Texsox

I keep thinking the 81% owners are influencing the 19% owner. I'd be interested in knowing how much he controls. With this many zeros involved, some of his fellow shareholders may want a different path than before.

Isn't this the negotiations we wanted to happen? You want this, well we can give you that but we want this. Then a counter offer we can accept that but we'll need this. It's probably why they don't meet constantly. Working things out are complex and why they should have started a year ago.

Or teams were hiding compensation in non MLB tax calculated areas. This is a good time to close loopholes. As long as the amount is increased sufficiently the players don't lose and the small budget teams win.

I'm certain the regulations for luxury tax calculations are dozens of pages long. With deferred compensation and other options I'm certain big budget teams employee a lawyer or two to limit their MLB tax. So other teams try to close those loopholes. There always was at least two factors, what will the threshold be and how is it calculated. You add that stuff and teams will hit the limit faster. Good for the small market receivers, bad for the larger market givers.

Meal money shenanigans. Y'all get $2,000 a day for food. I'm certain some team probably used it as a way to avoid the tax. Meanwhile I officially announce my Hiroshima Toyo Carp allegiance. We were middle of the pack last year but I think we made some good roster moves during the off season.

Nuclear war without the missiles.

Let's make that vote public.

Lol. My complaint is always why are you playing him?? Put the damn kids in.

Exactly. And honestly my interest is typically June to August most seasons. Which is why I'm good with a 150 game season and an extra round of playoffs. I'll tune in to a playoff game between two clubs I don't really care about than watching the Sox after they are eliminated or clinched.

I'm certain there is a fair amount of calculations for both sides that need to happen with each new proposal. There is a lot of money at stake. Which is why they should have started a year ago.

The last agreement was in 2016 and was for five years. As much as this process sucks and we all want it to be over, I wonder if a two or three year deal couldn't be worked out with smaller, incremental, changes.

Great opportunity for the union members to negotiate a bigger take. The union accepts expansion in exchange for a cut of the TV. Easier when they are already receiving some compensation then agreeing to a new revenue stream.

Remember players share in the revenue of playoff games. An increase in salary doesn't equal an increase in talent. It just pays the existing talent more. To balance competitiveness the playoff teams like the Sox need to lose good players to the non playoff teams. Moving talent from the haves to the have nots is what is required. The union wants that to happen when Pittsburgh outbids the Sox for a 2nd baseman or right fielder. The union wants Roberts to become a free agent quickly so he can sign with Miami for more than the Sox will offer.

Human behavior. My fascination probably harkens back to my psychology studying undergrad days. My give a fucks are for the innocent bystanders affected. The businesses who pay taxes around the ballparks and expect profits from the largely untaxed, taxpayer supported, stadiums and teams that will sit empty. A have several give a fucks for any team employees who aren't being compensated or employed during their lockout. The last couple are with the players. There just aren't any left for MLB. If there was a way to support the union workers while punishing MLB I would.

This is fascinating. Basically it's mutual destruction with each side having time to actual plan their demise. They would prefer to lose fan money than to lose money to each other. In other words they would prefer to continue to fight over a smaller and smaller pie than to figure out how to share a really big pie. As a spectacle, this is like watching wrestling. There is clearly a villain that not many are cheering for and the good guys. So let's cover this like we would a game. Could someone with more details give us today's lineup and positions?

Right now the Doomsday Clock is set at 100 second until midnight. I'm guessing that will change quickly. It's been a long time since using nuclear weapons was a real and eminent danger.

Probably not. Just like ours wouldn't.

If they were a baseball team we'd be wanting them to increase salaries and move assets to underperforming stores. We think the Sox earning $200 mil while paying a minimum wage of $500,000 is wrong while Walmart pulls in $14 billion in profit. This world is strange. I'm rapidly becoming a socialist.

Good point. I was more focused on this year and the team's opportunity. But it's basically 2020 only it's the owners who should be wearing masks.

From behind the NYT paywall. China asked Russia to delay the invasion until after the winter Olympics.

Let's assume a 120 game or shorter season. It could help teams with older players who might avoid a stint on the injured list. But it could also help younger teams whose players could be ready quicker. Being short a starter would be more of a problem without some off days.

Exactly. I was thinking about 80% versus 20% and if he has as much control as we think. Imagine the shareholders voting him out as chair.

I wonder if the other Sox shareholders have gotten JR to chill? It would be interesting to know if there is a mechanism to vote him out as chair.

Nice to see us supplying Ukraine directly with Stinger missiles instead of through intermediaries.

Shareholder. We forget he owns less than 20% of the Sox.