MLB 2025

In before actual 2025.

Question 1: Who do y'all think is gonna get Sasaki?

Question 2: Are you all in favor of increasing the amount of trans-atlantic/trans-pacific MLB regular season games being played, such as Tokyo/Seoul/London? If so, would there be additional countries/cities you could legitimately see regular season MLB games being played?

I will be shocked if the Dodgers don't get him.

I personally don't want to see an increase in games overseas. 

Question 3: Given that MLB wants to have as many teams in the playoffs as possible, so that the regular season doesn't matter as much as it once did, could you see a return to a 154 game season for the next CBA in 2026?

Q4: do the dodgers get a percentage of the federal defense budget or something

Yes....why yes you are correct.  Also on the number of games played, I've said for years that MLB should shorten the season.  Billionaire owners disagree with me though lol

2025 should be a fun year

2025 already starting out sad

Load image

RIP to an absolute legend.

Man, the off chance to see Uecker in real life was like 70 percent of the reason why I'd want to go to a Brewers home game.

RIP.

Question 5: Ichiro and Jeter not being unanimous HoF candidates, BS or not?

"Just a bit outside"!!!  Completely agree.  I grew up with him calling games and he is a true baseball guy.  One of the first things I remember about him is that he never took the game too serious.  

I personally will miss a lot about him.  So many memories.  I have no doubt that wherever his eternal life leads him, he will have a "front row" seat.  Damn I miss when he would say from the nose bleeds that he has a front row seat.  

Will be truly missed

RIP Mr. Baseball

There will always be that asshole that has a HOF vote that won't let it be unanimous.  I'm curious to find a short list of unanimous recipients.   

Same. I’m originally from Milwaukee, and even transplanting to Texas, I remain a Brewers fan. He lived a good life and was loved by any true Brewers and baseball fan.

I typically don’t mourn celebs, but he’s someone special.

I'd be for it to grow the game.

I also think MLB should be expanding and putting a team in PR and the DR.,, More so than say Charlotte or Nashville imo. Those are places that both love the sport, and would 100% fill the stadium win or loose every game. 

Re: Puerto Rico Major League team and/or DR Major League team.

While I'm sure that the fans of either country could pack a 30000 seat stadium for 80+ games a year, I would be very surprised if owners of a PR/DR team would be able to afford to have a competitive major league payroll.

Heck, we have owners/managers of existing MLB teams that are known to be skinflints, even if they have rabid fanbases, and I would imagine the payroll problem to be worse with a hypothetical PR/DR team.

That said, I'd like to see Montreal have another team. MLB did the Expos really dirty, and the city of Montreal didn't deserve that.

Regarding trans atlantic/trans pacific games, 

I like the spectacle of them, but I'm not a big fan of the time zone difference (as a fan) and I'm not a big fan of the wear and tear of the travel on players.

I'd like to see Major League Baseball internationally grow to the point where there are enough Major League teams overseas that instead of having a pair of North American teams travel outside of their natural time zones for a regular season series....

...we have Major League teams already based outside of North America that exclusively play in their geographic divisions during the regular season (to reduce the wear and tear on players), and do the time zone hopping travel to meet teams outside their division for playoff series.

Yes, I'm basically advocating for MLB to grow to the point that the MLB playoffs effectively replaces the World Baseball Classic. :D

There are enough venture capitalists with money to burn who could bankroll a team in either PR or DR, it doesn't have to be local owners. Hell, most of the current MLB teams are no longer owned by anyone who could claim real connection with the community outside of the team itself. 

Montreal was essentially a feeder team for most of MLB when they played there. My fear there would be they would become another Tampa Bay/Oakland situation where they draft extremely well only to see all their talent set sail in FA, but I wouldn't be against them getting another shot. 

I hear you re the logistical issues with the games, I'd rather see those games done mid-season (like right before the AS break) than the WBC, which just seems to invite injury as guys try too hard before they are really ready. I like the idea of the WBC but the timing just sucks, and with the money invested in the players, if I were an owner I wouldn't want any of my players participating. Edwin Diaz is essentially a precautionary tale.

Question 6: Hal Steinbrenner publicly said "It's difficult for most of us owners to be able to do the kind of things that (the Dodgers are) doing". Fair for Hal to put himself in "the majority of owners who have difficulty doing what the Dodgers are doing" given his dad's tenure with the Yankees?

What the Dodgers are doing will (in the long term) ruin some aspects of the game.  Financially is no sustainable.  They are owned by a wealthy group and it shows.  Not the players fault at all and I'll always be that fan that says..."if they ask you to sign and it's is exactly or more than you are wanting to receive, DO IT!!!"  

I truly believe a work stoppage is in the horizon.  Closer than we all want it to be....but I do believe it's coming.  Pertaining to average salaries, the trajectory is bad for the game.  The top salaries are stretching that average for sure, but it can't keep at this pace.  Will need new TV deals and a tighter salary cap with larger penalties with the luxury tax.  

A new CBA deal is the only way to slow down and/or stop what the Dodgers are doing with salaries.  If that CBA does slow or stop it, the talent that they signed under the then former CBA will still be playing in a Dodger's uniform.

I think it's fair for any small to medium market (city size) teams to complain and put themselves out there publically.  

The Yankees owner does NOT get that pass lol.  So Necess, IMO I do NOT think it's fair for any Steinbrenner affiliated with the Yankees should make public remarks about an equally big market team that is spending money......especially if the Yakees just got boat raced in the WS by the Dodgers.

Im truly looking forward to this year with modest expectations from my Braves in 2025.  With our studs coming back from 2024 season ending injuries my eye is on 2026

I think it's fair for any small to medium market (city size) teams to complain and put themselves out there publically.  

Oh, I totally agree with that statement.

The Yankees owner does NOT get that pass lol.  So Necess, IMO I do NOT think it's fair for any Steinbrenner affiliated with the Yankees should make public remarks about an equally big market team that is spending money.

Concur.

So, I looked at the scrooge percentage index article  https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/3107553 comparing each MLB team's 2023 gross income vs their 2024 player payroll.

Was a bit surprised to find that there is a team spending more on 2024 player payroll than their 2023 gross income.

And looking only at dollars and cents, Hal Steinbrenner's Yankees definitely had a 2023 gross income at or exceeding the Dodgers, meaning that the Yankee ownership isn't in "the majority of owners who have difficulty doing what the Dodgers are doing"

Question 7: MLB's extension of two way player qualification for the 2025 season....more BS in favor of the Dodgers, or good for encouraging more two way players?

two way players was in style 20 years ago and now again imo.  They're just not paid as such.  Looking forward to the new season!!!