Acts of Bad Faith?

[ɮօʀȶǟʐ]

Olney:

Buster Olney

ESPN Senior Writer


George Springer should be a free agent right now. He should be taking calls from interested teams right now, weighing offers, dreaming about possibilities.



If Springer had been a free agent this fall, then presumably, the Houston Astros would have had to work aggressively to keep one of their best players and would have had to bid against others to keep Springer for the 2020 season. If Springer were a free agent -- as he should be -- he would be near the top of the board in Keith Law's free-agent rankings, behind Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon, in all likelihood, and ahead of many, many dozens of others.



But he isn't because in keeping with what has been standard operating procedure for most teams, the Astros manipulated Springer's service time by tethering him to the minor leagues for a few extra days. If Springer had started the 2014 season with Houston on Opening Day, as he deserved, he would have been eligible for free agency this fall.



There's no getting around this truth: His major league career started with that act of bad faith by his employers, for the sake of their financial interest.

What do you think of this aspersion that he's cast upon our local cheate...um...baseball team?

[Saint]

Every single team has done this and most will continue to unless something changes in the rules. Players don't have to like it, but this is how it is with the current set-up. Bryant is fighting it with the Cubs right now. We'll see what comes out of that.

[ɮօʀȶǟʐ]

Nov 14, 2019 11:56:38 GMT -6 Saint said:

Every single team has done this and most will continue to unless something changes in the rules. Players don't have to like it, but this is how it is with the current set-up. Bryant is fighting it with the Cubs right now. We'll see what comes out of that.

That is true, of course, but I think the pertinent point is that this article was directed squarely at the Astros...which feeds into our conspiracy that we're being singled out. I couldn't read the entire article because I'm not willing to pay for it, but it's telling that he focused so pointedly on the Astros with his accusations as if every other team in the league doesn't do the same thing.

[Saint]

Nov 14, 2019 13:17:05 GMT -6 ɮօʀȶǟʐ said:

Nov 14, 2019 11:56:38 GMT -6 Saint said:

Every single team has done this and most will continue to unless something changes in the rules. Players don't have to like it, but this is how it is with the current set-up. Bryant is fighting it with the Cubs right now. We'll see what comes out of that.

That is true, of course, but I think the pertinent point is that this article was directed squarely at the Astros...which feeds into our conspiracy that we're being singled out. I couldn't read the entire article because I'm not willing to pay for it, but it's telling that he focused so pointedly on the Astros with his accusations as if every other team in the league doesn't do the same thing.

I'm sure it plays at least a small part. Easy way to get views at this point.  

[blcoach8]

Nov 14, 2019 11:52:37 GMT -6 ɮօʀȶǟʐ said:

Olney:

Buster Olney

ESPN Senior Writer


George Springer should be a free agent right now. He should be taking calls from interested teams right now, weighing offers, dreaming about possibilities.



If Springer had been a free agent this fall, then presumably, the Houston Astros would have had to work aggressively to keep one of their best players and would have had to bid against others to keep Springer for the 2020 season. If Springer were a free agent -- as he should be -- he would be near the top of the board in Keith Law's free-agent rankings, behind Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon, in all likelihood, and ahead of many, many dozens of others.



But he isn't because in keeping with what has been standard operating procedure for most teams, the Astros manipulated Springer's service time by tethering him to the minor leagues for a few extra days. If Springer had started the 2014 season with Houston on Opening Day, as he deserved, he would have been eligible for free agency this fall.



There's no getting around this truth: His major league career started with that act of bad faith by his employers, for the sake of their financial interest.

What do you think of this aspersion that he's cast upon our local cheate...um...baseball team?

Like other members of the media, Olney is full of shit and is piling on while the sign-stealing garbage is center stage.

[unionstation82]

So...Olney is upset the Astros did with Springer what EVERY team does with homegrown talent? Are the Red Sox evil for milking what they can from Betts?

[blcoach8]

Nov 14, 2019 15:38:42 GMT -6 unionstation82 said:

So...Olney is upset the Astros did with Springer what EVERY team does with homegrown talent? Are the Red Sox evil for milking what they can from Betts?

Red Spx appear to be ready to trade Betts to keep from paying him.

[Hunter McCormick]

Nov 14, 2019 11:52:37 GMT -6 ɮօʀȶǟʐ said:

Olney:

Buster Olney

ESPN Senior Writer


George Springer should be a free agent right now. He should be taking calls from interested teams right now, weighing offers, dreaming about possibilities.



If Springer had been a free agent this fall, then presumably, the Houston Astros would have had to work aggressively to keep one of their best players and would have had to bid against others to keep Springer for the 2020 season. If Springer were a free agent -- as he should be -- he would be near the top of the board in Keith Law's free-agent rankings, behind Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon, in all likelihood, and ahead of many, many dozens of others.



But he isn't because in keeping with what has been standard operating procedure for most teams, the Astros manipulated Springer's service time by tethering him to the minor leagues for a few extra days. If Springer had started the 2014 season with Houston on Opening Day, as he deserved, he would have been eligible for free agency this fall.



There's no getting around this truth: His major league career started with that act of bad faith by his employers, for the sake of their financial interest.

What do you think of this aspersion that he's cast upon our local cheate...um...baseball team?

Buried in there, he does point to most teams in MLB, not just the Astros. But it's not abundantly obvious with a casual read.

[unionstation82]

Nov 14, 2019 23:30:04 GMT -6 Hunter McCormick said:

Nov 14, 2019 11:52:37 GMT -6 ɮօʀȶǟʐ said:

Olney:



What do you think of this aspersion that he's cast upon our local cheate...um...baseball team?

Buried in there, he does point to most teams in MLB, not just the Astros. But it's not abundantly obvious with a casual read.

It’s a shame that these articles are more clickbait than substance.

[ɮօʀȶǟʐ]

Nov 15, 2019 4:59:50 GMT -6 unionstation82 said:

Nov 14, 2019 23:30:04 GMT -6 Hunter McCormick said:

Buried in there, he does point to most teams in MLB, not just the Astros. But it's not abundantly obvious with a casual read.

It’s a shame that these articles are more clickbait than substance.

ESPN and the like have become almost completely useless because all they post are 1 paragraph teasers that lead to a subscription link.

[Hunter McCormick]

Nov 15, 2019 4:59:50 GMT -6 unionstation82 said:

Nov 14, 2019 23:30:04 GMT -6 Hunter McCormick said:

Buried in there, he does point to most teams in MLB, not just the Astros. But it's not abundantly obvious with a casual read.

It’s a shame that these articles are more clickbait than substance.

I think it's more insidious than mere clickbait.  There's a journalistic 'art' where a writer assembles facts but presents them in such a way that spins it to imply more than what is on the page.