PITTSBURGH — Ten years of major-league service time is the gold standard.
Chicago Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon reached the milestone Monday, and it brought reflection on his career for the 34-year-old. The moment fittingly arrived in Pittsburgh; the Pirates made Taillon the No. 2 pick in the 2010 draft.
“I’ve never made an All-Star team or I’m not some big household name across the country, so for me it just means longevity, routine, process, outlasting people, outwilling people,” Taillon told the Tribune. “I’ve dealt with a lot to get here and it’s never really been easy, so just proud of myself.”
Four other Cubs are on track to hit 10 years of service time this season: Alex Bregman (July 4), Matthew Boyd (July 17), Dansby Swanson (July 27) and Michael Conforto (July 31).
Between two Tommy John surgeries and testicular cancer, Taillon’s journey hasn’t always been linear.
“I’ve been available for the most part of the last five years, ever since I came back (from Tommy John), so I’m proud of that,” Taillon said. “It’s cool because there’s not that many people that have done 10 years, but everyone has a different journey to it and it’s all special. But for me it means a little more that it’s been pretty gritty.”
Losing streak limits Daniel Palencia’s opportunities
Closer Daniel Palencia’s usage hasn’t been ideal through the first two months. He has appeared in 12 games with only three saves and none since May 14.
“We don’t get to lay out how the seasons go, and so you’re always in this place where you’re like, ‘Should we pitch him?’ and then we’ve got four out of five save opportunities come up,” manager Craig Counsell said this week. “We haven’t felt the need to do it. We’ve done it before off days — we pitched him in the last game of the Milwaukee series. He was up a couple days. It’s been a weird season in terms of us producing all of our save opportunities when he was on the injured list.”
Palencia missed three weeks from mid-April to early May because of a left oblique strain. Counsell used him in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s 12-1 loss, the Cubs’ 10th straight, after Palencia had gone five days between appearances.
The biggest challenge for Palencia and the Cubs is making sure the right-hander’s workload remains high enough that he can handle pitching in a condensed volume of games when a stretch of save opportunities inevitably appears.
“We’ve got to pitch him enough so that when the big run comes up, we’ve got to be ready for it, and that’s what I worry about a little bit,” Counsell said. “We just haven’t conditioned his arm enough to do it, and that’s just the nature of the game. So that’s probably what I worry about the most from that perspective.”
MLBPA submits first CBA proposal
With the collective bargaining agreement expiring Dec. 1, negotiations between MLB and the MLB Players Association are underway.
The MLBPA made its initial proposal Wednesday and clearly outlined its key economic focus. Among the notable inclusions in its proposal:
Increases to 40-man roster minimums, including a minimum MLB salary of $1.5 million beginning in 2027.
Expansion of salary arbitration eligibility and rules aimed at combating service-time manipulation.
Elimination of the qualifying offer and the penalties for teams that sign free agents.
A new competitive integrity tax applying to teams that fail to meet minimum payroll benchmarks.
Qualified free agency for players with five or more years of service who have reached age 30.
Expanded draft lottery to further disincentivize tanking.
The MLBPA proposal also aims to improve competition while supporting lower-revenue franchises by increasing revenue sharing. Every small-market team would be initially guaranteed a minimum of $240 million in revenue every season (subject to requirements that funds be used to compete on the field) as well as other boosts such as draft picks and benefits for low-revenue teams active in free agency and other signings.
“Our goal is to preserve and improve baseball’s market system, rewarding competition on and off the field,” interim executive director Bruce Meyer said in a statement. “This enhanced revenue sharing includes added protections to ensure clubs prioritize winning over profiteering. Ultimately, our proposals are designed to build upon the incredible momentum and popularity of our sport worldwide.”