1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Wednesday “BASEBALL’S BIG ISSUES”

=======

‘BASEBALL-OFF THE FIELD–BIG ISSUES’
=======

The All Star game was fun.
The Baseball Trading deadline is just ahead.
The Rumor mill will be working overtime.
The Wildcard Playoff race will be electric.
The World Series will be worth watching.

Baseball has record TV ratings, all time attendance records, and record revenue.

It also has problems all over the place.

Here’s a scorecard worth paying attention too:

BASEBALL VS IMMIGRATION…Your President has allowed ICE officials to enter schools, churches, workplaces, court rooms to round up immigrants.  Just asking this:  What happens if they show up in a baseball clubhouse?  In El Paso?  In the Arizona complex league?  MLB has issued a memo that all players, born outside the US, carry their legal documents with them at all times.  As of opening day, (28%) of all major leaguers were born outside the US.  The minor league prospect list might be as high as (40%) of the players from outside the US border.  Are we awaiting something bad because of Trump-ICE?

THE CBA…The war of words has already erupted.  The Commissioner saying a Salary Cap could make baseball profitable for players, as well as owners.  Union Chief Tony Clark emphatically says ‘not on my watch’.  Terms like collusion, bloodbath, and profiteering are now part of every question-answer session with the leaders of the game.  The next phrases you will hear will be ‘lockout’

BALLS & STRIKES…The game has technology and the move to fix the problems at home plate are coming.  The experiments are over, and the ABS computer system will be implemented on opening day next year.  It got positive reviews in the experiment phase in spring training.  69% of the fans surveyed after the Cactus League-Grapefruit Circuit liked its use.  72% said they wanted to see it on opening day next year.  Still to be determined, how many challenges for each team, who makes the call, will it be managers, or just the batter’s-catchers-pitchers who can ask for reviews?  But it’s coming because of the poor work by home plate umpires over recent years.

SALARY DISPARITY…The Dodgers-Yankees-Mets all have payrolls that range from (350M-to-383M) as of opening day.  Miami has the lowest payroll (85M) and 16-teams cut payroll last winter, despite record revenues going to virtually everyone.  Yes, the TV landscape has changed.  Yes market size has something to do with revenue streams.  But MLB and its Union have not been able to copy the Blueprint the NFL-NBA-NHL have implemented, where everyone makes money.  The Luxury Tax is in place, but there is no floor to spending, and that is what the other three sports have in place.  And everyone is making money.  Baseball’s financial plan must change.

Enjoy what is just ahead in baseball, games, trades, the post season, but understand how many other problems that are out there that have to be dealt with.

================

Please follow and like us: