A POST PANDEMIC EXPANSION COULD BE JUST WHAT MLB NEEDS!

I wish we could get a do-over for 2020. I am good if anyone has a time machine and can send us back to December 31st, 2019 at 11:59pm and we can try all of this again. Wishful thinking. Americans and Major League Baseball have both felt the pinch where it hurts the most....in our wallets.

Credit: Lookout Landing

Sure, we can't compare MLB to Americans because that's like comparing apples and oranges but we've all lost some money and Rob Manfred says that if 2020 is a lost season, owners could lose up to $4 billion dollars, read that HERE. We've lost almost two full months of games so the owners and players union need to get this salary dispute resolved but even after that....there is still work to do.

MLB is going to look to get back as much money as possible, so they will be creative. I'm not just talking about new ticket packages to entice fans or restructured tv and radio deals....I'm talking NEW money, like new teams. What about an expansion?

And why not? An expansion is very lucrative. Franchise fees are at an all-time high and it has recently worked for the NHL. The NHL expanded in 2017 after a $500 million expansion fee was paid and the Vegas Golden Knights were born. The NHL will do it again in 2021, Seattle's unnamed franchise cost $650 million and will be exciting to watch. Granted, the NHL and MLB are also like comparing apples and oranges because NHL values are a lot lower BUT it brought new energy to the NHL. The #Vegasborn fans have really embraced their new team, have a brand and have been successful. This could work for MLB again, they've done it before!

Expansion #1

In 1959 baseball executive Branch Rickey saw an opportunity to establish a THIRD major league called The Continental League (CL). Rickey thought the American League and National League was not inclusive enough and isolated some markets. There was a lot of change in baseball at the time after both the Dodgers and Giants left New York for the West Coast. Maybe we would have a Continental League today but MLB caught on and decided to come up with their own strategy...an expansion that stopped the creation of the CL. They expanded into markets the the CL was targeting. It took several years but it eventually resulted in new teams in Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego, Montreal, Kansas City and Seattle.

Expansion #2

Expansion worked well in most markets, but Seattle struggled in its first season that it eventually went bankrupt and the franchise was moved to Milwaukee to become what we know as the Brewers. The move created a legal battle and Washington State sued MLB for violating contracts. MLB lost a high dollar lawsuit but managed to keep their money when they agreed to expand again and give Seattle another franchise. To keep an even amount of teams the Toronto Blue Jays also were created in this expansion. This allowed MLB to pocket a lot of franchise fees and kept them from paying Seattle a large sum of money.

Expansion #3

Collusion is involved in the third expansion. The 1980's were a competitive time in baseball and free agency was not lucrative to players. Remember the 2018 offseason? The mid to late 80's is a similar comparison. Remember how long it took Manny Machado and Bryce Harper to sign? Not quite the same idea but baseball's biggest names in the mid to late 80's were not getting contracts. Free agency was dead. Commissioner Peter Uebberoth and MLB owners had a standing agreement to not sign free agents. The players union took their fight to an arbitrator who sided with the players union. MLB's punishment was a $280 million fine to be paid to the union and the players that were directly affected. To avoid the large fine, another expansion was created and the Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks were born. The franchise fees involved here more than covered the settlement.

So MLB has a history of expansion when times are tough. No matter what the final price tag may be for 2020 owners are going to look for a way to recover some of those funds. Franchise fees have only increased throughout history, so who knows what they could be now and that could give each team some money back.

Maybe Expansion #4 is on its way. I think we could grow to 32 teams. The question is where will these new teams go? Since hockey is working in Vegas, could they get an MLB team also? Or what about Nashville? I could see it. I've seen Portland mentioned a lot too. MLB has a history of using expansion to payback debts, so why not do it again post Pandemic? The possibilities are endless.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj 

AARON JUDGE STILL NOT ABLE TO REHAB THE WAY HE WANTS

Source: The New York Times

Players get injured. I get that.  I get injured.  I run 20-25 miles a week when I am not training for any races and when I tweak something and have to be sidelined even for a day, I am upset.  I can imagine the anxiety and frustration dancing in Aaron Judge's head as he is still unable to rehab the way he wants to at this stage of the game.

“It’s been tough,’’ Thames said on YES Network of Judge not being able to swing as he recovers from the fractured rib that sidelined him this spring. While teammates such as Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu take batting practice and hit in the cage, Judge is still unable to join them," reported the New York Post.

Source: NJ.com

Thames explains that Judge is "chomping at the bit" to get started, but for now he remains sidelined as he assists his fellow teammates like Giancarlo Stanton, who are able to get some routines going. As not only a huge Yankee voice on the team but one of the biggest bats, this wait time to just get back after it has been awful.

"Last week, general manager Brian Cashman called it a “very unique injury” and one that is “extremely challenging to diagnose,” which helps explain why it took the Yankees so long to determine exactly what was wrong with the right fielder when he experienced pain near his shoulder throughout the spring." reported the Post.  And recall, because his injury remained a mystery and somewhat invisible, Judge pressed on despite not feeling at his best, which likely pushed his recovery and rehab time immensely.

Thames and the rest of the coaches want to be uber cautious with Judge as well as remain socially distant as they try to continue to keep their players safe while they wait out any formal decision between the players' union and owners about an agreement to kick off a new spring training which hopes to begin in June.

Source: Sporting News

We heard the good news about James Paxton and Stanton, who were two guys down that battled back as the coronavirus paused baseball.  Now we wait and hope that Judge is the next guy to get back to the rehab he needs to do to be at his best for when the season does start.

As we celebrate yesterday's and today's heroes this Memorial Day Weekend, let's also keep our American Pastime in our minds and hearts.  So much release is felt through sports and baseball.  Let's hope the season can go on the way we want it to and we see 2020's Opening Day by the time America's next holiday rolls around.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

MATTINGLY, REGGIE, MANTLE & THE BABE! ON SALE NOW!

More Bleeding Yankee Blue mask designs are out and it's because demand is ridiculously high and of course it's for a great cause so I am happy to make new designs a fast as I can! The latest involve some of the most iconic Yankees ever!  Remember, this is a partnership with TeePublic and BYB is happy to be part of it. When you purchase one of our masks, TeePublic will donate one medical grade mask to Direct Relief. Read about this incredible cause HERE.

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Remember this offer is to help the Frontline workers, our heroes! BYB will literally make only $2 on each mask sold, and to be honest, I wouldn't care if it was nothing, as long as Direct Relief is able to give medical grade masks to the people that need them, I am thrilled to help!

Thank you all! Keep doing what you're doing!

JAMES PAXTON CAN THANK COVID19 FOR HIS FULL RECOVERY

See what a pause in the major league season can do for a dude recovering from back surgery? It's gonna be like he was never gone at all!

The latest news is that James Paxton is feeling great and almost at 100% which is outstanding.

ESPN writes:

"Paxton, who had back surgery in February, said he's "back to full strength" and ready to go whenever the season begins. Paxton, who was 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA for the Yankees in 2019, underwent a microscopic lumbar discectomy Feb. 5 in which a herniated disk was repaired and a peridiscal cyst was removed. 

"I think I've thrown probably 12, 14 bullpens," Paxton told the YES Network on Friday. "It's my back feeling really good... I think I'm back to full strength." 

Paxton said he's been doing rehab work at his home in Wisconsin while Major League Baseball has been shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

"The velocity is getting better and better, breaking balls and stuff like that, getting a feel for my pitches, so everything is going really well. I've seen some good results there, so I'm continuing to try and improve over this time, even though we're not playing."

That's great news and I am excited to see this dude take the mound again for the Yanks!

THOR AIN'T NO SUPERHERO

Where the hell is Noah Syndergaard that he can't afford to pay his rent? Come on man, you're a major league baseball player, you can afford it. Do the right thing and pay the rent, bra!

The New York Post writes:

"Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard has struck out with his new Tribeca landlord — failing to pay the rent on the $27,000-a-month penthouse he signed up for, a new lawsuit claims. Syndergaard had signed an eight-month lease for the three-bedroom, 2,700-square-foot duplex at 116 Hudson St. in February, yet has failed to pay anything on it since, according to landlord 600 Street LLC in a Manhattan federal lawsuit filed Friday. 

Syndergaard “treated the binding Lease like an option,” the lawsuit alleges."

Two things have happened here most likely.  Syndergaard knows that New York is a hot zone for COVID19 and just bailed on the property until a later date... or, he's doing exactly what the lawsuit claims. Guess what? If he didn't pay and he is responsible for the rent, shame on him! He's a millionaire.

I really can't wait to see what comes out of this. I'm sure Thor, who is definitely not invincible, nor a superhero will try and come back with some kind of heavy hitting attorney. You know, the same high priced attorney that he could have just taken that money and paid the rent with, but who knows... we will wait and see.

Interesting story, and I'm not a huge fan of this guy, and that's why it kind of caught my eye.

MORE BYB MASK SELECTIONS & A GREAT CAUSE!

When we last left you we told you about a great partnership between us and TeePublic that helped another great organization, Direct Relief.  Read THE BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE MASK IS HERE! for more.

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Posada BYB Original Bleeding Yankee Blue Mask 

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BYB design 2020 Mask

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A CLUE THAT BASEBALL IS RETURNING TO FLORIDA

Photo Credit: Kristie Ackert

Can we please get started? My god.

If you live in the Tri-state area, it's been really tough. New York City has been shellacked and that's because so many people work in that big city as well as live there. But then it spreads out dramatically to Long Island, Staten Island, New Jersey and Connecticut. And that's why we are dismantled up here. That's why the virus spread and killed a lot of people and made a lot more sick. The Tri-State? We walk around like zombies. It's been awful. But we have turned a corner and the warmer weather gets us all itching to get going. With life... with baseball.

Well, there are finally signs that baseball is coming back. Yankee players are in Tampa and working out, quietly, silently, 6 feet apart and just a few, and it appears that in Miami with the Marlins and in Tampa, there's some activity too. The New York Daily News writes:

Not the actual training day being reported by the Daily News

" A roughed-up, battered and freshly bruised batting practice ball was nestled into the hedgeline, just outside the park. Inside the double fences, behind privacy screens, about half a dozen position players including Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Miguel Andujar, worked out on the backfields at the complex as they have done for most of the last 10 weeks, in hopes of a 2020 baseball season...

The Marlins allowed players to use their batting cages and mounds at the spring training facility in Jupiter on Tuesday. According to reports, just a few returned to the complex. The Rays will open their big league facility, Tropicana Field, to players on their 40-man roster on Monday, for very limited workouts, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Rays players will be limited to using the field for playing catch, running and other cardio exercises and some light weight work. They initially will not be allowed to throw off the mounds, hit in the batting cages or go into the weight room or clubhouse, the Times reported. "

So what's the hold up?

A few things. For one, the Government is weary to just open things right up because people will flood facilities and then what's the worry? The virus spreads again. In essence, they don't trust the American people and I understand that, but look, being in my home for 10 weeks is great, and I love my family, but there needs to be new routines than just long walks and trying to work out in the backyard.  We need something more, and it's time, at least that's what I think.

The other issue is the spat between MLB and the player's union. They have a huge problem and it comes down the money and personnel and keeping everyone safe. As the Daily news writes: "They also have to figure out how both sides can overcome a huge economic impact to the industry, with owners asking players to accept over 50% in salary cuts."

And I simply say this; baseball needs to happen. If they can QUICKLY figure out a safe way to get things going in Florida, they need to do it now. If players want to complain like Blake Snell, then DON'T SHOW UP.

Players that want to be there should be there.  These are 25 man rosters with minor league teams... there's depth. Are you going to tell me that a minor leaguer won't want an opportunity if a Major Leaguer wants to sit out because they don't want a pay cut? Come on.

Life threw us a curveball, but we're America. We've figured it out every single time in our history, and guess what, we can figure it out again.

Let's play again. Let's go!

NO BASEBALL IN 2020? TOM GLAVINE KNOWS WHO FANS WILL BLAME

The trend continues, another former player is speaking out regarding the on-going salary struggle between owners and players. We already saw Alex Rodriguez make his attempt and it left us wondering WILL AROD'S PLEA SAVE BASEBALL? It's another day with no real progress made, and today's attempt isn't a plea....but a warning. Former Atlanta Braves legend Tom Glavine gave a warning to current players, if there is no 2020 season the players may take the blame for the missed season. You can read it HERE. We all miss baseball, hell we just miss what was once a normal life. So it got me thinking, would we as sports fans blame the players? Maybe, maybe not. Both sides need to come to the negotiating table here.

On Monday there was rumor of a supposed "ultimatum" from owners that was blowing up Twitter. Again, a rumor of an ultimatum but it's been all over news talk sports stations since then. That and I am still sitting here thinking about SHAME ON BLAKE SNELL because Blake Snell himself said that he would "prepare for 2021" so there's that. Glavine knows what Snell is going through, he is a former union representative and he was also criticized for speaking out about player rights during the 1994-1995 strike the canceled the World Series. Glavine supports Snell's issue regarding salary but he does not agree with Snell refusing to play, read more HERE. I think that is an important difference here. He supports the sentiment, he agrees the salary argument needs to be resolved but refusing to play isn't the answer. But what if it does come to that? Glavine thinks that the fans could blame the players for a lost season even if they are 100% justified.

He may have a point. There always has to be a fall guy, or so the cliché says. If we sit back and look at what is happening in the world right it might be easier to blame the players instead of the owners. I'm not saying it's right or fair but right now the owners have proposed a 50/50 split. The players have yet to come up with their own solution....hence Heyman's tweet. So does that make the players look like the bad guys? With everything going on in this pandemic right now....maybe. I don't know what to believe on the news these days but I heard today on news talk radio that as of May 14th, 36.5 MILLION Americans have filed unemployment claims. That's a scary number.

So maybe American's don't have the appetite to listen to players like Snell complain about only making about a million dollars after his pay cut and taxes. I called him TONE DEAF for that, and I think that is fair given the situation. If your hardship is ONLY making a million dollars when some people can't even make contact to file for unemployment benefits then why should anyone feel bad for Snell? So we are all holding on to some sort of hope and signs of normal life. That hope can be different things for different people but a lot of us may say it is the return of sports, maybe specifically baseball. If baseball doesn't come back and it is because players like Snell decided to dig their heels in and not compromise then Glavine could be right.

I don't think people want to assign blame to anyone. We just want to see union representatives and owners get in a room and figure out a new deal. If baseball has any chance of returning by July this needs to happen NOW. I hope the players take Glavine's words to heart....we need baseball now more than ever.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj 

JULY START COULD HAVE THE YANKEES AT FULL CAPACITY

Source: USA Today

I realize we are just days from Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial or official start of summer depending on your perspective.  I love this weekend for many reasons, but of course at the center of it all is baseball.  I don't want to get my hopes up too high, and I certainly don't want to rush summer, but if the players and owners can agree, we are only about six weeks away from the start of the season.  Even better is that the Yankees will be at full capacity, giving all of us a reason to be hopeful.

Source: Tampa Bay Times

"A season that possibly starts in July would provide the Yankees an opportunity to retool their outfield that wouldn’t have included Hicks in center, Stanton in left and Judge in right. None would have been ready for the March 26 opener in Baltimore. Instead, Brett Gardner would have been in center, Mike Tauchman in right or left and possibly Miguel Andujar or Clint Frazier in left," reported the New York Post.  Look I like Gardner, Tauchman and perhaps Andujar or Frazier, but having our team back at full strength gives the Yankees options.  Best guy in, earned opportunities versus who we are stuck with because he is available.

The Yankees say that Judge looks like his rib is healing nicely, Stanton's issues seemed to be resolved, Hicks is taking "dry swings" and Paxton is throwing simulated games in Wisconsin.  This is all positive news for the Yankees and for fans.  Although we will likely not get to see these guys in person, it will be great to watch all 80+ regular season games and hopefully a very successful post season.  But it is all an"if" at this point.

Source: Sports Illustrated

"If Major League Baseball and the players could come to an agreement on how to adjust the economics for that reality, I think that would be a good thing. We have to start to move to normalcy and people have to start to see some hope and light,” said NY Mets COO Jeff Wilpon on CNN Prime Time.  Yankees President Randy Levine hopes that baseball could be an exemplar of how the new normal of the post-COVID sports world will exist.

Source: Associated Press

"The most important thing is keeping our fans and our employees safe, so everything has to run off of that,” Levine said. “But I think this is an opportunity, based on what Dr. Fauci said, to balance. The sports industry could be an example for all industry for us to work with health experts and the people who run baseball teams and all associated businesses to reach that compromise," Levine said according to NJ.com.  But Levine added that to do the whole season without spectators is just not economically feasible.

“How can we get into our parks as soon as we can with all the appropriate mitigation? Social distancing, taking temperature checks, wearing masks, wearing gloves. I think it’s all doable because I think that to have games just on TV for the whole season for many, many reasons is not practical," said Levine.

Hopefully the players and the owners can come to terms and the clock on the new season plan will begin to tick.  As we near the start of this new season, the Yankees appear to be ready to go, at full strength and with the added bonus of a powerful starting rotation! Decisions will need to be made over the next week, so stay tuned, stay positive and let's go!

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof