Baseball Prospectus – Sydney Bergman and Kiehl Christie ($): I am staunchly pro-labor, anyone who reads my work regularly should be aware of that fact. The Major League Baseball Player’s Association isn’t among the best of unions, and they could stand to learn from other unions. The MLBPA gaining strength and taking back power from the owners is essential to the future of Major League Baseball. I will continue to support the MLBPA in their efforts to get the best for their members, I just want to see them do a better job wherever they can.
NBC Sports – Craig Calcaterra: In 1922 the United States Supreme Court ruled that Major League Baseball was exempt from antitrust laws because they did not engage in interstate commerce. Justice Oliver Holmes is the judge most credited with the decision of the court. It’s a decision that still doesn’t make a lick of sense and comes from a mindset that either demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of an MLB game or a complete willingness to aid a big business to keep the status quo. A fun exercise is to think of a world where MLB didn’t win the judgment, where there were multiple major leagues, no draft, and the legitimate ability for labor to earn what they deserve and for people outside of the ultra-rich to own a major league ballclub. Take that back, it’s hellish to think of the world we’re stuck in compared to that baseball utopia; thanks, Oliver.
ESPN – Jeff Passan: A young girl in the Houston area is well and at home. I shouldn’t have to tell you that, it shouldn’t matter to you what the general health is of a little girl in Houston. You need to know because the malfeasance of MLB and Commissioner Rob Manfred allowed this young girl to be hit with a line drive in the stands of a game this week. If Manfred can unilaterally impose pace of play rules that no one is asking for he can certainly rule that teams install netting all the way to the foul poles. Fans want it, players want it, coaches want it; there is no viable reason why such netting isn’t already in place. Until it is, MLB and its Commissioner are responsible for every injury and death that may occur.
Lead photo courtesy of Erik Williams – USA Today
