs to address the wild and far fetched as well as the more realistic. Baseball is America's Favorite Pastime so changes need to have structure. If Manfred does act unilaterally he needs to figure it out now, Spring Training is around the corner.

I guess we'll see what happens when MLB owners meet at he end of the month. They play a big part in this too since they have to approve of the changes. I wonder what they will say. Some people are ready for some changes. I'm not one of them but I understand the concern. I'm good with the game just how it is but I guess it really doesn't matter because changes are coming.....

What are your thoughts? What, if anything do you want to see changed? Comment and tell us.

-- Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj 

GUESS WHO'S AN ALL-STAR?!

Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

The thing that I was secretly (not so secretly) hoping for has actually happened. I wanted to see Mark Teixeira get some recognition for once! I am still taking it all in. Part of me wants to run into work in the morning and point and laugh at all of the Tex haters and say "HAHA haters! Tex is going to the All-Star game!" Watch and enjoy.

I am not ruling out the pointing and laughing by the way. If provoked I got this! I have been the personal cheerleader all season and I am not about to stop now. I am trying really hard not to get carried away here but I don't care that he is an injury replacement for Miguel Cabrera. The fact of the matter is his 20 homeruns and AL leading 59 RBIs got him there. He is pulling his weight. We have 2009 production ladies and gentlemen! Life is good.

If someone would have predicted this I don't think I would have even believed it. I knew a healthy Tex could be a huge upgrade for the Yankees this year but I didn't expect THESE kinds of results. This is proof that hard work pays off.

It's nice to see some of our guys get to represent. Dellin Betances is also going and that is no surprise, when he gets on the mound he is no chances Betances.....and I hope he does that during the game and helps the American League get home field advantage for the World Series. A few weeks ago it looked like a roster of nothing but Kansas City Royals players and we were pretty upset, read FIX THE ALL-STAR GAME. Now we finally have some of our guys out there!

We can still add another Yankees to the team. Brett Gardner deserves a spot and he needs our help to get there. Gardner is on the final ballot along with Xander Bogaerts, Mike Moustakas, Yoenis Cespedes, and Brian Dozier but only one of them can get the last spot. We can help Gardy get to the game by voting HERE so get to it!

Suddenly I am looking forward to this game now more than I was a few weeks ago. Now if you will excuse me, I have some voting to go do. So do you! You've read the article, now get to clicking and voting!


   

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ 




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BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME XVII

Here we are a day after the first Yankee spring training game and we are covered in ice here in the Northeast with an impending snow storm on the horizon.  But, I am hot about what I saw in Aaron Judge today as he lifted the Yankees to a comeback tie in the ninth inning.  According to ESPN.com, "The Yankees were on the verge of a 5-2 loss to the Phillies in the spring opener when Aaron Judge, their 6-foot-7 first-round pick in the 2013 draft, belted a home run off Mario Hollands that just cleared the left-center-field fence with two runners aboard to tie the game at 5."  And they did it against the Phils, so it makes the comeback just a little bit sweeter.

Good offense is a great place to start this edition of Hot Stove because with all of the talk about pitchers this off season, it is nice to see a young hitter come out from the rafters and make a statement in the first game of the spring.  The 22-year-old  6' 7" outfielder caught my eye today for sure and hopefully, Joe Girardi's as well.  According to Baseball Prospectus, "Judge doesn't profile as an impact, middle-of-the-order hitter, but he does enough things well that should be an everyday player. If he learns to use his size better and drive the ball with more consistency, however, he could hit for enough power to carry a lineup."  He's an exciting package and I am hoping to see more, much more.  I like the way he carries himself confidently.  I hope this lasts- I know, it is only game one.

Taking a look at Yankee pitching, because why not, all eyes are on Adam Warren who is competing for the fifth starter role.  Now there has been talk that Yankees could go with a six-man rotation, which could free up an easy slot for Warren, who was utilized as a set up and long reliever in the pen last season, but honestly, much like Ichiro Suzuki, I think Warren was misplaced and under utilized.  Yesterday, he threw two innings of shut out ball despite having a little case of butterflies.  "[I] take pride in putting up a scoreless inning or getting a strikeout. Anything you can do to get people to look at you, it's a big thing," stated Warren in a post-game interview as reported on NJ.com.  I am again, very hopeful.

In other news around the MLB, the Minnesota Twins are close to a deal for an extension with second baseman Brian Dozier. According to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, "The Twins are set to meet with second baseman Brian Dozier's agent on Wednesday and could discuss a possible extension, a Major League source confirmed to MLB.com on Tuesday." Dozier, who will be 28 in May, could be the Twins' answer at second base for the long haul.  He put up respectable numbers over the last couple of seasons with a batting average of .243 and 41 home runs.  Sounds like a good deal to me and according to Bollinger, "Dozier is currently under club control through 2019 and he will be eligible for arbitration for the first time after this season. He made $540,000 last year in his second full season in the Majors. He's a career .241/.318/.397 hitter with 47 homers, 77 doubles and 44 stolen bases in 387 games."

Finally, according to Atlanta Braves beat reporter Mark Bowman, Manny Banuelos, one of the team's off season acquisitions, may start off the season in the bull pen and end in the starting rotation.  The team hopes this will help build up his innings, give him an opportunity to compete and create an opportunity to utilize him in a diverse way.  I am just sorry that we did not get the opportunity to see him in action in the Bronx.  Maybe in the post season?  Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but always hopeful!  Oh, and one last nugget about pitching, the Mets, who have a glut of great starters in their arsenal, will hold off dealing until the right deal comes along.  Typical.  We will wait!

That's it for this week's Hot Stove.  Hoping for a big thaw before next week.  Spring ahead on Sunday, which means more daylight for spring baseball!

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof







 








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HOME RUN DERBY, THE REPEAT, & I LOVE ALL-STAR BREAK

It's here! IT'S HERE! I cannot begin to explain how much I love All Star Weekend. It makes me all giddy, like a kid on Christmas morning. Except, instead of presents, I get home runs. Actually, that's just as good. Yay, Home Runs!

This year brought us an American League team captained by Jose Bautista. Adam Jones, Brian Dozier, Josh Donaldson join him, along with last years champion Yoenis Cespedes. The National league was made up of captain Troy Tulowitzki, Yasiel Puig, Giancarlo Stanton, Todd Frazier, and Justin Morneau. Donaldson, and Tulowitzki both have 20 homers this season, so far.

I wrote last month about the MLB & THE HOME RUN DERBY BRACKETS. It explained that each team would have 5 batters. Top three hitters for each team move onto the second round, with the top hitter getting a BYE in the second round.

In the first round, Bautista hit an impressive 10 home runs earning himself that BYE. But Stanton's 430 foot home run was the most impressive to me. It nearly cleared the stadium. Morneau, who got a warm welcome at Target Field, only hit 2 homers, tying with Frazier in the first round. Frazier beat him in the swing off, advancing into the second round. Donaldson and Cespedes also went into a swing off. Cespedes won with two homers. We also got another chance to watch Robinson Cano's father, Jose Cano pitching in a home run derby. He pitched to Puig. Unfortunately, he couldn't help Puig hit a single homer.

Cespedes gained momentum as the derby progressed. He went on to face Bautista in the third round who only hit 4 homers, after a spectacular 10 homers in the first round. It wasn't enough to beat Cespedes though. In the final round, Cespedes faced Frazier. Cespedes batted first hitting 9 homers. Unfortunately, knowing what he was up against, did not work in Frazier's favor, who only hit 1 homer in the final. Cespedes went on to be the first back to back Home Run Derby winner since 1998-1999, when Ken Griffey, Jr won.

Congratulations to 2014 Home Run Derby King, Yoenis Cespedes! Up next is the All Star Game and the last chance to watch Derek Jeter play in the mid-summer classic. Let's go, American League.

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

 
  

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