Cole/Harrison

[johnfluharty]

3F343C3035342F6A6C1B223A3334347538345B0 wrote: Why do you think Huntington is the one hesitating?



There has been no major free agent signings (except the Phillies) nor any major trades outside the Stanton salary dump. It looks like the whole league is hesitating.


It's weird. We are not that far removed from spring training and it has been a really quiet winter so far.

[dogknot17@yahoo.co]

69606879770D0 wrote: There's always some excuse.  When we have pieces to sell, it's a buyer's market, when we have pieces to buy, it's a seller's market.



Now, when we have pieces to both  buy and sell, there's no market.



Funny ain't it? A head scratcher for sure.  NH mist be the unluckiest GM in the league.   He's really good, if only his bad luck would just wear off...


This is why I think the Pirates can do both: buy and sell.



They have to do something different and it is pretty rare for teams to do that. It seems like teams want Cole and I am sure a team will take McCutchen too. Based on the return, they can add free agents. They can even add a top free agent as a stop gap as some players might take a one year deal and see what happens next year.

[SammyKhalifa]

424740464E445D40495A5C51280 wrote: Why do you think Huntington is the one hesitating?



There has been no major free agent signings (except the Phillies) nor any major trades outside the Stanton salary dump. It looks like the whole league is hesitating.


It's weird.  We are not that far removed from spring training and it has been a really quiet winter so far.




I just saw that minicamp has started.

[OrlandoMerced]

505951404E340 wrote: There's always some excuse.  When we have pieces to sell, it's a buyer's market, when we have pieces to buy, it's a seller's market.



Now, when we have pieces to both  buy and sell, there's no market.



Funny ain't it? A head scratcher for sure.  NH mist be the unluckiest GM in the league.   He's really good, if only his bad luck would just wear off...


I imagine once the FA's come off the board, the buying GM's will pull the trigger. The Astros are probably in on Darvish and the Giants are probably in on Cain. The Yankees are probably waiting to see if they can pry Machado from the Orioles for players that they would include in the Cole/Harrison package.



NH has no reason to rush Cole out the door, McCutchen, there might be more urgency, but also the returns being offered are probably minimal. They can probably wait for the deadline and make some kind of one for one swap for a stud prospect.

[mouse]

Everything I've read suggests the owners are playing a game of chicken with the players to see who blinks first. Apparently there's been little negotiation on demands and offers, as the two sides glare at each other. At some point, I assume, we'll hear talk of collusion, but until teams decide they need to set their rosters, I doubt we see any real offers.

[IABucFan]

I think it's interesting to see what is happening with contracts, or maybe more aptly, what is not happening with contracts. I've been saying for quite some time that I think you may see contracts come down. I don't think we're going to see the exorbitant contracts anymore, due to more and more people cord cutting. Contracts in MLB are driven by TV money. But, TV money comes from carrier fees with cable and satellite services. As more and more people cut those out, regional sports networks will increasingly not be able to give teams the mega-deals that we've seen.



Think about what you pay for cable or satellite. For a BASIC plan with DirecTV, after the first year is over, it's something like $100 a month. But, you can get a Hulu with live TV subscription for $40.00 a month. Netflix has packages available for $8.00. And I think Amazon Prime is like $12.00 a month. So, for $60.00, you can get a virtually unlimited amount of movies, TV series, and original content, plus live TV on Hulu, when you used to have to pay the cable/satellite companies $100-$150 a month, at least. I don't know what YouTube has for live TV, but I know they offer it as well.



I suppose Hulu/YouTube will eventually raise those prices. But still, I don't see how the decrease in revenues will NOT have an impact on pro sports contracts. The NFL is now also starting to get into streaming. You can stream NFL games on Hulu. You can get Fox and CBS in HD over the air. And, NFL ratings are way down this year. How many thousands of people were keeping DirecTV just to get NFL Sunday Ticket? If people are fed up with the NFL, that's just more incentive to cord cut and go to a streaming service.



I suppose MLB will figure out how to deal with this. But, the TV landscape is definitely changing. I'd guess that in the next decade, at most, cord cutters will outnumber those still subscribing to cable/satellite. This will necessarily have an impact on RSN contracts, which will necessarily have an impact on player contracts.



Until now, the only things keeping cable/satellite in business was the NFL not offering a streaming package similar to MLB.tv, and blackouts of local MLB/NHL/NBA games. It's only a matter of time until the NFL offers such a package, I believe. And, Hulu offers regional sports networks. I've often lamented the number of teams subject to blackout here in Iowa, and the fact that the local cable company only offers one RSN. However, much to my delight, Hulu offers five RSNs on their live TV package. They offer more channels, and more channels that I actually watch, for around $200.00 less a month. In other words, bye bye cable.

[johnfluharty]

I hear you. The only reason I have a pre-packaged TV service now is because of the great deal offered for Direct TV if you have AT&T unlimited cell service. I cut the cord years ago and had just settled on tuning in to the bucs on the radio like I did as a kid.

[dogknot17@yahoo.co]

How does Hulu and You Tube TV get the MLB access? Why are they allowed to broadcast/stream games? Aren't teams just going to get a deal with another provider?



I am fed up with my cable cost too. I do know I use it probably more than any other luxury bill I have. And having live sports is a big reason too.



(Good info, IABucFan)

[IABucFan]

29222A262322397C7A0D342C252222632E224D0 wrote: How does Hulu and You Tube TV get the MLB access?  Why are they allowed to broadcast/stream games?  Aren't teams just going to get a deal with another provider?



I am fed up with my cable cost too.  I do know I use it probably more than any other luxury bill I have.  And having live sports is a big reason too. 



(Good info, IABucFan)


They can't broadcast out of market games. You have to get MLB.tv or Extra Innings for that. But, since they carry RSNs (Hulu does anyway, not sure about YouTube), I'm assuming they carry MLB games. I'm sure like anything else, they pay a fee to get access to the RSNs, and some might not be on board yet. But, perhaps the fee is less...I don't know. Maybe they just don't carry channels that no one watches. I do know you get about 40 channels on Hulu's live TV package. All of the ESPNs are included (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU), NBC Sports, FS1, FS2, CBS Sports, and at least where I live, five RSNs (networks for Cubs, Cards, Brewers, Twins, and White Sox). I haven't made the switch yet, but it's just a matter of time.



And, Hulu's content is still in its beta stage, meaning they are still developing it. But, I've used it before, and it's pretty good. As good as MLB.tv at least. And MLB.tv has steadily improved. I've seen improvements from when I first subscribed five years ago to now. I think the same will happen with Hulu.

[dogknot17@yahoo.co]

Rumor out of New York was that Frazier and Adams were not offered for Cole. It was one or the other as the center piece.



Again, just a rumor. Yankees fans seem upset the Astros got Cole. I am not sure if Cashman will come out about the trade talks or not.