Trevor Plouffe: “Rob Manfred going around to clubhouses has been a great tool for [the Players Association] because he hasn’t been able to answer a lot of the questions that the guys have had.”

28 comments

  4. There is no way that Manfred should be the one negotiating the new CBA before he leaves

  5. Manfred’s legacy is four things: letting in sports betting, not punishing the Astros, allowing baseball media creators to flourish by stopping constant demonetization, and the pitch clock/Manfred runner. The bad far outweighs the good, and a long work stoppage will cement his legacy as one of the worst commissioners of all time.

  6. i can’t imagine Manfred is the ideal guy for this. don’t companies usually have some kind of representative or a team prepped for this stuff?

  8. Manfred really thought he was going to waltz in and dupe the big dumb jocks into agreeing to limit their own salaries

  11. Good. As a union gal, solidarity with the PA. Fuck Rob Manfred. UNION STRONG!

  14. From my memory of the past, all Commissioners were hated by the fans, especially during contract disputes and a strike, as they were viewed as siding with the owners, who always have been blamed for it by most fans.

    There have been 5 player strikes since 1972. The most relevant 1994 strike resulted in the cancellation of 938 games and the World Series with the owners demanding a salary cap. It was settled without a salary cap. Now 30 years later they are asking for a salary cap they will never get.

  15. This might’ve worked if Manfred was a compelling and charming orator who could sell players on his bullshit, but he’s not. He’s just a tool for the owners and it’s apparent in these types of settings. It’s been a PR disaster for him and he should stop.

  16. He gets to answer lots of questions, like why the fuck is he still in their clubhouse and why won’t he get the fuck out of their clubhouse.

  17. Manfred’s job is to be an uncharismatic punching bag so that the players and fans have somebody to yell at instead of owners.

  22. I *mostly* don’t mind Manfred’s rule changes. But fuck him on this salary cap shit. Start with a salary floor. Make the owners spend the money they are raking in. If that doesn’t fix it, then we can consider a cap, but I have a sneaking suspicion that won’t be needed.

  24. If MLB implements a cap, a floor, and raises the minimum salary a significant amount they will be able to get a lot of the lower level players on board.

  25. MLB is just like any other organization. Just like when the CEO turns up at out local office. Completley out of touch with what’s going on and blurts out total jibberish. Last time he said “If someone quits for another job that pays 6000 more a year we are doing something wrong!”

  26. Unless ‘how do we lower costs for fans’ as well isn’t at the table it’s hard to pick a side. It’s a monopoly, with federal antitrust protections, so pure market justification just cause can can be argued.

  27. Reminds me of the townhall sessions my company’s HR has been hosting about their Return to Office initiative lol

  28. The job of the commissioner isn’t and has never been to do what’s best for the game of Baseball. It’s to advance the financial interests of the owners, whose care about making as much easy money as possible for themselves.

    The last commissioner who actually seemed to like baseball was Fay Vincent, and he was fired for it.

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