So yeah, obviously, he’s very out after two decades as chief of the Major League Baseball Players Association, and the union’s left looking for someone all-new in advance of the anticipated December lockout by the owners, one that’ll be aimed at installing a salary cap system.
Not great timing, one might say.
The cap system’s coming. I’ve been reporting that for years, pretty much in isolation on this particular continent, and only now it’s seemingly dawning on everyone else. The owners want this, the owners set the work rules, and all they’ve got to do is stay united to make it happen. And given that they’re already resolute enough in that regard to shut down the entire 2027 season — and they are — be sure it’ll happen.
It would’ve happened with or without Clark. The man’s next original idea or strongly held principle will be his first, and I’m not even referring to this new nonsense. He’d routinely repeat ancient catchphrases from his predecessors, he’d parrot whatever Scott Boras and other agents pushed, he’d pound the occasional table, and then he’d vanish for a half-decade at a time. On that front alone, the players will be better served without him.
But there’s this, too: A new union leader, one who’s capable of independent thought, might also be the one to avoid losing 2027 for his membership. Because he can be bright and bold enough to recognize that, if more players actually understood that WAY MORE PLAYERS MAKE WAY MORE MONEY in a cap system, he’d have their vote in a heartbeat. It’s a Robin Hood thing, to an extent, in that BryceHarper would have to give up some of his hundreds of millions to the 60% of players at or close to big-league minimum — a higher rate than any of the other professional sports. But it’s also a first-ever guarantee to players that they’d receive 50% or more of total revenues, as is the case in other sports.
Common sense ‘n’ at.
• Took a little too long for a marquee matchup in these Olympics, but U.S. vs Sweden today sure qualifies. It’s terrific in a bunch of ways, not least of which will be Connor Hellebuyck vs. Jacob Markstrom in goal. The latter doesn’t always get the love, but he drives some NHL players nuts. Good stuff.
• Erik Karlsson deserves to play in a winner-take-all game that doesn’t involve Chris Kunitz, who scored for Canada against Sweden in the gold-medal game in Sochi, then sunk the Senators in the 2017 Eastern Conference final.
More to the point, it’d be fitting for a player of Karlsson’s caliber to claim a major championship.
• Noel Acciari extension … yay or nay?
No lie, I’m torn. I’d love to keep that fourth line trucking into infinity, but the 30-plus crowd has to concede roster space to the Avery Hayes types at some point, yeah?
• Awesome to see Filip Hallander back on the rink with the Penguins resuming practice yesterday in Cranberry, Pa. Such a real kid. And such a real, raw perspective on the challenge he’ll now face, just as Pascal Dupuis once did before him.
Get a glimpse:
• More of our increasingly visual coverage of all teams, with our Greg Macafee making his way to Cranberry yesterday:
• The Grind’s going all-Pirates the rest of the week. That’s why I’m down here. It sure isn’t for the sunburn, slimy lizards and sitting at red lights.
THE ASYLUM
Grind: Union sanity to prevail?
Good Wednesday morning!
• Wait, Tony Clark was doing WHAT with his brother’s wife?
Yikes, man.
So yeah, obviously, he’s very out after two decades as chief of the Major League Baseball Players Association, and the union’s left looking for someone all-new in advance of the anticipated December lockout by the owners, one that’ll be aimed at installing a salary cap system.
Not great timing, one might say.
The cap system’s coming. I’ve been reporting that for years, pretty much in isolation on this particular continent, and only now it’s seemingly dawning on everyone else. The owners want this, the owners set the work rules, and all they’ve got to do is stay united to make it happen. And given that they’re already resolute enough in that regard to shut down the entire 2027 season — and they are — be sure it’ll happen.
It would’ve happened with or without Clark. The man’s next original idea or strongly held principle will be his first, and I’m not even referring to this new nonsense. He’d routinely repeat ancient catchphrases from his predecessors, he’d parrot whatever Scott Boras and other agents pushed, he’d pound the occasional table, and then he’d vanish for a half-decade at a time. On that front alone, the players will be better served without him.
But there’s this, too: A new union leader, one who’s capable of independent thought, might also be the one to avoid losing 2027 for his membership. Because he can be bright and bold enough to recognize that, if more players actually understood that WAY MORE PLAYERS MAKE WAY MORE MONEY in a cap system, he’d have their vote in a heartbeat. It’s a Robin Hood thing, to an extent, in that Bryce Harper would have to give up some of his hundreds of millions to the 60% of players at or close to big-league minimum — a higher rate than any of the other professional sports. But it’s also a first-ever guarantee to players that they’d receive 50% or more of total revenues, as is the case in other sports.
Common sense ‘n’ at.
• Took a little too long for a marquee matchup in these Olympics, but U.S. vs Sweden today sure qualifies. It’s terrific in a bunch of ways, not least of which will be Connor Hellebuyck vs. Jacob Markstrom in goal. The latter doesn’t always get the love, but he drives some NHL players nuts. Good stuff.
• Erik Karlsson deserves to play in a winner-take-all game that doesn’t involve Chris Kunitz, who scored for Canada against Sweden in the gold-medal game in Sochi, then sunk the Senators in the 2017 Eastern Conference final.
More to the point, it’d be fitting for a player of Karlsson’s caliber to claim a major championship.
• Noel Acciari extension … yay or nay?
No lie, I’m torn. I’d love to keep that fourth line trucking into infinity, but the 30-plus crowd has to concede roster space to the Avery Hayes types at some point, yeah?
• Awesome to see Filip Hallander back on the rink with the Penguins resuming practice yesterday in Cranberry, Pa. Such a real kid. And such a real, raw perspective on the challenge he’ll now face, just as Pascal Dupuis once did before him.
Get a glimpse:
• More of our increasingly visual coverage of all teams, with our Greg Macafee making his way to Cranberry yesterday:
• The Grind’s going all-Pirates the rest of the week. That’s why I’m down here. It sure isn’t for the sunburn, slimy lizards and sitting at red lights.
• Thanks for reading!
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