Offseason Update: Dec. 4, 2020

Yeah, I know: We’re still hung up on how MLB will divide its newly acquired fiefdom into 120 teams…

As noted in the comments, the new prevailing wisdom is that we’ll know on Tuesday even if we have no hamburger today. And if you’re having hard time with this hurry-up-and-wait, Ballpark Digest points out how hard this is on the affiliates franchisees, who have been in limbo now for more than a year, as well as the summer wood-bat leagues, affiliated partnered or otherwise.

LAWYERS, YES; GUNS, MAYBE; MONEY, PROBABLY
The Staten Island Yankees have become the first team to fold and file suit – against MLB and the New York Yankees. The crux of the lawsuit hinges upon an alleged promise that as long as the Yankees held an ownership stake in the team, they would supply players to the team.

I’m no lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but I find it hard to believe that such a promise wasn’t conditional on the very thing that just ended: the PBA between MLB and MiLB. It would be one thing if this were 1990, when such a clause might not have existed or been envisioned, but after the contentious negotiations in 1990-9) one surely had to be there (and I’m not joking).

As of this writing, I haven’t seen any legal analysis, but the visceral reaction is that the SI Yanks are gunning for a negative PR hit in the vain hope of a settlement, as evidence by the specious “a portion of any settlement or jury verdict will go to the Staten Island Yankees Foundation to be distributed to local Staten Island charities.”

CBD SALES ON THE RISE IN HAGERSTOWN?
In the previous post, we mentioned that the Suns might be invited to the new MLB Draft League, which will have neither professional players nor stadium standards. For some reason, the City of Hagerstown thinks now is a good time to think about a new stadium.

Let’s pause so you can wipe off the beverage you were drinking from the screen.

Now I’m not mocking the lovely, little town of Hagers*, but look a little more closely at that last link:
/Narrator: He is most definitely mocking them

[Dan] Spedden, [President of] Visit Hagerstown worked with Suns General Manager Travis Painter at the end of the 2018 season to measure the team’s economic impact.

The team contributes nine full-time jobs and a number of part-time positions to the economy, along with $235,000 in purchases of food and other necessities, Spedden said. He estimated an impact of $53,000 in sales taxes and about $40,000 in charitable donations. Fans and visiting teams also booked rooms at hotels.

Neil deMause, owner/operator/author of Field of Schemes points out what even a Trump supporter can see: “$53,000 in annual tax revenues and nine full-time jobs is [a] terrible economic impact… you’d be better off building a small supermarket, or maybe a large dentist’s office.”

Personally, I kind of like his suggestion to find another sport to play at the Muni, like lacrosse, rugby, or perhaps pesäpallo.

WHITE FLAG IN FRESNO
Well, no, not officially. But after a week or so of harrumphing, The Fresno Bee has come around to the obvious: the Grizzlies are better off at Low-A than no-A.

Until next time…