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3/21/20

John From Albany - Two ideas to play more MLB games this year.



When baseball comes back this year (and I think there is way too much money involved for it not to come back in some fashion), MLB may play more double headers.

As I recently had in the Breakfast Links:

AP News: Twin bill? Doubleheaders may be possibility to make up games. Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black would be down for doubleheaders. Maybe even a couple a week.

Phuture Phillies.com: Rockies manager was in favor of more double headers (2 per week, he said).  Well, that’s really cool of him since he doesn’t have to play them.

Here are two ways MLB may be able to play 8 – 9 games a week:

First, how about expanding the roster for all of 2020?  I was always a fan of the now extinct 40 man roster and I don’t think it will ever come back.  But what about a 30 or 32 man roster all this year?  

For the owners. It allow more games to be played and televised without players breaking down.  

For the players, it would give more players MLB service time. 

Since some teams in the past would refuse to expand the rosters when able, I think the expanded roster would need to be mandated. 

With service time being a big sticking point between theunion and MLB owners, the expanded roster could also serve as a peace making compromise.

And if you are worried about teams using the expanded rosters to have 6 different pitchers in one inning, the new three batter minimum rule should prevent that from happening. 

Still don’t like it?

Then how about this?  Remove the Option rule for this season.

For one season only, allow teams to move players on their 40 man rosters back and forth to Triple-A and Double-A without exercising their options and having to place them on waivers should their options be expired. 

The owners maintain control on players almost out of options for another year. 

For the players, this would mean more players getting MLB service time and MLB pay. 

Maybe these ideas would work, maybe they wouldn’t.
Hopefully we will have lots of these debates soon because baseball is back.

What do you think?

11 comments:

  1. to do 8-9 games a week, they'd need 30-32 players for sure. it could be done.

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  2. Agreed Tom. Then the Mets may end up having three catchers and Patrick Mazeika making the team.

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  3. Nice thought John on the double headers. I offered that here and another site with no comments at all, on yeih or negh, but I obviously like it, LOL! On the removal of the option, ehhh, not so hot on that. Have to think about it. It’s actually because the players will be jet lagged from being flown around which will skew their performances and give a lessened look as to their production. Players in that AAAA shuttle have said its rough to be on that bubble.

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  4. Texas Gus, I was thinking the option idea more from a Mets perspective as the AA and AAA teams both play in NY. Sure wouldn't work if their AAA team was still in Las Vegas. Most teams would probably agree with you. After we get through this we will see what MLB does.

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  5. I guess you have Sunday off John? It looks like ANY is re-showing the 7/17 game at Target Field tonight at 8 P.M.

    That's the game we went to on vacation this year. I will have to watch to see if I see me and my family on T.V.

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  6. Hi Bob. Yes Mack has given me Sunday's off. I will DVR the game tonight and try to see you. Where are you sitting? If I remember correctly, lots of HR in that game. If you were in the outfield, good chance you made it to TV.

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    1. John:

      No, behind the 3B dugout about 30 rows up. Rosario, Smith and (of course) Alonso homered. Alonso's went about 475 feet.

      Bob W.

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  7. Interesting idea about expanding rosters/eliminating options for 2020 to make doubleheaders work.

    I imagine the clubs would make all of these doubleheaders day/night, separate admission games to avoid losing revenue. Regardless of how they do it, there's going to be a surplus of games in a shortened time window and it will be curious to see how demand shakes out.

    We might see lower ticket prices to combat this. Wouldn't that be something

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  8. Brian,

    You make a great point. Owners may have to drop prices to get people to come back to the parks. Hopefully MLB owners, the union and MiLB will use this as an opportunity to work together and grow the game. We will see.

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  9. Do you remember the Mets in the 1970s, drawing only about 1 million fans? That might become the new abnormal.

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