Cup o’ Joe, side o’ dough: The players come back with an offer

MLBPA reportedly submits proposal to league for 2020 season
Nick Selbe, Sports Illustrated

In its plan, the union proposes a 114-game season that would commence June 30 and end on Oct. 31. Per Passan, players want three weeks to train, allow time for travel -- domestically and internationally -- and for coronavirus testing. It also requests that all players have the option to opt-out if they don't want to play. Players considered "high risk" that opt out of playing would receive their salaries, while others opting out would just receive service time.

The 114-game plan is unrealistic and almost certain to be dismissed by the owners (if they’re losing money every game, right?). But there is a lot of ownership to like in the player’s plan. Natch, they’ll reject it.

Examining the Economics of MLB’s Latest Proposal to the Players
Craig Edwards, FanGraphs

Well over half the players have already received more than 20% of MLB’s proposed pay and for a significant number of players, that figure is at 50% or more. While a few hundred thousand dollars isn’t nothing, when factoring in the health risks and the money already received, the plan isn’t as beneficial to younger players as it might seem. MLB came up with a plan designed to upset the game’s biggest, highest paid stars while also failing to provide significant incentive for the younger players to break ranks. MLB has asked the players to shoulder a billion dollar pay cut on top of the $2 billion cut already taken in the March agreement, but it hasn’t provided justification beyond talking points for doing so. Max Scherzer and the players seem upset and they appear unified. The owners had two weeks to come up with a decent proposal, and instead they made an offer that only takes the parties further apart.

Craig breaks down the initial owner’s proposal that was bandied about all last week. In case the excerpt above isn’t clear, he’s not impressed.

2020 OOTP sim: Madrigal's bomb in the 12th secures another win over Minny
Brett Ballantini, South Side Hit Pen at Sports Illustrated

On the heels of a rare setback against a Twins team they've dominated in 2020, the White Sox sent out ace Lucas Giolito to right the ship.

Giolito did. And in fact, the White Sox have won seven of nine from the Twins in our SSHP sim season. The White Sox sit just six games back in the division.

Esteban Loaiza's Wrong Turn
Scott Miller, Bleacher Report

Fireworks blasted and fans roared as Esteban Loaiza trotted onto the field along with the rest of the American League All-Stars to begin the biggest night of his life. It was a gorgeous summer evening, July 15, 2003. As he warmed up on the mound, looking resplendent in the home pinstripes of the Chicago White Sox, 47,609 fans stuffing U.S. Cellular Field showered him with adoration.

"Esteban Loaiza ... I guarantee you he's never had an ovation that sounded like that," Joe Buck said on a Fox telecast that was being beamed to 200 countries before Loaiza fired a first-pitch strike to St. Louis' Edgar Renteria.

Perhaps you’ve already read this epic. If not, read it. It is CRAZY.

If they build it, will they come?
Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and uncertainty about the season, the Yankees-White Sox “Field of Dreams” game is still on.

Our pal Daryl updates on the forgotten exhibition of 2020, the Field of Dreams game.

Morning Music
I saw a movie over the weekend, one of those increasing dozens every year, with big stars with no release, wide or otherwise. It was “The Meddler,” with Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne and J.K. Simmons. While Sarandon sorta makes me wince now, she was really good. It was a sweet little movie

And Blues Traveler played a wedding. It made me think, you know, jam bands are not my thing, but I always rooted a little bit for Blues Traveler. John Popper seemed like a good dude. They had some songs that were catchy as hell — I loved “Gina” and “But Anyway” from their first album. So what if they were pretty pop culture-whorey: “Rosanne,” “Kingpin,” “The Meddler.”

Whatever. Here’s Blues Traveler, with “Run-Around”. Sue me.