by
Greek Giant
The Major League Baseball Player’s Union (MLBPA) just announced a $1 million fund for workers behind the scenes affected by the lockout on behalf of Major League Baseball. The fund will be administered by the MLBPA and AFL-CIO. Here is the full press release:
Kudos to the players like Andrew Miller and Max Scherzer who are behind this. This is an important financial move that can help hospitality workers and others behind the scenes who contribute to the success of Major League Baseball games being played around the country. The workers range from electricians and groundskeepers to ushers and security personnel.
The Negotiations Appear to Be Moving in the Right Direction
Ken Rosenthal just reported that Major League Baseball owners are willing to increase the competitive balance tax threshold from its current number of $220 million. This could be a major concession for the owners depending on the amount of increase. There is much more going on behind the scenes as well as the game of Major League Baseball is bound to undergo severe changes to its financial structure and its basic rules, from increased postseasons to larger bases! Rosenthal is reporting that owners want the ability to change the rules of the game within 45 days of a season’s end:
“The union, in its latest proposal to the league on Sunday, agreed to grant the league the ability to institute a pitch clock, larger bases and shift restrictions for 2023. The league wants the ability to make other changes for subsequent years within 45 days of the end of a season. Such changes would be implemented upon the recommendations of a competition committee composed of more league than union representatives, effectively giving commissioner Rob Manfred the power to act as he chooses. In previous CBAs, the commissioner had the unilateral right to implement changes only after a year’s notice.”
Giants Pitching Prospect Sonny Vargas Suspended for 60 Games
It was recently announced by Minor League baseball that Giants minor league pitching prospect Sonny Vargas was suspended for 60 games for his use of the performance enhancing drug Stanozolol.
Three @MiLB players have been suspended without pay following their violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. pic.twitter.com/jQ7A5nukzC
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) March 4, 2022
Vargas is in the Giants Rookie Level League in Arizona.
Bummer.
In other news MLB is studying 14-second and 19-second pitch clocks.