8/8/26 How about we hit some jacks off Jax game thread

[GL_Storm]

If the owners really want a cap, it will ultimately be about paying off the rank and file players.

Some of the proposals they can make:

1) A salary floor has been proposed along with a salary cap
2) They can raise the major league minimum to $1,000,000 or more
3) An additional roster spot to bring the major league roster to 27
4) Free agency at 5 years or less
5) They can offer concessions on service time calculations
6) Two new expansion teams (they seem to want to do this)

In my opinion, the 2027 season is very much at risk because I suspect the owners are more motivated to get this done than ever before. The underlying issue this time is that the appreciation in franchise valuations seems to have slowed, and I think from the ownership perspective they would very much like to make these businesses investible by more than just the very top ranks of America's wealthy, and reducing risk around runaway player payroll expenses is one way to do that.

[HawkandMariner88]

What sport has the most parody? Is it not the NFL. NOT like us or the Rams are winning it every year neither did Brady. Injuries happen. Parody is good. Baseball needs Parody. How do you get that. Its good for the sport. Owners just wanna be cheap as fuck.

[GL_Storm]

What sport has the most parody? Is it not the NFL. NOT like us or the Rams are winning it every year neither did Brady. Injuries happen. Parody is good. Baseball needs Parody. How do you get that. Its good for the sport. Owners just wanna be cheap as fuck.

Parity is the word you want. Parody has a completely different meaning.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

The Mariners give evidence of parody in baseball.

[Michael K.]

Money isn't the motivating factor, it's just another way to keep score. Baseball players would be playing for free like David plays softball. The difference is tons of people want to watch baseball. If tons of people decided they wanted to pay to watch David play softball he wouldn't decide he didn't care about it anymore

Are you serious? What job pays someone regardless of if they do their job or not, and what human isn’t motivated by the possibility of lost income?

[Hy Feiber]

Through last year, the Mariners had 5 straight winning seasons, so fan expectations obviously increase.

Especially after last year's playoff run.

But consider these points.

They won the division by just 3 games, over the Astros who were missing 6-7 WAR Alvarez, maybe the top player in the league, virtually all year.

This year he's looking like the MVP.

And in the playoffs, they had to go 15 innings at home to barely beat a slumping Tigers, 3-2, who were playing poorly the last few months.

With much appreciation to AJ Hinch, who removed Skubal who was Dealing, in that critical last game.

So they did lead a charmed life.

And don't forget, this is the team that won 116 games in 2001, but choked in the post season, having to come from 2-1 down to beat Cleveland 3-2, then getting wiped by the Yankees.

So Nothing should surprise M's fans, EVER!

Great points, Marty!!! Totally agree....barely skating by in 54% fashion...

One of the big advantages to being a Washington Senators fan in the 50s and 60s, is that with no such thing as a Wild Card, and with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles always in our way, We Never had Any Expectations of post-season play, EVER!

So we were content just getting outside on a lovely summer day, and watching Major League Baseball, doubleheaders even, Never concerned with opt-out clauses, who's controllable, guaranteed $$ millions for 20 year olds, etc.

And there was none of this constant noise pollution and dumb gimmicks to get fans in!

How would Mantle and Maris like wearing homo jerseys on Pride Night?

Those days were a great time to be a kid.

[DavidGee24]

Money isn't the motivating factor, it's just another way to keep score. Baseball players would be playing for free like David plays softball. The difference is tons of people want to watch baseball. If tons of people decided they wanted to pay to watch David play softball he wouldn't decide he didn't care about it anymore

Are you serious? What job pays someone regardless of if they do their job or not, and what human isn’t motivated by the possibility of lost income?

I actually have to pay to play. I'm playing in San Clemente this weekend and everyone on the team has to fork out $ 55 to cover the tournament fee and balls they provide. I have National Championships in Vegas at the beginning of October and that will be another $ 50 or so plus hotel room, drive (four hours), Vegas stuff, etc. No sponsorship or anything like that. Hopefully my wife and I kill it on the slots.

Interesting question on whether or not baseball players would play for free if it wasn't the industry it is. The first pro team that was paid was the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings. Considering that their highest paid player had a salary of $ 1,400/year, that they didn't play in ballparks, and charged very little to attendees (and I think ladies got free admission), I wonder if they the club even made enough money to cover payroll.

[DavidGee24]

One of the big advantages to being a Washington Senators fan in the 50s and 60s, is that with no such thing as a Wild Card, and with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles always in our way, We Never had Any Expectations of post-season play, EVER!

So we were content just getting outside on a lovely summer day, and watching Major League Baseball, doubleheaders even, Never concerned with opt-out clauses, who's controllable, guaranteed $$ millions for 20 year olds, etc.

And there was none of this constant noise pollution and dumb gimmicks to get fans in!

How would Mantle and Maris like wearing homo jerseys on Pride Night?

Those days were a great time to be a kid.

Imagine jumping into a time machine and going to a 1955 Senators game wearing a modernized Senators Roy Sievers jersey and getting dragged away by the cops after trying to kiss a woman and yelling "But we were on the Kiss Cam!"

[GL_Storm]

Money isn't the motivating factor, it's just another way to keep score. Baseball players would be playing for free like David plays softball. The difference is tons of people want to watch baseball. If tons of people decided they wanted to pay to watch David play softball he wouldn't decide he didn't care about it anymore

Are you serious? What job pays someone regardless of if they do their job or not, and what human isn’t motivated by the possibility of lost income?

I actually have to pay to play. I'm playing in San Clemente this weekend and everyone on the team has to fork out $ 55 to cover the tournament fee and balls they provide. I have National Championships in Vegas at the beginning of October and that will be another $ 50 or so plus hotel room, drive (four hours), Vegas stuff, etc. No sponsorship or anything like that. Hopefully my wife and I kill it on the slots.

Interesting question on whether or not baseball players would play for free if it wasn't the industry it is. The first pro team that was paid was the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings. Considering that their highest paid player had a salary of $ 1,400/year, that they didn't play in ballparks, and charged very little to attendees (and I think ladies got free admission), I wonder if they the club even made enough money to cover payroll.

$1400 per year was a lot of money in 1869.

[Michael K.]

I actually have to pay to play. I'm playing in San Clemente this weekend and everyone on the team has to fork out $ 55 to cover the tournament fee and balls they provide. I have National Championships in Vegas at the beginning of October and that will be another $ 50 or so plus hotel room, drive (four hours), Vegas stuff, etc. No sponsorship or anything like that. Hopefully my wife and I kill it on the slots.

Interesting question on whether or not baseball players would play for free if it wasn't the industry it is. The first pro team that was paid was the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings. Considering that their highest paid player had a salary of $ 1,400/year, that they didn't play in ballparks, and charged very little to attendees (and I think ladies got free admission), I wonder if they the club even made enough money to cover payroll.

Spent a lot of years justifying to my wife the extra $. Was sure a lot easier once we got sponsorship. But even then I often times had to pay for my own room, and of course food. Most of the time we had coolers full of beer though. Once nice thing about being sponsored by beer companies! Still, you go to dinner, have a couple of beers and food? And it was a lot less 8 or 9 years ago when I quite playing than it is now!

Believing that these guys are just as motivated knowing they'll make every dime of their contract whether they perform or not is ridiculous to me. What player has ever signed a huge contract and everyone ended up at the end saying...."yep, worth every penny". Barry Bonds? Roger Clemens? Who!> Sure as fuck not anyone I can think of these days.

Read a comment recently, no clue if Bret Boone actually said it or it's internet made up bullshit, but he also blames the new metrics. Says you could go on the IR for a month, come back and you still have the same OPS. He couldn't afford to go on the IR because he needed to drive in over 100 runs.

EDIT: Sounds like Boonie did say it.

Yes, Bret Boone stated on MLB Network that he couldn't go on the injured list because he had to drive in 100 runs, contrasting the cumulative nature of old-school statistics like RBIs with rate stats like OPS.

The Context of Boone's Comments
During an appearance discussing the evolution of baseball analytics and statistics, Bret Boone explained how the modern game's focus has shifted.

Key points from his discussion include:
The Value of OPS vs. IL: He noted that with rate metrics like OPS, a player can go on the injured list (IL), return, and still have the exact same OPS.

The Drive for RBIs: In contrast, he described his old-school mentality and responsibility as a run producer, saying, "For me, it's like I can't go on the IL because I've got to drive in 100 runs.

"Shifting Incentives: Boone talked about how his generation was judged and compensated based on cumulative numbers like home runs and RBIs, whereas modern players often focus on maximizing metrics like OPS for arbitration.

Today's game is unwatchable. OPS and bullshit like that is a big reason why. I remember my son swinging through a 2 - 0 pitch with two outs and a runner on second. He eventually worked a walk. Gets to first base, looks at me and says "I missed that one. I don't hit 3rd to walk with a runner on second and two outs!" At ten years old he knew.