We're basically getting 50-60 man MLB rosters with the taxi squad

[AbeVigodaLive]

Carew retired in 1985.

Heck, our Houseboy might be nearing 50 if he remembers much about that guy, or Bobby Grinch or Brian Downing or Tim Foli.




[Note: I just looked up Frank Tanana. He had a nice career, especially in California.]

[kobeunderbite]

You guys keep getting older and I stay the same age.

[Kevin]

Kevin, is this not a simple math equation to you?

1/2 games = 1/2 pay, ok, I think we can all agree on that being a reasonable compromise (as did MLB, hence the original agreement). But why would 1/2 games minus ~50% of all revenue streams or more = 1/2 pay? How do franchise values increasing in recent years factor in at all, especially now that franchise values are likely crashing back to earth across the board?

The players absolutely do get more money when the league does better than expected, even if it's not necessarily agreed upon. The better the league performs the more money players get over time, which is why we've seen like 20 contracts over $200m in the last 5-10 years and that's why the average salary now is 50% more than what it was 10 years ago. There's a direct correlation between the league doing better and the players earning more.

Games don’t account for 50% of revenue. We don’t know what they account for exactly but it’s probably closer to 40%.

Average salary has gone up, but in recent years team payrolls have been flat while revenues continue to skyrocket. It doesn’t take a math genius or economist to see that the players are getting a lesser share of the pie. Even using your ten year example, player salaries have not increased at nearly the same rate as revenue has.

[vcsgrizzfan]

Carew retired in 1985.

Heck, our Houseboy might be nearing 50 if he remembers much about that guy, or Bobby Grinch or Brian Downing or Tim Foli.




[Note: I just looked up Frank Tanana. He had a nice career, especially in California.]

He could throw some cheese! Early in his career, he used to hit 100mph on the regular.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Carew retired in 1985.

Heck, our Houseboy might be nearing 50 if he remembers much about that guy, or Bobby Grinch or Brian Downing or Tim Foli.




[Note: I just looked up Frank Tanana. He had a nice career, especially in California.]

He could throw some cheese! Early in his career, he used to hit 100mph on the regular.

Was he there along with Nolan Ryan?



[Edit: Nevermind. It took me 8 seconds to check for myself... yes. He was.]

[vcsgrizzfan]

Carew retired in 1985.

Heck, our Houseboy might be nearing 50 if he remembers much about that guy, or Bobby Grinch or Brian Downing or Tim Foli.




[Note: I just looked up Frank Tanana. He had a nice career, especially in California.]

And Tim Foli will always be a Montreal Expo to me.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Carew retired in 1985.

Heck, our Houseboy might be nearing 50 if he remembers much about that guy, or Bobby Grinch or Brian Downing or Tim Foli.




[Note: I just looked up Frank Tanana. He had a nice career, especially in California.]

And Tim Foli will always be a Montreal Expo to me.

Tim Foli... or Tom Foley?


[Note: One guy hit 32 HRs in 13 seasons... the other guy hit 25 HRs in 16 seasons. Wow. What an era for slap-hitting 2B/SS. No wonder I admired most of those types of players as a very young baseball player growing up.]

[kobeunderbite]

Kevin, is this not a simple math equation to you?

1/2 games = 1/2 pay, ok, I think we can all agree on that being a reasonable compromise (as did MLB, hence the original agreement). But why would 1/2 games minus ~50% of all revenue streams or more = 1/2 pay? How do franchise values increasing in recent years factor in at all, especially now that franchise values are likely crashing back to earth across the board?

The players absolutely do get more money when the league does better than expected, even if it's not necessarily agreed upon. The better the league performs the more money players get over time, which is why we've seen like 20 contracts over $200m in the last 5-10 years and that's why the average salary now is 50% more than what it was 10 years ago. There's a direct correlation between the league doing better and the players earning more.

Games don’t account for 50% of revenue. We don’t know what they account for exactly but it’s probably closer to 40%.

Average salary has gone up, but in recent years team payrolls have been flat while revenues continue to skyrocket. It doesn’t take a math genius or economist to see that the players are getting a lesser share of the pie. Even using your ten year example, player salaries have not increased at nearly the same rate as revenue has.

When the CBA expires, they'll re-negotiate and get more money (officially) in addition to the natural increases they've already been receiving (gradually, deliberately, if not on a year-to-year basis). Even from a sympathetic perspective the players are not victims here. I don't buy the idea that they're at some heightened risk by virtue of playing baseball (compared to the general population). And even if we want to call fan-less games a 40% loss, that's more than enough to obliterate the idea of half pay being a reasonable solution (imo).

[vcsgrizzfan]

Carew retired in 1985.

Heck, our Houseboy might be nearing 50 if he remembers much about that guy, or Bobby Grinch or Brian Downing or Tim Foli.




[Note: I just looked up Frank Tanana. He had a nice career, especially in California.]

And Tim Foli will always be a Montreal Expo to me.

Tim Foli... or Tom Foley?

Foley was an Expo too, but Tim Foli was one of my favorite Montreal Expos of all time. He was there for five or six years in the 70s when my interest in baseball was probably at a peak.

[lettherebehouse]

Haha I loved those guys. Going to the Big A as a kid in my little league uniform and glove begging for autographs as they took BP. Downing, Bobby Grich, Carew, Doug Decinses was a family favorite (I think he’s in prison now for some white collar crimes). But the name California Angels was too general. When the name briefly changed to Anaheim Angels it should’ve stuck. The change to “LA” was an Arte Moreno gimmick the year he came in after buying club from Disney, assuming it’d steal some latino baseball fans from Dodger county, along with the addition of 4 prominent latino free agents that offseason (Orlando Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, Vlad Guerrero, and I forget the last guy). I don’t like it.

Carew, houseboy is 40?

Whoa! Good catch. If he remembers Carew in an Angels uni, he's pretty old and he definitely should have also remembered Frank Tanana, but the hurt must be too much for his weak soul.

Tanana was just before my time. I was an Orioles fan initially being from MD, Eddie Murray was my guy. I started with the Angels when Mike Witt was their ace. Kirk McCaskill. We had 2 senior citizens on the mound as well, Don Sutton and Tommy John.

Speaking of Carew, one of my first games was when Carew was stuck on hit # 2,999. He got 3,000 the following day.

The next game I attended shortly after that was because Eddie Murray and the Orioles were in town. Saw him blast 3hrs (including a GS) that day with 9RBI. Seeing and hearing Angel fans stick around chanting EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE gave me chills, it was a memory I’ll never forget. His final at bat was a blast that fell just short of HR#4, caught against the outfield wall.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Carew, houseboy is 40?

Whoa! Good catch. If he remembers Carew in an Angels uni, he's pretty old and he definitely should have also remembered Frank Tanana, but the hurt must be too much for his weak soul.

Tanana was just before my time. I was an Orioles fan initially being from MD, Eddie Murray was my guy. I started with the Angels when Mike Witt was their ace. Kirk McCaskill. We had 2 senior citizens on the mound as well, Don Sutton and Tommy John.

Speaking of Carew, one of my first games was when Carew was stuck on hit # 2,999. He got 3,000 the following day.

The next game I attended shortly after that was because Eddie Murray and the Orioles were in town. Saw him blast 3hrs (including a GS) that day with 9RBI. Seeing and hearing Angel fans stick around chanting EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE gave me chills, it was a memory I’ll never forget. His final at bat was a blast that fell just short of HR#4, caught against the outfield wall.

Somehow, I have Eddie Murray's Topp's rookie card. It's the oldest card I own. I think my dad's buddy collected the entire set the old-fashioned way with the cardboard gum. My dad was pretty damn frugal... so when it was my turn, he just bought me a complete set every year for my birthday or Christmas.

I was moving stuff in the garage the other day and came across all the binders he eventually put them in. Reminded me of all the little random things our parents do for their kids, even stuff we never ask them to do.

[lettherebehouse]

And Tim Foli will always be a Montreal Expo to me.

Tim Foli... or Tom Foley?

Foley was an Expo too, but Tim Foli was one of my favorite Montreal Expos of all time. He was there for five or six years in the 70s when my interest in baseball was probably at a peak.

Speaking of Montreal and Donnie Moore. Hubie Brooks was the cousin of this infamous suicider/attempted murderer/dream killer.

[lettherebehouse]

Whoa! Good catch. If he remembers Carew in an Angels uni, he's pretty old and he definitely should have also remembered Frank Tanana, but the hurt must be too much for his weak soul.

Tanana was just before my time. I was an Orioles fan initially being from MD, Eddie Murray was my guy. I started with the Angels when Mike Witt was their ace. Kirk McCaskill. We had 2 senior citizens on the mound as well, Don Sutton and Tommy John.

Speaking of Carew, one of my first games was when Carew was stuck on hit # 2,999. He got 3,000 the following day.

The next game I attended shortly after that was because Eddie Murray and the Orioles were in town. Saw him blast 3hrs (including a GS) that day with 9RBI. Seeing and hearing Angel fans stick around chanting EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE gave me chills, it was a memory I’ll never forget. His final at bat was a blast that fell just short of HR#4, caught against the outfield wall.

Somehow, I have Eddie Murray's Topp's rookie card. It's the oldest card I own. I think my dad's buddy collected the entire set the old-fashioned way with the cardboard gum. My dad was pretty damn frugal... so when it was my turn, he just bought me a complete set every year for my birthday or Christmas.

I was moving stuff in the garage the other day and came across all the binders he eventually put them in. Reminded me of all the little random things our parents do for their kids, even stuff we never ask them to do.

The Topps cardboard gum



My best friend growing up and I collected those religiously. Topps, Fleer, Donruss, and if you remember the “Bowman” cards, they were awful. Oversized and would stick out of the inserts we’d use to store in binders. His prize posession in his inventory was the Eddie Murray rookie card too. Can’t remember what Beckett had it appraised at, but it definitely had some worth at the time.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Tanana was just before my time. I was an Orioles fan initially being from MD, Eddie Murray was my guy. I started with the Angels when Mike Witt was their ace. Kirk McCaskill. We had 2 senior citizens on the mound as well, Don Sutton and Tommy John.

Speaking of Carew, one of my first games was when Carew was stuck on hit # 2,999. He got 3,000 the following day.

The next game I attended shortly after that was because Eddie Murray and the Orioles were in town. Saw him blast 3hrs (including a GS) that day with 9RBI. Seeing and hearing Angel fans stick around chanting EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE gave me chills, it was a memory I’ll never forget. His final at bat was a blast that fell just short of HR#4, caught against the outfield wall.

Somehow, I have Eddie Murray's Topp's rookie card. It's the oldest card I own. I think my dad's buddy collected the entire set the old-fashioned way with the cardboard gum. My dad was pretty damn frugal... so when it was my turn, he just bought me a complete set every year for my birthday or Christmas.

I was moving stuff in the garage the other day and came across all the binders he eventually put them in. Reminded me of all the little random things our parents do for their kids, even stuff we never ask them to do.

The Topps cardboard gum



My best friend growing up and I collected those religiously. Topps, Fleer, Donruss, and if you remember the “Bowman” cards, they were awful. Oversized and would stick out of the inserts we’d use to store in binders. His prize posession in his inventory was the Eddie Murray rookie card too. Can’t remember what Beckett had it appraised at, but it definitely had some worth at the time.

My 2nd cousin got 13* Eddie Murray rookie cards from the guy (they were relatives through marriage or something).





[Note: So the guy had 15 Eddie Murray cards... and paid all that money (back then) to acquire them... and then only kept one for himself. For some reason, I don't think he was collecting them for the investment.]





* In my mind, it was 13. Maybe it was only 7 and went up through the years. I'll have to ask my cousin the next time I see him... which is about every other year at this point.

[lettherebehouse]

Somehow, I have Eddie Murray's Topp's rookie card. It's the oldest card I own. I think my dad's buddy collected the entire set the old-fashioned way with the cardboard gum. My dad was pretty damn frugal... so when it was my turn, he just bought me a complete set every year for my birthday or Christmas.

I was moving stuff in the garage the other day and came across all the binders he eventually put them in. Reminded me of all the little random things our parents do for their kids, even stuff we never ask them to do.

The Topps cardboard gum



My best friend growing up and I collected those religiously. Topps, Fleer, Donruss, and if you remember the “Bowman” cards, they were awful. Oversized and would stick out of the inserts we’d use to store in binders. His prize posession in his inventory was the Eddie Murray rookie card too. Can’t remember what Beckett had it appraised at, but it definitely had some worth at the time.

My 2nd cousin got 13* Eddie Murray rookie cards from the guy (they were relatives through marriage or something).





[Note: So the guy had 15 Eddie Murray cards... and paid all that money (back then) to acquire them... and then only kept one for himself. For some reason, I don't think he was collecting them for the investment.]





* In my mind, it was 13. Maybe it was only 7 and went up through the years. I'll have to ask my cousin the next time I see him... which is about every other year at this point.

Just looked it up and saw this Topps Murray card (in perfect PS10 mint condition) sold for over $15k on ebay. It goes down drastically from there depending on condition. But if found with bent edges and weathering in some dusty attic shoebox, it’s probably not even worth the stick of gum that came with the original package.

https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/card ... ookie-card" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AbeVigodaLive]

The Topps cardboard gum



My best friend growing up and I collected those religiously. Topps, Fleer, Donruss, and if you remember the “Bowman” cards, they were awful. Oversized and would stick out of the inserts we’d use to store in binders. His prize posession in his inventory was the Eddie Murray rookie card too. Can’t remember what Beckett had it appraised at, but it definitely had some worth at the time.

My 2nd cousin got 13* Eddie Murray rookie cards from the guy (they were relatives through marriage or something).





[Note: So the guy had 15 Eddie Murray cards... and paid all that money (back then) to acquire them... and then only kept one for himself. For some reason, I don't think he was collecting them for the investment.]





* In my mind, it was 13. Maybe it was only 7 and went up through the years. I'll have to ask my cousin the next time I see him... which is about every other year at this point.

Just looked it up and saw this Topps Murray card (in perfect PS10 mint condition) sold for over $15k on ebay. It goes down drastically from there depending on condition. But if found with bent edges and weathering in some dusty attic shoebox, it’s probably not even worth the stick of gum that came with the original package.

https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/card ... ookie-card" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Get the F out of here... $15k... for reals? I'm gonna look for that thing tonight.

I know where all of my other ones are... they're labeled by year. But I don't know about those random ones... I thought it was from 1977. I remember having a George Foster one too. Didn't he club a ton of HRs that year?

Just looked... Yep. 1977.





[Note: I have some Rainman/Artism in me when it comes to remembering stats from the back of cards many years ago.]

[lettherebehouse]

My 2nd cousin got 13* Eddie Murray rookie cards from the guy (they were relatives through marriage or something).





[Note: So the guy had 15 Eddie Murray cards... and paid all that money (back then) to acquire them... and then only kept one for himself. For some reason, I don't think he was collecting them for the investment.]





* In my mind, it was 13. Maybe it was only 7 and went up through the years. I'll have to ask my cousin the next time I see him... which is about every other year at this point.

Just looked it up and saw this Topps Murray card (in perfect PS10 mint condition) sold for over $15k on ebay. It goes down drastically from there depending on condition. But if found with bent edges and weathering in some dusty attic shoebox, it’s probably not even worth the stick of gum that came with the original package.

https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/card ... ookie-card" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Get the F out of here... $15k... for reals? I'm gonna look for that thing tonight.

I know where all of my other ones are... they're labeled by year. But I don't know about those random ones... I thought it was from 1977. I remember having a George Foster one too. Didn't he club a ton of HRs that year?

Just looked... Yep. 1977.





[Note: I have some Rainman/Artism in me when it comes to remembering stats from the back of cards many years ago.]

I remember Foster for having an exagerrated closed batting stance which somehow he clubbed 52 hrs in one season using, IIRC...unless I’m thinking of Gary Ward.

[AbeVigodaLive]

One baseball card story (possibly repeat)... we were looking at a house my junior year in college. The landlord let us check it out. The guy in the upstairs bedroom was an avid baseball card collector. He had them everywhere, including some from the 1950s or 60s just sitting out on his desk.

I 100% thought of stealing one.

I did not. We ended up in that house for our final two years of college. I don't exactly regret not being a thief... but I do wonder how much money was in that room... and how dangerous it was for that landlord to just let anybody traipse through there.

[Kevin]

Hey vcs, read this when you get a chance. It delves into how Major League Baseball teams use roster depreciation allowance to turn profits into losses. I found it quite interesting and this is right up your alley.

https://sabr.org/research/roster-deprec ... its-losses" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;