6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog: Pickoff Moves

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Pickoff Moves

Today's Birthdays

Al Cowens CAL b. 1951, played 1980, d. 2002-03-11

Steve Decker ANA b. 1965, played 1999

Jack Doyle BRO b. 1869, played 1903-1904, d. 1958-12-31

Mike Harkey CAL,LAN b. 1966, played 1995, 1997

Weldon Henley BRO b. 1880, played 1907, d. 1960-11-16

Mickey Hughes BRO b. 1866, played 1890, d. 1931-04-10

Tito Landrum LAN b. 1954, played 1987

Pedro Martinez LAN b. 1971, played 1992-1993, All-Star: 1996-2000, 2002, 2005. A near-certain lock for the Hall of Fame (Bill James' HoF toy thinks so), the story of his departure from the Dodgers is one of the most shameful squanderings of talent in franchise history, better and more thoroughly chronicled by Jon Weisman. One of only ~~three~~ four pitchers to win the Cy Young in both leagues (the others were Ferguson Jenkins, Randy Johnson, and Roger Clemens), he was also the last AL pitcher (prior to Johan Santana this year) to win the triple crown in pitching (ERA, strikeouts, and wins).

Russ Meyer BRO b. 1923, played 1953-1955, d. 1998-11-16

Pete Mikkelsen LAN b. 1939, played 1969-1972

MLB Unveils New Labor Agreement

Baseball has unveiled a new labor agreement, to stand through the 2011 season. Free agent compensation will be reduced, not eliminated, as previously reported:

Type C free agents are eliminated. This change is effective immediately.
Type B free agents are now limited to the top 40-21% of all free agent players (from 31-50), and compensation therefor is a sandwich pick between the first and second round (from a second-round compensation pick).
Type A free agents are limited to the top 20% (from 30%), and compensation therefor is a first- or second-round pick from the signing club and an extra sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.

For type A and B free agents, the percentage changes will take place next year, but the compensation changes will be immediately effective. In addition to the Rule 4 draft changes, the Rule 5 draft has also changed, adding a year to each type of service required (players signed before age 19, and players signed after) before a player can become eligible for the minor league draft. This change is effective immediately, also.

Additional changes to the Rule 4 draft:

There is a hard deadline of August 15. No more waiting for the first day of classes, or the week before the next draft.
Teams unable to sign players in one draft will have a similar compensation pick the next year (i.e., a 5th overall pick will get a 6th overall pick the next year), but these compensation picks do not themselves roll over. The compensation rules vary depending on the round: the above rule applies to first- and second-round picks, while third-rounders get a sandwich pick between the third and fourth round the next year.
Draft-and-follows are eliminated.

And, as one final data point, contraction is off the table for the duration of this deal.

Commenter dzzrtrat at Dodger Thoughts yesterday had some interesting comments on the speed with which this agreement came to fruition, which I here reproduce (see comment 64):

If baseball's TV ratings were a matter of such significance, why were management and the union able to reach an agreement so quickly? Bad economics were a fundamental issue leading to the strike in the early 90s, at a time when postseason ratings were higher.

And of course, the answer is that baseball is awash in money right now.

Hold That Tiger: Cardinals 5, Tigers 0

Okay, Tigers in six. I hope.

ESPN Box

Other Random Notes

It's official: DeJon Watson is the Dodgers' new farm director.
The A's released D'Angelo Jimenez.
The Twins' amazing starter, Francisco Liriano, has walked out of rehab and is considering surgery.
Kevin Hench has a list of the top ten biggest cheaters in baseball history.
Update: Excellent news: A-Rod is staying a Yankee, thus leaving an easy out in any postseason matchups against the Angels.
It's gonna be a wet night tonight in St. Louis, which means Game 4 will probably be postponed.