Hold on a sec…..Kershaw on team USA???? Are we even remotely serious about winning the thing?

At least a lockout shouldn't affect MLB The Show 27. It will be like when we didn't have baseball during COVID.

htownag08 said:

---

I love baseball, but i'm hoping for a lockout at this point. There are some serious reforms that need to be made when it comes to payroll and salary caps/floors.

---

Yep, completely agree.

Mathguy64 said:

---

I still can't get over the idea that someone thinks Kyle Tucker is worth $60MM a year.

Is he good? Yep. Is he the MVP of the league 2 times over? Is he the batting and HR champ who plays 5* defense? Nope.

He's being paid way above his ability and production level. And all that's going to do is drive prices up for everyone else coming next.

We may look back in 4 years and recognize this contract as the one that broke baseball.

---

Similarly you have Tek and the sips driving the cost up for players in the portal and if Oregon or LSU pay that OT $5 million (or more) it just keeps getting worse.

BTKAG97 said:

---

redline248 said:

---

PrestigeWorldwideAg12 said:

---

I hate the idea but damn it may be time to rewrite the system with a hard salary cap

---

Give me a salary floor

---

That already exists via the MLB minimum wage which was $760,000 per player in 2025.

---

implementing a salary floor per team is different than a minimum wage per player.

No deferrals from the Mets. The poster I was responding to questioned if there were.

Hornbeck said:

---

Soon, there will be fans in NY and LA and that's it.

Everyone said the NFL would die with hard salary caps (or more rigid than MLB)

I kinda like the idea that a team can win on any given Sunday now. Teams like KC will have no shot ever again in baseball unless changes are made.

---

Agreed. Everyone has a shot. It's who is smarter with their money. It's similar to NASCAR -- in a way. Everyone operates with the same level of restrictions. The best team wins -- not the club that spends the most to create the best team.

Hornbeck said:

---

txags92 said:

---

PrestigeWorldwideAg12 said:

---

I hate the idea but damn it may be time to rewrite the system with a hard salary cap

---

Players will strike for 2 years to prevent that.

---

Then we have AAA guys playing for two years straight.

This is on Manfred.

---

Maybe some A and AA guys will cross the lines, but the MLBPA will make it know to all the minor league guys through their agents that they will not be welcome in any ML clubhouse when the strike is over if they cross the lines. Remember all those guys who excelled in NFL games playing while the players were on strike? Tell me one of them who was ever seen again on the field after the strike ended.

There's going to be a season coming soon where Miami or Tampa wins like 15 game and loses 140+ at this rate of who can pay the most with no filters.

txags92 said:

---

Hornbeck said:

---

txags92 said:

---

PrestigeWorldwideAg12 said:

---

I hate the idea but damn it may be time to rewrite the system with a hard salary cap

---

Players will strike for 2 years to prevent that.

---

Then we have AAA guys playing for two years straight.

This is on Manfred.

---

Maybe some A and AA guys will cross the lines, but the MLBPA will make it know to all the minor league guys through their agents that they will not be welcome in any ML clubhouse when the strike is over if they cross the lines. Remember all those guys who excelled in NFL games playing while the players were on strike? Tell me one of them who was ever seen again on the field after the strike ended.

---

Well the minor leaguers would be unlikely to ever make pro level anyways

And if they are good enough to, they will be there when it returns full force


Of course I think there would be zero chance of replacement players driven league

txags92 said:

---

Hornbeck said:

---

txags92 said:

---

PrestigeWorldwideAg12 said:

---

I hate the idea but damn it may be time to rewrite the system with a hard salary cap

---

Players will strike for 2 years to prevent that.

---

Then we have AAA guys playing for two years straight.

This is on Manfred.

---

Maybe some A and AA guys will cross the lines, but the MLBPA will make it know to all the minor league guys through their agents that they will not be welcome in any ML clubhouse when the strike is over if they cross the lines. Remember all those guys who excelled in NFL games playing while the players were on strike? Tell me one of them who was ever seen again on the field after the strike ended.

---

Sean Payton was one of those scab players, and I see him on the field quite often…..

Here is the Astros' spring training roster. Non-roster invitees include Walker Janek, Lucas Spence and Joseph Sullivan. Also, Brice Matthews is wearing No. 0 now. pic.twitter.com/YmBbbhcel7

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) January 16, 2026

Main thing MLB has going for it is it's the primary major pro sport active during a large chunk of the non football part of the year.

A lockout driven, let's be honest, by the Dodgers and MLB's preferential treatment of that club might be a good reset.

When the Yankees and Mets are on the sympathetic side of things with where the sport is today you know things are f'd up.

Breaking: The New York Mets and Bo Bichette are in agreement on a three-year deal, pending physical, league source tells The Athletic.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) January 16, 2026

EastCoastAgNc said:

---

Breaking: The New York Mets and Bo Bichette are in agreement on a three-year deal, pending physical, league source tells The Athletic.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) January 16, 2026

---

That's good for anyone in the "trade Paredes to Boston" camp as that's one less FA INF for them to sign.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/red-sox-could-trade-from-rotation-after-suarez-deal.html

BadAggie said:

---

Main thing MLB has going for it is it's the primary major pro sport active during a large chunk of the non football part of the year.

A lockout driven, let's be honest, by the Dodgers and MLB's preferential treatment of that club might be a good reset.

When the Yankees and Mets are on the sympathetic side of things with where the sport is today you know things are f'd up.

---

It's like the Dodgers are trying to crash the bus so there will be a reset.

If we have a lockout, at this point would the fans even care?

agproducer said:

---

Hornbeck said:

---

Soon, there will be fans in NY and LA and that's it.

Everyone said the NFL would die with hard salary caps (or more rigid than MLB)

I kinda like the idea that a team can win on any given Sunday now. Teams like KC will have no shot ever again in baseball unless changes are made.

---

Agreed. Everyone has a shot. It's who is smarter with their money. It's similar to NASCAR -- in a way. Everyone operates with the same level of restrictions. The best team wins -- not the club that spends the most to create the best team.

---

Ironically, NASCAR teams were offered a chance last year to run an unlimited rules race and they refused.

NASCAR told teams that for the all star race they wanted a "run what you brung" race. In other wards, you do whatever you want to your car/engine/everything, no rules (other than safety) and no budget limitations and let the fastest team win. Most teams said "hell no" because they said they could not afford it. They were looking at millions of $$ for a one off thing. Even for a one off all star race that meant nothing they couldn't afford it.

Rules that level the playing field for everyone are not bad.

Infielder Bo Bichette and the New York Mets are in agreement on a three-year, $126 million contract, sources tell ESPN.

After losing the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, the Mets pivot quickly and get one of the best players left on the market. @WillSammon was first on the deal.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 16, 2026

Noble07 said:

---

BadAggie said:

---

Main thing MLB has going for it is it's the primary major pro sport active during a large chunk of the non football part of the year.

A lockout driven, let's be honest, by the Dodgers and MLB's preferential treatment of that club might be a good reset.

When the Yankees and Mets are on the sympathetic side of things with where the sport is today you know things are f'd up.

---

It's like the Dodgers are trying to crash the bus so there will be a reset.

If we have a lockout, at this point would the fans even care?

---

I think everyone involved with MLB, owners, players, and media companies alike are full of hubris at this point. Even no longer being the national pastime, MLB had carved out a good spot in the sports world. Just saying MLB might not recover from the next lockout as well as it had done previously.