By Andrew Swanson
August 30th, 2012
Major League Baseball has expanded the playoffs to 10 teams by adding wild card games for each league. This extra level in the bracket was agreed upon by the owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) in the new collective bargaining agreement established back in November of 2011. This means that one-third of the 30 major league teams will now make the postseason. This is the first time MLB has expanded the playoffs since 1995 when the new division series went into place. Let’s take a look at how the new system will work this year and how it will affect your favorite team’s chances of bringing home a pennant and World Series Ring in the years to [...]
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• Category:
Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, Teams
• Tagged as Michael Weiner, players union, playoffs
By Jeff Walter
December 16th, 2009
Earlier this week, Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig formed an advisory committee to consider rule changes. Selig has stated that there will be “no sacred cows,” and Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune has openly wondered if the committee might suggest an end to the designated hitter rule in the American League. The designated hitter rule was added for the American League in 1973 as a way to increase offense and, as a result, attendance. Predictably scoring did increase (by approximately 29%) in 1973. But to say the designated hitter has not been embraced by all baseball fans is quite an understatement. It is unquestionably the most hotly debated topic in baseball over the past 35 years. Neither league [...]
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• Category:
Free Agents, Rumors, Teams
• Tagged as Bud Selig, designated hitter, DH, Edgar Martinez, Frank Thomas, players union
By Andrew Swanson
December 2nd, 2009
Today, Michael Weiner officially became head of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) in a unanimous vote, taking over for the parting Donald Fehr. So who is this man that holds a very powerful yet fairly anonymous position within the hierarchy of baseball. According to his bio on MLBPlayers.com “he graduated from Williams College in 1983, having majored in political economy, and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1986. From 1986 to 1988, Michael served as law clerk to the Hon. H. Lee Sarokin, then United States District Court Judge, in Newark, NJ. Michael joined the Players Association in September 1988.” Weiner was also one of the lead negotiators during the 2002 and 2006 labor agreements. He has a reputation [...]
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• Category:
Free Agents, Teams
• Tagged as Collective Bargaining Agreement, Donald Fehr, drug testing, Michael Weiner, MLBPA, players union, salary cap
