Rule changes, work stoppage, Pitch Clock, New Uniforms, Automated Balls + Strikes, Manfred Salary Cap, realignment, Gambling? ABS Watch games?

[kalinecountry]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2026/03/15/mlb-lockout-cba-bruce-meyer-mlbpa/89149422007/

Why MLB lockout 'almost guaranteed' after 2026 season when CBA expires.
Freep

 

[kalinecountry]

ABS uses the front of the plate, NOT where the ball is caught.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HDivcW3WUAAjWdF?format=jpg&name=large

 

[kalinecountry]

Latest On MLBPA's Funds

The league and the union are both preparing for a lockout battle.

www.mlbtraderumors.com

Latest On MLBPA’s Funds.
MLBTR

The Major League Baseball Players Association is putting aside money in anticipation of the end of the collective bargaining agreement, as it routinely does. Jorge Castillo of ESPN and Evan Drellich of The Athletic report that the union has about $519MM in total assets, as of the start of this year.

It is standard practice for both MLB and the MLBPA to set aside money in a CBA year, as having a war chest could be needed for a work stoppage or for leverage in negotiations. Back in February, it was reported that the league had set aside about $2 billion. No details on the MLBPA’s funds were available until this week.

 

[kalinecountry]

SATURDAY SURVEY

After a test run in the minor leagues, MLB has introduced the Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) System in the majors this year. It is still a work in progress as teams go through a discovery proces…

totallytigers.wordpress.com

SATURDAY SURVEY.
Totally Tigers

After a test run in the minor leagues, MLB has introduced the Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) System in the majors this year.
It is still a work in progress as teams go through a discovery process, but in the minors, ABS had a 90% accuracy rate.
Teams start with 2 challenges. If you win, you get another. If you lose 2 challenges, there are no more opportunities.
Technically, ABS has the ability to lengthen games a little if there are a lot of challenges. It also has the ability to interrupt the flow of a game. But as we’re seeing, it puts more pressure on catchers and highlights the inconsistencies among certain umpires.
What is also expected is the decline of discussions and arguments between managers and umpires, potentially taking away some of the character of the game.
What are your initial impressions of the new ABS system?

What is your first impression of the new ABS system?

1. Love it!

2. Starting to see the potential.

3. Not a fan.

VOTE

 

[tomdalton22]

SATURDAY SURVEY

After a test run in the minor leagues, MLB has introduced the Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) System in the majors this year. It is still a work in progress as teams go through a discovery proces…

totallytigers.wordpress.com

SATURDAY SURVEY.
Totally Tigers

After a test run in the minor leagues, MLB has introduced the Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) System in the majors this year.
It is still a work in progress as teams go through a discovery process, but in the minors, ABS had a 90% accuracy rate.
Teams start with 2 challenges. If you win, you get another. If you lose 2 challenges, there are no more opportunities.
Technically, ABS has the ability to lengthen games a little if there are a lot of challenges. It also has the ability to interrupt the flow of a game. But as we’re seeing, it puts more pressure on catchers and highlights the inconsistencies among certain umpires.
What is also expected is the decline of discussions and arguments between managers and umpires, potentially taking away some of the character of the game.
What are your initial impressions of the new ABS system?

What is your first impression of the new ABS system?

1. Love it!

2. Starting to see the potential.

3. Not a fan.

VOTE

I love it. I don't see any downside

 

[kalinecountry]

MONDAY MUSINGS

by Holly Horning Sometimes it’s the smaller stories that slip under the radar and have the biggest and most long-lasting impact. Let’s cover some of those from the past week as th…

totallytigers.wordpress.com

MONDAY MUSINGS.
ABS
Owners
Stats
Totally Tigers

 

[kalinecountry]

SATURDAY SURVEY

Things are heating up between MLB and the MLBPA in the last year of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Official negotiations are scheduled to start within days with the curren…

totallytigers.wordpress.com

SATURDAY SURVEY.
Totally Tigers

Things are heating up between MLB and the MLBPA in the last year of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Official negotiations are scheduled to start within days with the current contract expiration set for December 1st.
In advance of these meetings, both sides have started posturing. The biggest issue at hand concerns a salary cap. Owners are adamant about putting one in place. They have been trying for years. It would guarantee that teams could not “cheap out” by spending an absurdly low amount on their roster and that other franchises couldn’t significantly outspend their competition, essentially “buying” a team.
The Players Association is firmly against a salary cap because they believe it would negatively impact players’ salaries.
Both sides have been developing “war chests”. The owners for legal and other professional needs. The union is currently bragging that they’ve gathered almost $520 mill which will be used to pay players should the season not start on time or be lost altogether.
It is expected to be a lengthy lockout – and almost guaranteed to happen.
Over 75% of baseball fans want a salary cap that would level the playing field more and increase competitiveness. But how far are they – and you – willing to go?
Are you willing to miss half or all of the 2027 baseball season in order to see a salary cap established?

Are you willing to sacrifice at least half the 2027 season if it means a salary cap gets implemented?

1. Yes

2.No

VOTE

 

[kalinecountry]

MONDAY MUSINGS

by Holly Horning Sometimes it’s the smaller stories that slip under the radar and have the biggest and most long-lasting impact. Let’s cover some of those from the past week as th…

totallytigers.wordpress.com

MONDAY MUSINGS.
Totally Tigers

 

[kalinecountry]

The Strike Zone Is Shrinking. Here’s How.

A mathematical investigation of the changing size of the strike zone, as called in MLB games in 2026.

blogs.fangraphs.com

The Strike Zone Is Shrinking. Here’s How.
Fangraphs

 

[kalinecountry]

MLB’S MAD MONEY GRAB

by Holly Horning I lost it one Sunday night a couple weeks ago. All in an attempt to watch that night’s game between the Tigers and Rangers. Several hours after the start, I opened the MLB.TV…

totallytigers.wordpress.com

MLB’S MAD MONEY GRAB.
Totally Tigers

MLB's mad money grab should make you mad if you want to watch our Tigers.

 

[kalinecountry]

"They eliminated the tacky substance while they were emphasizing max effort on spin or velocity, and they put in a pitch clock so you can't recover the same amount of time in between pitches".
Dr. Neal ElAttrache on the perfect storm for pitchers' elbow injuries.

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-competitive-balance-issue-explained

Baseball’s competitive balance issue, explained.
MLB.com

 

[kalinecountry]

What the Tigers can, and should, get in deadline deals for Skubal and Mize (and, by the way, there may be no 2027 season)

The Tigers can reassemble a playoff team for 2027 and beyond when deadline bidders for two pitching prizes could bring a relative bounty. One problem: December's lockout could quash baseball in 2027.

tigersintelligencereport.substack.com

What the Tigers can, and should, get in deadline deals for Skubal and Mize (and, by the way, there may be no 2027 season).
The Tigers can reassemble a playoff team for 2027 and beyond when deadline bidders for two pitching prizes could bring a relative bounty. One problem: December's lockout could quash baseball in 2027.
Tigers Intelligence Report w/Lynn Henning

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48959766/manfred-admits-concern-mlb-labor-talks-end-lockout

Huge Shithead Commissioner Rob Manfred admits concern MLB labor talks will end in lockout.
espn
Manfred was a junior lawyer on the owners' bargaining team in 1994. That was the last time owners formally proposed a salary cap until last week, when they responded to the MLBPA's opening proposal with a sweeping overhaul of the sport's economic structure. In it, MLB called for a firm salary cap of $245.3 million with a hard floor of $171.2 million.

MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer says that the players would actually be taking a $500 million paycut if they accepted MLB's salary cap proposal, and reiterated that they will never agree to a salary cap.

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48967255/2026-mlb-owners-meetings-labor-cba-mlbpa-salary-cap-rob-manfred-takeaways

MLB labor talks: Four takeaways from this week's owners meetings.
espn

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48305211/2026-mlb-abs-challenge-system-tracker-team-player-rankings

2026 MLB ABS challenge system tracker: Team, player rankings.
espn