To be fair, it took the loss of 1994 and part of 1995 for both sides to realize that strikes and lockouts do no one any good. Hockey learned it a few years ago, basketball is about to learn. This is a lesson the NFL will learn once the latest CBA is up.

I really wasn't expecting them to add the second wild card to each league this year. On one hand, I'm glad it's there, it will make the post season more interesting overall. On the other hand, we wont have wild finishes to the regular season like we did in 2011. I realize it could happen if there were 3 teams in the wild card race, but that seems pretty unlikely. At any rate, I'm glad it's happening.

BUT BUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE GAME!!1!

Interesting changes regarding free agent compensation and restrictions on international signings. Does anyone know if the CBA finalized the expanded playoff format? I keep seeing the same hazy information from last week (as soon as this year, possibly a one-game playoff).

Cagey B: Interesting changes regarding free agent compensation and restrictions on international signings. Does anyone know if the CBA finalized the expanded playoff format? I keep seeing the same hazy information from last week (as soon as this year, possibly a one-game playoff).

I dont think they implement the 1 game playoff until the 15 team leagues are established. Doesnt make sense to me. I'll provide no explanation why.

neuroflare: Cagey B: Interesting changes regarding free agent compensation and restrictions on international signings. Does anyone know if the CBA finalized the expanded playoff format? I keep seeing the same hazy information from last week (as soon as this year, possibly a one-game playoff).

I dont think they implement the 1 game playoff until the 15 team leagues are established. Doesnt make sense to me. I'll provide no explanation why.

164th game?

I'm glad to see the Asstros out of my division come 2013.

There's some really good stuff in here (doing away with the Elias rankings, for instance), but the amateur spending limit thing is a joke. And I have no idea what's up with this new "major league veteran signed to a minor league deal gets extra money" idea. I assume the players were like "oooh, more money!" and jumped at it before realizing it means NO ONE WILL SIGN MAJOR LEAGUE VETERANS TO MINOR LEAGUE DEALS.

One of the great ironies of North American sport: While the NHL experienced the "nuclear winter," the NBA's on the verge of one and the NFL teased one right up until the end, by the time this CBA is done MLB will have experienced labor peace for over 20 years. Not since the inception of the MLBPA will they have had this long in stability.

I remember the 80s and 90s when it was all about MLB labor strife. Now? People are talking about what a great postseason they've had and looking forward to spring training instead of "will they strike/will they get locked out."

to be fair basketball sucks

I don't like Interleague at all (but it's not going away) and I read a possibility in which only 18 interleague games would be played per season, so I'm not too upset with the Astros moving except that now both Texas teams are in the AL, which you don't see with other states with just two teams.

Personally, I think I would've rather seen the Rockies or D-Backs move to the AL West and move the Astros to the NL West (the Astros have been an NL team since 1962. The Rockies aren't even 20 years old and the D-Backs are less than 15...make one of them move).

Also, the one game playoff should be pretty neat...as much as I like the current exclusivity of the MLB playoffs. But now every year will bring the possibility of an '07 Rockies-Padres or '09 Twins-Tigers type instant classic.

Like it or not, we'll get over it.

Cereal Fetish: ...now both Texas teams are in the AL, which you don't see with other states with just two teams...

Just realized Pittsburgh and Philly are both NL teams, so disregard that; but, I'd still rather have seen the Rockies or D-Backs move.

algrant33: neuroflare: Cagey B: Interesting changes regarding free agent compensation and restrictions on international signings. Does anyone know if the CBA finalized the expanded playoff format? I keep seeing the same hazy information from last week (as soon as this year, possibly a one-game playoff).

I dont think they implement the 1 game playoff until the 15 team leagues are established. Doesnt make sense to me. I'll provide no explanation why.

164th game?

I'm glad to see the Asstros out of my division come 2013.

I'll be happy to welcome them to the AL West, and promise to go to the first game at SafeCo.

We GOTTA do a 'Throwback Nite' with those dudes. The uni's were epic.

I like these changes. Now they just need to bring back Sunday doubleheaders and end the season a couple weeks earlier (before the NFL gets all the attention).

/and by "Sunday doubleheaders" I mean real doubleheaders, not that "day-night" BS

"• Subject to MLB discussions with the umpires' union, the expansion of instant replay to include fair and foul calls on balls hit down the line in addition to others trapped by fielders. Replay has been used only to review home runs -- fair or foul, in or out of the park. "

LOL Wut?

Fair -> Foul I can understand. However foul-> fair requires that the umpires either divine the results or to make it stupid like simply everyone moves up a base from time of pitch. Same thing with trapped balls. Ok, it's overruled and the batter is ruled out. Does the runner on third still make it home as a sacrifice?

JPINFV: the expansion of instant replay to include fair and foul calls on balls hit down the line

uh, how 'bout a com-pu-ter chip in the ball synced with "lasers" running down the 1st and 3rd base lines (and the top of the foul poles)?

/yes - same problem with changing calls from foul to fair

Too bad the the CBA couldn't have addressed the really weird exemption of the NL from modern baseball rules, and I've a bad feeling about the new draft money rules, but overall seems to be a pretty fair CBA.

I'd like to see the Brewers back in the AL (where they belong) and Bud Selig being humped by a giant angry Wolfhound.

JPINFV: "• Subject to MLB discussions with the umpires' union, the expansion of instant replay to include fair and foul calls on balls hit down the line in addition to others trapped by fielders. Replay has been used only to review home runs -- fair or foul, in or out of the park. "

LOL Wut?

Fair -> Foul I can understand. However foul-> fair requires that the umpires either divine the results or to make it stupid like simply everyone moves up a base from time of pitch. Same thing with trapped balls. Ok, it's overruled and the batter is ruled out. Does the runner on third still make it home as a sacrifice?

Damn, that would be tough. More often that not, it'd seem that any foul ball that would be called fair after a replay would probably be a double. There'd have to be some pretty extenuating circumstances for that to just be a single unless a Molina was hitting. Fair thing might be to give everyone two bases if that sort of thing happens. Would it be right? I'm sure you can think of a situation where it wouldn't be right, but it'd be fair in the sense that it would apply to any team in the same situation.

As far as the trapped balls ruling, I really have nothing. I'd hope that they'd take into account the fielder's position at the time of the play to see if a throw would have been likely (if the fielder was facing towards or away from home, deep in the outfield or shallow, etc.). Again, what's fair probably won't be what's right, and I'd suspect that if they did this, they'd keep any runners where they are.

I'd love to see this extended to bang-bang plays at any base and at home, where any replay reversal would be pretty easy to correct in the field.

red5ish: I'd like to see the Brewers back in the AL (where they belong) and Bud Selig being humped by a giant angry Wolfhound.

So who gets tossed from the AL Central to make space?

And so the death clock to real baseball begins, as the DH will come to the National League the instant that the Yankees or Red Sox have to play a three-game series at an NL park in September and the losses decide the division.

CommiePuddin: And so the death clock to real baseball begins, as the DH will come to the National League the instant that the Yankees or Red Sox have to play a three-game series at an NL park in September and the losses decide the division.

I hope not.

/Don't hate the DH
//But like the league difference

algrant33: neuroflare: Cagey B: Interesting changes regarding free agent compensation and restrictions on international signings. Does anyone know if the CBA finalized the expanded playoff format? I keep seeing the same hazy information from last week (as soon as this year, possibly a one-game playoff).

I dont think they implement the 1 game playoff until the 15 team leagues are established. Doesnt make sense to me. I'll provide no explanation why.

164th game?

I'm glad to see the Asstros out of my division come 2013.

Why? They're good for 15 wins a year.

/Astros fan
// fark the DH.