1 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: The athletics. Evan Drelix joining us right now. Working on 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: a number of stories this week. But Evan, we're going 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: to begin with the TV chaos for a number of teams, 4 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: and it looks like we've learned many of those teams 5 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: are going to join up with MLB, but we want 6 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: to talk to you also about how that affects their 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 1: revenue and their spending for the rest of this offseason. 8 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: So great to have you on as always, and I'll 9 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: give you the floor to help explain what is going 10 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: on this week with regional sports network deals and many 11 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: teams involved trying to decide what to do. 12 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 2: Nothing great is going on. 13 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 3: I would say that the fact that we're a couple, 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 3: you know, weeks from the start of spring training and 15 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,480 Speaker 3: we have fans and you know, up to a kind 16 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:46,839 Speaker 3: of close to a third of the league's markets who 17 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 3: are now going to have to figure out where are 18 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 3: these games are going to be aired? What am I 19 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 3: going to have to do come the regular season. I mean, 20 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 3: you still got a you know, close to two months, 21 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 3: but it's just it's not the game of musical chairs. 22 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: You want to have happen here. 23 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 3: There's this company, mainStreet Sports Group that operates the FanDuel 24 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 3: sports networks that's had all sorts of financial problems. They 25 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 3: were in a big bankruptcy case that we've gone over 26 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 3: on the show before, and they were the partner to 27 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 3: nine Major League teams. They basically ran out of cash. 28 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 3: They stopped paying teams, including the Cardinals, in December, and 29 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 3: there was this renegotiation period in January where the MLB 30 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 3: team said, we're canceling our contract, but we'll still talk 31 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 3: to you. Let's see if we can work something out 32 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 3: here and maybe find a way to come back. It 33 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 3: was all contingent on this company, main Street, getting a buyer, 34 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 3: getting more cash into its pockets to be able to 35 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 3: pay the teams for these rights, and it basically just 36 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 3: hasn't happened in time. So yesterday you had six MLB 37 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 3: teams formally announced that they are going to MLB's internal 38 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 3: broadcasting group. So MLB, which was already going to carry 39 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 3: seven teams before this happened, is now going to carry 40 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 3: probably fourteen, maybe as many as fifteen teams in twenty 41 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 3: twenty six. So the sports network world, where teams partner 42 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 3: with this third party company who puts on the games, 43 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 3: it's just disappearing, and so you have six teams that 44 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 3: are with MLB. Now a seventh the Tigers likely going 45 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 3: to go to MLB. They got to work it out 46 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 3: a little bit because they're the ownership group of the 47 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 3: Tigers also owns a hockey team, the Red Wings, and 48 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 3: you know there might be some what's the word, I'm 49 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 3: looking for synchronization that they're looking for synergy in what 50 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 3: they do there. And then the two that we're really 51 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 3: waiting on are the Braves and the Tigers. The Braves 52 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 3: seem like they're going to start their own network, I'm sorry, 53 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 3: Braves and the Angels. We don't know exactly what the 54 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 3: Angels are going to do, but they could end up 55 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 3: with MLB as well. So you know there's a world 56 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 3: in which really only one team doesn't go to MLB 57 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 3: from this group of nine. 58 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 4: What does this money look like for those teams, because 59 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 4: that's what we're always hearing. Oh no, it's in flux. 60 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 4: Not sure about our TV deal? Will the money be similar? 61 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 4: Is Major League Baseball gonna screw the poots on this 62 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 4: one and keep the money and then give it to 63 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 4: the higher earning teams? No, I'm kidding, But what is 64 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 4: the money, What does the money look like for them? 65 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 4: Will there be a severe dropoff. 66 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,839 Speaker 3: Significant drop off? MLB on its website the other day 67 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 3: had a stat that for teams that have already taken 68 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 3: a haircut, and I think this is probably encompassing. Basically 69 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 3: the last three years they've, on average, which is an 70 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 3: operative term that means not everybody's at this figure, lost 71 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 3: about fifty percent of what they were making, and so 72 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 3: now they're going to lose another sizeable chunk. There's a 73 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 3: difference between how main Street and traditional RSMs work versus 74 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 3: what's happening. If you go to MLB, the traditional rsm's 75 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 3: Main Street would say, here's a set amount we're gonna 76 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 3: pay you for your right speed. This is what the 77 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 3: right speed's worth. And you know that money is coming in, 78 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 3: you can budget around it. With MLB, they give you projections. 79 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 3: They say, this is what we think you're gonna bring 80 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 3: in in terms of carriage agreement, meaning what you can 81 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 3: sell to satellite companies, to cable companies, and also DTC 82 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 3: direct to consumer, which is just a fancy way of 83 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 3: saying streaming subscriptions. You know, there's been a big push 84 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 3: inside baseball and they've done it to get every team 85 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 3: available for streaming so that you can watch your team's 86 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 3: games locally without having to go get a cable bundle 87 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 3: or satellite bundle if you don't want to do it. 88 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 3: And so MLB is saying that the teams, whatever you 89 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 3: get from streaming, whatever you get from the satellite and 90 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 3: cable companies, that's what we're gonna pay you. We're not 91 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 3: gonna promise you you're gonna get X because we might 92 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 3: not bring in that number. So and the teams even 93 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 3: beyond that are just gonna make less money. MLB doesn't 94 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 3: have the same deals in place with the cable and 95 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 3: satellite companies that mainStreet did. 96 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 2: So they're gonna make less money. 97 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 3: And this is going to all bleed into collective bargaining, 98 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:54,840 Speaker 3: which is going to start up only in a couple months. 99 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:56,720 Speaker 3: Here we're going we're gonna have the league in the 100 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 3: union starting to get together to discuss the next CBA. 101 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 3: It's gonna bleed into the next round of national deals. 102 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 3: National TV deals come twenty twenty nine, and those will 103 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 3: be negotiating twenty eight. So it's local media rights in 104 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 3: baseball are going to be something you're just going to 105 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 3: keep hearing a ton about and I'm so happy to 106 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 3: talk to you about it. 107 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 5: All right, isn't this though Manfred's dream? Isn't this what 108 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 5: he's been talking about? MLB Central like the NBA and 109 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 5: they can do these just big national deals. But what 110 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 5: and all the NBA teams still have their local I 111 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 5: know we have the Magic here in Orlando and they're 112 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 5: on VANDUL Florida whatever it's gonna be. And but now 113 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 5: you know, the NBA has these deals, NFL has these 114 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 5: This is kind of Manfred's dream. But what I want 115 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 5: to know, Evan, has anyone looked into like the Rangers. Okay, 116 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,679 Speaker 5: for instance, in the White Sox they started their own network, 117 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 5: did they make more money off that than they did 118 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 5: off their previous deals? Because the Braves right are talking 119 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 5: about maybe starting their own network. So the team's actually 120 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 5: other than Yankees, Cubs, that's Red Sox, the Big Ones, 121 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 5: Dodgers make a ton because it's force in LA. But 122 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 5: to any of these teams that start their own network, 123 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 5: do they actually make more money than Why wouldn't it 124 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 5: stop every team from making their own network? Well? 125 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 3: Look, the infrastructure involved, the investment involved, and the time 126 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 3: and effort it's a lot of capital, generally people money 127 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 3: that you'd have to invest to start your own network. 128 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 3: I haven't looked enough into it to compantly tell you 129 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 3: exactly how those networks have done. I can do that, 130 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 3: but what I think is true is that none of 131 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 3: them have done so well that they escape this larger 132 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 3: RSN problem, which is that And Rob Manford's been on 133 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 3: record about this, and I don't think he's wrong that eventually, 134 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 3: even for the teams that are doing well, the big 135 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 3: market teams, cord cutting is going to start to eat 136 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 3: in to the money that they get. It is not 137 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 3: something while the problem has largely plagued smaller market teams 138 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 3: thus far. And the Braves are certainly you know, they 139 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 3: have a lot of viewers that they are an exception there. 140 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 3: It's something that's going to come for all them. And 141 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 3: so the answer doesn't seem to be while every team 142 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 3: go out and start your own network. You framed it 143 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 3: around this, this is Rob's dream to have all the 144 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 3: teams inside MLB. There's some nuance there. The dream is 145 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 3: to make as much money as possible. That is what 146 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 3: they are trying to do at every step of the way. 147 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 3: And they'll talk about balancing it with reach you Sometimes 148 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 3: you could sign up with a service that will pay 149 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 3: you more but maybe gets to fewer fans, and there 150 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 3: is some sort of balancing act there. But the bottom 151 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 3: line is the bottom line. What Rob wants is to 152 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 3: be able to sell a large amount or ideally all 153 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 3: of the local rights to potentially a bidding a streaming company, 154 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 3: a bidding war, or multiple streaming companies. You know, if 155 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 3: you can say to ESPN or Peacock whatever, come twenty 156 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 3: twenty eight, Hey, besides the Sunday game of the week, 157 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 3: you could also be the local home to twenty markets, 158 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 3: twenty five markets. There could be a lot of money 159 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 3: attached to that, and there could be more. The thinking 160 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 3: is then would be available with every team partnering on 161 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 3: its own with an individual RSN. So what Rob wants 162 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 3: is to control local rights through his office. And then 163 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 3: the big question becomes, okay, are you if he a 164 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 3: gets that control, how is the money divided up? What 165 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,239 Speaker 3: happens to revenue sharing? Because the big market teams obviously 166 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 3: have more valuable rights than the little market teams, and 167 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 3: this is where collective bargaining with the players is going 168 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 3: to be really interesting, because the players have an input 169 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 3: on this. So if MLB wants to change what it 170 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 3: does with local media rights, and it does, it's got 171 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 3: to go through the union in regards to revenue sharing. 172 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 3: And it's it's a very big jigsaw puzzle that's going 173 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 3: to kind of underlie all that we're going to be 174 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 3: talking about coming up here. 175 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 4: If the number is only six, eight, ten teams that 176 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 4: end up coming under the Major League Baseball umbrella, does 177 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 4: that work for Major League Baseball? 178 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 5: Does that make the money? 179 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 4: Or is it something that if they don't get X amount, 180 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 4: they don't get fifteen, twenty or even thirty teams, which 181 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:06,840 Speaker 4: I don't think they'll ever get. Is that the only 182 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 4: way that this like package system really works to make 183 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:11,839 Speaker 4: the most money. 184 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 3: You want as many teams and as many premier teams 185 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 3: as possible. Your right to think this way that if 186 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 3: you're trying to say to Netflix, hey, buy a package 187 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 3: of seven or eight teams, and it's kind of you know, 188 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 3: the Rays of the Marlins, the Rockies, whatever, it's not the 189 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 3: star studded Dodgers and they might never be involved, you're 190 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 3: gonna make less money from that. And there's even more 191 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 3: nuance here where you want to have those rights available. 192 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 3: Rob doesn't necessarily the Central Baseball Office doesn't have to 193 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 3: take control of that. You just need cooperation and you 194 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 3: need those rights available. You could still be in a 195 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 3: world where the twenty individual clubs control their local rights 196 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 3: and they just agree, okay, we will all come together 197 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 3: and sell this to Netflix. I think the Missioner's office 198 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 3: looks at it rightly that it's a lot easier if 199 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 3: they have final say over what to do with those rights. 200 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 3: And that is a key thing to understand here about baseball. 201 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 3: Local rights are controlled by the clubs. The Commissioner's Office 202 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 3: does not control them. 203 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 2: He'd like to. 204 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 5: You nailed at Devin. You nailed everything you said you nailed. 205 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 5: I think you worked for the commissioners sometimes, which is fine, 206 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,559 Speaker 5: and no, we do not work for the association. And 207 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 5: just to make sure that we established that while we 208 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 5: have you on, let's go to the WBC. Yeah, he 209 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 5: gets it. Evan gets the joke. He got it. 210 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: Uh, that is a good joke, but not many people are. 211 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 2: And that's okay. 212 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 5: One day, Evin got it. We had a long talk 213 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 5: at the All Star Game this year on the field, 214 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 5: so it's all good. Let's go to the WBC. Everyone's 215 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 5: crying about insurance, and I said yesterday Puerto Rico can't 216 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 5: afford to pull out of the WBC. They're not going 217 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 5: to pull out, and eventually all these guys will find 218 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 5: their insurance. And now we're hearing rumblings that Francisco Indoor 219 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 5: is gonna maybe be able, probably gonna be able to play. 220 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 5: And Edwin Diaz was this all a bunch of hoopla 221 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 5: about nothing and this insurance stuff just to get attention 222 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,719 Speaker 5: to it? 223 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 3: Is there an element of this that it could be 224 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 3: kind of construed as a pressure campaign? 225 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 5: Aj? 226 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,959 Speaker 3: I think yes, but it is also very real that 227 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 3: these guys were going to be denied, and this is 228 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 3: the thing that was happening and is happening. I do 229 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 3: understand that Puerto Rico is trying. Team Puerto Rico is 230 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 3: looking for alternative insurance, which is one thing that could help. 231 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 3: I don't know at this point if they've landed that, 232 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 3: but that's one way that this could end up getting solved. 233 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 3: And the other part, and this was in the original story, 234 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 3: and there's an example of this in the past with 235 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 3: Migul Cabrera and the Tigers, the team the owner of 236 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 3: the major League team that the player plays for can 237 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,679 Speaker 3: say I'm okay with this risk, and the player can 238 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 3: then play. It is an option that exists. So there 239 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 3: are avenues for these guys who have been told no 240 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 3: to still play. That's a reversal indecision. That's additional insurance 241 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 3: being acquired. That's the club owner saying, find we'll take 242 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 3: the risk. 243 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 4: What's the what's the who's who made the change? In 244 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:16,679 Speaker 4: the sense, obviously insurance didn't change. The underwriter isn't like, oh, 245 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 4: you're right. I am a big WBC fan, so I 246 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 4: want to see these guys play. Did they change their 247 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 4: line because we were talking about it yesterday, like all 248 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 4: insurance everywhere went up by fifty to one hundred percent, 249 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 4: So did the Major League Baseball and the team say, okay, 250 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 4: we're willing to actually pay more than we would have 251 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 4: back in twenty twenty three. 252 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 3: So what I understand about the insurance that applies here 253 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 3: is that after last go around, when everybody got hurt, 254 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,679 Speaker 3: or at least the big contract guys get hurt, all 255 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 3: two vedas the costs shot up. And my understanding is 256 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 3: that there was not another competitor. It wasn't like there 257 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 3: was some they were choosing between different options. And one 258 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 3: of the questions I asked one of the people I 259 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:02,959 Speaker 3: spoke to about this is, well, couldn't you have just 260 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 3: thrown more money at this? Couldn't you have said, Okay, 261 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 3: we will pay you more for a policy that covers more. 262 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 3: And the answer I got back was no, what was 263 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 3: on the table is what was on the table? Does 264 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 3: that mean now in the last week, you know, they 265 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 3: couldn't negotiate it? Slightly differently, I don't know. I don't 266 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 3: know exactly what the conversations look like between the union, 267 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 3: the league and the insurance company in the last four 268 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 3: or five days, since this is all broken out, and 269 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 3: you know, I don't expect them to detail it, but 270 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 3: clearly the league and the union are trying to get 271 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 3: the insurance company to change its mind on some things, 272 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 3: and you know, could you offer more money to make 273 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 3: them change their minds? Yeah, but I don't know that 274 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 3: that's what happened. That's going to be left to the 275 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 3: imagination at least for now. 276 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 4: Oh go ahead, cy, Is there anything to say? Is 277 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 4: there anything like Because some of the Puerto Rican Venezuelan 278 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 4: players felt like this was more of an attack on them. 279 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 4: Was it just a super random every time the insurance 280 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 4: wheel spun it was a Puerto Rican player or a 281 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:14,199 Speaker 4: Venezuelan player. 282 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 2: It seems. 283 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 3: Listen, the portrayal I'm getting from inside is is that 284 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 3: nobody has anything against any specific teams here, and that 285 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 3: it happens to be that these the players, particularly with 286 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 3: the Team Puerto Rico roster, are just unfortunately triggering a 287 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 3: lot of these disqualifying criteria more than other teams. The 288 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 3: timing of it seems to be certainly suboptimal. And one 289 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 3: of the things I was asking is, well, could you 290 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 3: do this differently and could you do it earlier? Could 291 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 3: you get this these decisions made in November? And the 292 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 3: problem if you do it in November is, well, what 293 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 3: about a guy's health situation in winter ball? You know 294 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 3: what if something develops positively or negatively once the regular 295 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 3: season ends, Because if you if you kind of do 296 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 3: these evaluations earlier, guys haven't had the benefit of being 297 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 3: able to heal up for the winter. That said, do 298 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:08,600 Speaker 3: you have to be taking it right down to the 299 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 3: wire like this? I'm not so sure there So there, 300 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 3: it seems to be just unfortunate that these guys are 301 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 3: triggering their criteria. Sixty dil major or simply surgery period 302 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 3: are big flags, but the insurance company can make a 303 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 3: holistic decision. There's something called an EMR. Please google it 304 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 3: if you want to understand how this works in insurance. 305 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 3: But you know, they look at a guy's injury history. 306 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 3: They look at the body parts specifically, has Lindor had 307 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 3: a problem in this elbow before, for example, And so 308 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 3: it it's not as simple as X disqualifies you, but 309 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 3: it is often as simple as X disqualifies you. But 310 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 3: they can kind of, you know, they take a whole picture, 311 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 3: is the idea? 312 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 5: Anyway, heavan By the way, I know you're a great writer, 313 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 5: but if you ever want to make a lot of money, 314 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 5: get into the insurance business. It's the one thing that 315 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 5: everybody has to have. Nobody wants to use it, and 316 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 5: then when you try to use it, the insurance the 317 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 5: company tells you know, and they still get their money. 318 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 5: So it's like the greatest job. It's one of the 319 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 5: greatest jobs besides writing at the athletic that one could 320 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 5: ever have. Okay, so just remember. 321 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 3: There's some stability where people don't yell at me all 322 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 3: the time. That might be a nice idea. I'll keep 323 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 3: that in the back of my mind. 324 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 5: No, Ken, Ken's a mean coworker, so I understand he 325 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 5: yells at me too, So we share. We share that problem. Okay, 326 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 5: is there any way going forward at the WBC that 327 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 5: the owners and the players, because they joint own, they 328 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 5: joint own this right that basically, you know, there's some 329 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 5: other federations that have money that they could come together 330 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 5: and say, man, this is really a problem. It's really 331 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 5: putting a little bit of a damper on this. We 332 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 5: can find our own insurance on our own. You know, 333 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 5: I don't know how to I don't know how to 334 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 5: ask the question problem like where they can come together 335 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 5: and say we're going to help pay these cost or 336 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 5: we're gonna help do this and change the rules a 337 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:05,439 Speaker 5: little bit. Because everybody wants I want to see this. 338 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 5: I want the best players out there. Everybody wants the 339 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 5: best players out there. Even though someone like Francisco Lindor 340 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:13,400 Speaker 5: had an elbow problem year ago, says he's fine, can 341 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 5: play in spring train. 342 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 3: The answer is yes, it is always possible that they 343 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 3: could figure out a way to do this. It is 344 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 3: collectively bargained, so it's not in the CBA for you 345 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 3: CBA nerds out there who want to go through the 346 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 3: PDF and try to find stuff about how this works. 347 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 2: But it's a. 348 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 3: Separate agreement between the league and the union as to 349 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 3: how the WBC is going to operate and how this 350 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 3: insurance applies. They can renegotiate that. But the big question is, 351 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 3: and I've said it on this show before, it always 352 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 3: comes back to money. Who's taking that risk? Are the 353 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 3: club owners going to stand there and say, all right, 354 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 3: for the betterment of this grand international event, we are 355 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 3: willing to take on that risk. It has certainly been 356 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 3: the history of the MLBPA and you can understand why 357 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 3: that the not going to try to make a guaranteed 358 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 3: contract anything but a guaranteed contract. So it would seem 359 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 3: highly unlikely the players are going to say, okay, if 360 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 3: I get hurt playing in the WBC, well now the 361 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:16,879 Speaker 3: team doesn't have to paint. And it seems pretty unlikely 362 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 3: that the clubs are going to be like, well, you 363 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 3: got hurt not playing for us, you got hurt playing 364 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:22,120 Speaker 3: for your home country. 365 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 2: Why do I now? 366 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 3: Why am I on the hook for all this money 367 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 3: for the next X number of years? 368 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 2: So they could. 369 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 3: Absolutely find a way to do this differently. It would 370 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 3: require one or both sides being willing to take more 371 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 3: risk with their money. And gosh, do they like money. 372 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 5: That is the name of the game. 373 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: They wouldn't be doing this tournament if they didn't like money. 374 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: That's the part that I'm not understanding. I mean, it 375 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: seems like something that is under Baseball's umbrella. I understand 376 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: that both sides have to be on the same page, 377 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 1: but you want participation, you should want participation. And maybe 378 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: this has to do with front offices too. We often 379 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 1: don't want their players participating, especially pitchers. But if I 380 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 1: was the league, I'd be like, yeah, everyone plays, we 381 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 1: want you to play. There's an injury for the what 382 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: is it five six games that someone's playing, Oh, well 383 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: you take the hit there. And that's how this works. 384 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: And we're still going to make profit off of this tournament. Again, 385 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 1: they wouldn't be this doing this tournament if it wasn't 386 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:21,200 Speaker 1: a profitable venture. 387 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 2: Right. 388 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 1: They had games prepared in France and they were like, 389 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:26,400 Speaker 1: this is not going to make us money. We don't 390 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 1: have a promoter to back this boom. We're taking it out. 391 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,199 Speaker 1: I think it was France. You probably know better than 392 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: I do. Point is, we don't see the books for this. 393 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 1: They're definitely making money off of it. I just feel 394 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: like it's overcomplicated. Maybe I'm just not understanding things and 395 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: there's too much risk on the table. But it's not 396 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,360 Speaker 1: like we're seeing twenty injuries. The insurance premiums went through 397 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: the roof because they're only ensuring this particular tournament and 398 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: they look at Al Twoveay's injury and I'm sure they 399 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: had to pay for Edwin Diaz for a season and 400 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: change and say, hey, this isn't profitable enough for us, 401 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:58,959 Speaker 1: so we're going to raise your premiums. That's why if 402 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: I'm the league, like, maybe we just save the money 403 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,200 Speaker 1: here and take on the risk ourselves, and if two 404 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: guys get hurt. 405 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 2: A year, it's kind of a win. 406 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 3: The The insurance I was told costs a massive amount 407 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 3: of money. I don't know exactly what that means, but 408 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 3: it is very expensive. And the way it works this 409 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 3: go around is this might have this part I think 410 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:23,359 Speaker 3: actually might have been true in the past as well. 411 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 3: It covers four years for pictures, two years for hitters, 412 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 3: So that means if if this is a hypothetical Otani 413 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 3: were to pitch and were to be covered to pitch, 414 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 3: which he was according to information Ken and I had, 415 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 3: he was not going to be. The insurance was not 416 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 3: going to sign off on Shoeyo Tani being covered as 417 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 3: a pitcher. But had he been, that would have meant 418 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 3: that the full seventy not that discounted forty six million 419 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 3: with net present value and the deferrals that seventy million 420 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 3: dollars per year for four years would have been covered 421 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,680 Speaker 3: under that policy to hund eighty million dollars. That's obviously 422 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 3: the most extreme example I can give you. But when 423 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 3: you're talking about the point here is when you have 424 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:11,400 Speaker 3: one star player on a big contract go down, the 425 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 3: insurance company can very quickly take a bath. And that 426 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 3: is what I've told happened last time, that the insurance 427 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 3: company did not win with the amount of money that 428 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 3: it had to pay out based on what went on 429 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,640 Speaker 3: last time. And so look, I think both things are true. 430 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 3: It is too bad they can't find a way to 431 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 3: make this easy. And you can also imagine if you 432 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 3: own a baseball team sitting there and going, I don't 433 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 3: want to be on the hook for this guy getting 434 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 3: hurt for this and the player going, well, I don't 435 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,919 Speaker 3: want to be giving up my guaranteed salary with whatever 436 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 3: the mets so that I can play for two weeks 437 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 3: in spring. It's a problem that could be fixed. I'm 438 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:49,199 Speaker 3: not sure it'll be perfectly fixed. 439 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: This sounds like it'll be fun for the Olympics too, 440 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 1: But wait, let me backtrack for a moment, just because 441 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,120 Speaker 1: you know, I am to read the nerd that reads 442 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: all of your stories and Ken's as well. So for 443 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 1: and what I understood, the cost for the insurance company 444 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: doesn't affect the premium. There was a part in there 445 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: that said, like, it doesn't matter what the total salaries are. 446 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:12,359 Speaker 1: Maybe you can play to this better and explain it 447 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:14,200 Speaker 1: to me, because this is a part that I need 448 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:16,640 Speaker 1: an explanation on because in my brain I'm just going cool. 449 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: The Otani explanation just gave me a means. This costs 450 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: a ton of money. Right in my head, this costs 451 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: a ton of money. So again, let's just try and 452 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: save this money and put the onus on the teams 453 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,360 Speaker 1: in the league because we are promoting this for our 454 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 1: sport and it's one freaking tournament for a couple of 455 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: weeks so. 456 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 3: And I actually realized now as I'm talking about the 457 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 3: Otani example, well he's still playing as a hitter, and 458 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,840 Speaker 3: the salary is the same as a hitter. The money 459 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 3: is the same there, but it's two years compared to 460 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 3: four years that we'll cover. One of the questions I 461 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:49,439 Speaker 3: was asking in reporting out that story that ken I 462 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 3: did the other day is does one person's approval one 463 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:58,239 Speaker 3: player's approval have any impact on another player's approval in 464 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,479 Speaker 3: the sense that basically, is there a capped amount of 465 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 3: total salary that this policy will cover. I was told 466 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:10,120 Speaker 3: that is not the case. I don't fully understand. They 467 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:14,639 Speaker 3: haven't sent me the full paperwork of the insurance policy 468 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 3: to understand exactly how it does work. But it does 469 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 3: not seem to be the case that one guy getting 470 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 3: money that they're going to go, oh, I ensured this guy, 471 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 3: so I'm not going to ensure that guy. What I 472 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 3: do understand to be the case is that it's a 473 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 3: little easier to ensure guys making a little bit less 474 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 3: money than guys making more money. And that makes total sense. 475 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 3: You know, Byron Buxton just isn't making the same kind 476 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 3: of money that Lindor is so maybe you're able to say, 477 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:45,199 Speaker 3: if you're the insurance company, Okay, I'm willing to take 478 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 3: a little bit more risk than I would be with Lindoor. 479 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 3: That's a hypothetical example. But yeah, so the amount of 480 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:59,159 Speaker 3: money a guy makes should not It's not like you 481 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 3: can only have three hundred million dollars and you have 482 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 3: to spread that around to a bunch of different people. 483 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 3: It's supposedly not kept. 484 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: Okay, well, let's finish with this educated prediction. What do 485 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 1: you think happens next? So the rosters officially get announced 486 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: on Thursday, we're two days away from that. That was 487 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 1: part of why the Puerto Rican team was pissed off, 488 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: and that's valid. They're like, we're not finding this out 489 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:27,679 Speaker 1: until days before and then we have to try and 490 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 1: shove a roster together. We don't have endless players to 491 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 1: choose from like USA, and USA also didn't even have 492 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: to deal with this issue. So how do you think 493 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 1: this finishes up? Do you think we continue to get 494 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:41,400 Speaker 1: news over the next forty eight hours that other players 495 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,679 Speaker 1: from Team Puerto Rico do get cleared? Edwin Diaz I 496 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: thought had no chance based on the history of something 497 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,119 Speaker 1: like that. I know it was a freak accident knocking 498 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 1: him out. 499 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 3: If I were to guess, yes, that either somehow the 500 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 3: insurance that Puerto Rico is pursuing in depend the pressure 501 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:04,639 Speaker 3: that MLB in the union, the public response here, and 502 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:10,359 Speaker 3: pr elements of this, my guess is something changes. I 503 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:14,399 Speaker 3: got to believe that the kind of underlying logic that 504 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 3: the insurance company has been has been using and that 505 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 3: everybody's agreed to, doesn't go out the window. The criteria, 506 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 3: as I understand it, is not some sort of secret 507 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 3: for any of these federations or teams. The notion that 508 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 3: anybody should be so kind of surprised by what is 509 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 3: getting ruled out, you know, unless people were really just 510 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 3: kind of hiding the ball, you know, as long as 511 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 3: everybody was told sixty d ail and surgery could be disqualifying, 512 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 3: it's hard to kind of sit there and go, oh, 513 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 3: we're so shocked. 514 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 2: That people are disqualified. Now. Is it possible that it 515 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,360 Speaker 2: really wasn't communicated? Well maybe, But my guess is. 516 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 3: That there's some sort of give or change that's made here. 517 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 3: Whether it's going to be everything everybody wants, probably not right. 518 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I think people are getting really specific on socials. 519 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: At my last point here that you can see Carlos Korea, 520 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: for example, who has flunked physicals for contracts in the past, 521 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: but this past season he played one hundred and forty 522 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: something games. He was only on the aisle for a concussion. 523 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: Brag been missing seven weeks. Judge had the elbow thing. Right, 524 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: You start to do comps with players and you're just like, 525 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 1: why him but not him? It doesn't seem at least 526 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:29,359 Speaker 1: for me when I was trying to do my own homework, 527 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: I'm like, if we're just playing off, hey, the sixth 528 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 1: dail or the surgery. He hasn't had either of those things. 529 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:37,639 Speaker 1: So now we're going further back, and then if we 530 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 1: want to go further back, we can do that for 531 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 1: other players too. 532 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:42,800 Speaker 3: There are other you know. One of the things that 533 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 3: came up in this is that there's some injury reports 534 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 3: that are not public. If there's some things going on 535 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 3: with some guys that show up in what these insurers 536 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 3: get to review. And I don't mean this as a 537 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:55,719 Speaker 3: defense of the insurance company. I'm just telling you how 538 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 3: I understand it to work that you know, you don't 539 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 3: know about. You know, maybe maybe a guy you know 540 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 3: about the injury in one arm, but you don't know 541 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 3: about the injury in the other arm. And it's yeah, 542 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 3: and the insurance company just ultimately has some level of discretion. 543 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 3: It's it's it's there's disqualifying criteria that's typically disqualifying, but 544 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 3: that's not the only thing they're looking at, and of 545 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 3: course they're never going to make it transparent with medical information. 546 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 3: It's it's you know, I had multiple people say, we 547 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,119 Speaker 3: knew this problem was coming because of how how the 548 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:36,359 Speaker 3: policy had changed got more expensive, and it's it's too bad, 549 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 3: but yeah, people, people apparently saw that this problem was 550 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:42,400 Speaker 3: going to exist, and it's nobody could get off the train. 551 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 1: Yep, yeah, hopefully. But exhibition, Yeah, exhibition there, exhibition. 552 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 5: Just saying God, God thinks it's more more valuable than 553 00:27:58,160 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 5: a World Series game. 554 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:02,400 Speaker 3: Just so, no now for renters insurance and car insurance AJ. 555 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 3: So let me know what your prices are. 556 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:08,679 Speaker 1: Everything's I got a guy, I need I need your history, 557 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,119 Speaker 1: I need your past sixty, I need a million other things. 558 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 5: Right, so I needname the last four year social where 559 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:17,639 Speaker 5: all that good stuff. 560 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:20,920 Speaker 1: Avin, thanks for helping us decideher this. We were looking 561 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 1: forward to this combo and at least getting some positive 562 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 1: feedback from people in the chat saying that. 563 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 2: This was helpful. 564 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:27,960 Speaker 1: So we will we will take that as a win. 565 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:28,919 Speaker 1: Appreciate the time. 566 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 2: Dude, you got it. Guys. 567 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: We'll continue the WBC conversation just for a couple of 568 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:34,880 Speaker 1: minutes here and then we have a guest straining us. 569 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: But you can see more coverage from Evaney and Athletic. 570 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 1: He's written about this. I'm sure there will be more 571 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: coming out in the Athletic once we get the roster 572 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:45,440 Speaker 1: announcements and all of the final decisions. On that note, 573 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 1: it appears as if our favorite closer this WBC just 574 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: because we want to see him put the uniform on, 575 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: will not be participating. Francis Romero saying, unfortunately we're all 576 00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: just Chapman will not be playing for Great Britain. He 577 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:10,240 Speaker 1: did not qualify. But my question is why did this 578 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: news come out Initially? Maybe he applied and then he 579 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: just found out that he didn't qualify. 580 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 2: I don't know. 581 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 1: This is where I'm starting to get confused here, a 582 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: j could we have not figured that out sooner? It's 583 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: like you're either qualified or not. This wasn't even an 584 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: insurance thing. This was just no, No, we want to 585 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 1: find out two days before and let all this prepare. 586 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: You want to be question and says you're denied two 587 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: days away from roster announcements. 588 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 5: No, they just wanted to try some tea over in 589 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 5: Britain and they probably flew him over to Big Ben 590 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 5: in Parliament and let him walk around a little bit, 591 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 5: and Nolin just you don't like tea enough. I don't know. 592 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,760 Speaker 5: I'm just this is weird timing. I mean the fact 593 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 5: that he was announced as the Great Britain team and 594 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 5: now all of a sudden he's not in Cube, was 595 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 5: not in this one. I don't know. Randya Rose Arena 596 00:29:54,880 --> 00:30:00,160 Speaker 5: place for Mexico, I don't know. I don't know. To 597 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,320 Speaker 5: see him in the jersey, I wanted to see Maybe 598 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 5: that's what it was. 599 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 4: Maybe he put the jersey. He didn't qualify, and you 600 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 4: know in Little League it's like you know, number one 601 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 4: through five is smalls, five through ten or mediums. Maybe 602 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 4: he got up to the number that he wanted in 603 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 4: the jersey was just too small for him. If you 604 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 4: don't know why we're talking about Jersey, mishap Great Britain 605 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 4: last WBC, look it up. It's a good it's a 606 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:27,479 Speaker 4: good laugh watching some watching some letters hang off of 607 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:29,760 Speaker 4: Vance Whirley's chest. 608 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, speaking of money issues in the WBC, that would 609 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 1: qualify for something that needed to be cleaned up. 610 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 2: And I think it. 611 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 5: Will if you're Great Britain, like it sucks at Chaman Campbellay. 612 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 5: But other than that, if you're Great Britain, right and 613 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 5: you have no really baseball history at all, you're not 614 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:49,240 Speaker 5: Puerto Rico, you're not Venezuela, you're not Dominican, you're not Cuba, 615 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 5: you're not Japan, you're not all these countries. Would you 616 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 5: make your uniforms just outrageously outrageous, all right? Instead of 617 00:30:57,600 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 5: it like I would if I was in charge of 618 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 5: the Great Britain, that would have made them the full 619 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 5: Union jack. The hats would have been crazy, like they 620 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 5: would have been the hats they wear a Westminster Palace 621 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 5: right or Buckingham Palace right. They would have had the 622 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 5: whole thing. I mean, I would have made this absolutely 623 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:14,880 Speaker 5: epic uniforms. Said they went the plane of uniforms of 624 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 5: all time. 625 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 4: They went to the t MoU site and Timu made 626 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 4: their uniforms. 627 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 5: They should have had like the fuzzy caps like they 628 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 5: wear a Buckingham Palace right with like the little where 629 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 5: the guy just stands there. They could have had like 630 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 5: hats like that with the little bill, or they could 631 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 5: have had the the what are they bowler hats? Right? 632 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 5: I mean, they could have come up with so many 633 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 5: cool things to do. Instead, they went as plain as 634 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 5: they could, plainer than any high schooling in the in 635 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,880 Speaker 5: the country has them. 636 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 1: I think there was a budget issue there. I'm hoping 637 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:44,520 Speaker 1: that they get it. 638 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 5: You can go on there are websites scott that you 639 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:51,960 Speaker 5: can go on and you can get uniforms for really cheap. Okay, 640 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,280 Speaker 5: so budget isn't isn't the issue. It was just more 641 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 5: that they didn't have any imagination. I'm sorry they forgot. 642 00:31:58,800 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 2: They forgot. 643 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 5: It was a big thing they forgot. 644 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:05,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, the only thing I don't understand is, I mean, 645 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 1: you have a number of Cuban players who clearly are 646 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 1: are Cuban and coming from that country and can't play 647 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 1: for them. So I kind of get it for all 648 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: this so I can't represent any country. I don't know 649 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: the inner workings of that, but maybe somebody can give 650 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,200 Speaker 1: me a better explanation on that. One because it would 651 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:26,080 Speaker 1: have been fun to see her office in there, you know,