WP: Nats MASN deal renegotations will have a huge impact

[HalfSmokes]

I'm not going to fault Wood for that.

  33 years without a team and he's a baseball man.  When my son came of age (baseball wise) I talked often about the Washington Senators and he had no idea what I was talking about and didn't care.  He became an Oriole fan. What was I supposed to do, tell him he couldn't root for the Orioles, rather, he had to wait for a Washington team?  In fact, I have to admit, for a short period of time I rooted for them, mostly for my son's sake (a VERY short period of time, then I came to my senses).   When the Nats came into existence, for one season (2005) he rooted for both teams, and after that (2006 and beyond) he's strictly a Nats fan and hates the Os as much as I do.

with FP and Carp, they aren't nats fans, they're MASN employees who are fans (to the extent they are) because of that relationship- I don't expect them to be fans and don't fault them for working for MASN. With Woods, he's supposedly a huge nats fan but he takes a paycheck from the organization doing the most harm to the nats- I have no problem booing him and giving him crap for it

[OldChelsea]

[...]and after that (2006 and beyond) he's strictly a Nats fan and hates the Os as much as I do.

That is something I have never figured out...why Angelos tolerates Phil Wood on the telly network he owns. For so many years, particularly after Mo Siegel died, Wood's was the only voice in favour of baseball in Washington.

[Ray D]

with FP and Carp, they aren't nats fans, they're MASN employees who are fans (to the extent they are) because of that relationship- I don't expect them to be fans and don't fault them for working for MASN. With Woods, he's supposedly a huge nats fan but he takes a paycheck from the organization doing the most harm to the nats- I have no problem booing him and giving him crap for it

Wood was a huge Senators fan.  It isn't clear to me whether that carried over to the Nats, or he's in the same category as FP and Carp - "professional fans".  I was as big a Senators fan as Wood, and I have as much passion for the Nats as I did for the Senators (well, as much passion as an adult vs. a kid can have) but I don't know that that's true for Wood.

[Ray D]

That is something I have never figured out...why Angelos tolerates Phil Wood on the telly network he owns. For so many years, particularly after Mo Siegel died, Wood's was the only voice in favour of baseball in Washington.

No, that part you quoted was about my son, not Wood.  I don't know that Wood hates or ever hated the Os. 

[BrandonK]

I'd like to see it get to the point where the interest (multiple years at this point) on the judgment is enough to bankrupt MASN

A ruling which not only boosts revenue to the Nats, but has back-payments for 3-4 years, will definitely do that.

[OldChelsea]

No, that part you quoted was about my son, not Wood.  I don't know that Wood hates or ever hated the Os. 

I never said Wood hated the Orioles - but for that long stretch when we had no baseball in DC, Wood's was the only local voice in favour of our getting a team, which makes it odd why Angelos would tolerate his presence on MASN broadcasts. There are plenty of people in DC (Thomas Boswell et al) who were perfectly happy with the Orioles as a 'regional' team, but Wood wasn't one of them, at least on his WTEM Saturday show.

[Slateman]

Just so I'm clear, at this point, the only thing that has happened in four years is that a judge has ruled that:

- Can't just turn off the games
- That MLB can be the arbiter in this dispute

And that second point is currently what is in the appeals process right now. So when the Nationals lose it at the highest level, the case will simply have to before a non-MLB arbiter to be heard. At which point, there will be more appeals.

[HalfSmokes]

Just so I'm clear, at this point, the only thing that has happened in four years is that a judge has ruled that:

- Can't just turn off the games
- That MLB can be the arbiter in this dispute

And that second point is currently what is in the appeals process right now. So when the Nationals lose it at the highest level, the case will simply have to before a non-MLB arbiter to be heard. At which point, there will be more appeals.

at this point a judge has ruled that the mlb can arbitrate, their calculations were appropriate, but the nats can't use the same lawyers as the mlb. as far as non-mlb arbitrator, it depends on how the agreement is drawn. Meanwhile, MASN is going to owe 4+ years at whatever rate the arbitrator decides plus possibly crippling interest on that amount immediately when the judgement becomes final 

[Ray D]

Barry Svrluga was just on MLB Network, and was asked why the Nats weren't able to get the FA they were after. He told them straight up that it has nothing to do with any notion of "clubhouse toxicity",

On the Nat (MLB) message board a poster summarized what Svrluga said as follows:
1- "it isn't just a toxic clubhouse"
2- Some of the "star" players are challenging
3- To many deferred payment contracts making them less valuable than the face value
4- A real cash issue since the Nationals receive less than they feel they should from their deal with MASN
5- Players declaring "where is my ring" before the season.

I don't know how accurate that summary is, but it doesn't sound like "nothing to do with"; more like  "that's part of it but not the whole reason".

[imref]

here's svrluga's article - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2016/02/02/citing-masn-dispute-the-nats-tried-to-defer-compensation-and-free-agents-went-elsewhere/ (I'm pretty sure this got posted already).  He notes that we only offered $7 million to Cespedes next year while the Mets offered north of $27 million. 

[NJ Ave]

I have no problem with deferred money being used to smooth payroll between years where you expect to have more veterans and years where you expect to be playing more young players. As long as you're only doing it for 2-4 players, I think it's fine. Any deferred money we'd have likely would still allow us to have payrolls north of $120-130 million (or the future equivalent) and you should be able to be competitive at that level anyways.

I would have a problem with it if it seemed like we were trying to have a Yankees payroll and then cut actual payroll 5 years down the road to A's levels just to accommodate all the deferred money, but it doesn't seem like it's that extreme.

[Mr Clean]

I'm not going to fault Wood for that.

  33 years without a team and he's a baseball man.  When my son came of age (baseball wise) I talked often about the Washington Senators and he had no idea what I was talking about and didn't care.  He became an Oriole fan. What was I supposed to do, tell him he couldn't root for the Orioles, rather, he had to wait for a Washington team?  In fact, I have to admit, for a short period of time I rooted for them, mostly for my son's sake (a VERY short period of time, then I came to my senses).   When the Nats came into existence, for one season (2005) he rooted for both teams, and after that (2006 and beyond) he's strictly a Nats fan and hates the Os as much as I do.

The only thing that bugs me about Wood is his stubborn repeating of false info. While Tyler Moore was in the minors he would claim over and over the Moore was a 'left handed power hitting 1st baseman' and even compared him to Ted Kluszewski. I emailed him more than once to correct him but he paid no attention. Of course when Moore came up he made no mention of his mistake. He gets facts wrong on minor leaguers on a regular basis.

[Ray D]

he would claim over and over the Moore was a 'left handed power hitting 1st baseman' and even compared him to Ted Kluszewski

I'm more disturbed about the comparison to Kluszewski than the left handed part.

[UMDNats]

I think we should boo Phil Wood until he gets a suit that fits him.

[GburgNatsFan]

And a better toupee.

I think we should boo Phil Wood until he gets a suit that fits him.

[Dave301]

On the Nat (MLB) message board a poster summarized what Svrluga said as follows:
1- "it isn't just a toxic clubhouse"
2- Some of the "star" players are challenging
3- To many deferred payment contracts making them less valuable than the face value
4- A real cash issue since the Nationals receive less than they feel they should from their deal with MASN
5- Players declaring "where is my ring" before the season.

I don't know how accurate that summary is, but it doesn't sound like "nothing to do with"; more like  "that's part of it but not the whole reason".

Here's the video:

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/7417714/v541786983/srvluga-joins-the-guys-on-mlb-tonight

[Mr Clean]

on Mid Atlantic Sports Report today---Nats have been totally shut out as all reporters are Baltimore. No Zuckerman.

Tom Davis, Mel Antonen, and Baltimore boy Schmuck are on the panel.

I hope the Nats front office is taking note.

[whytev]

with FP and Carp, they aren't nats fans, they're MASN employees who are fans (to the extent they are) because of that relationship- I don't expect them to be fans and don't fault them for working for MASN. With Woods, he's supposedly a huge nats fan but he takes a paycheck from the organization doing the most harm to the nats- I have no problem booing him and giving him crap for it

F.P. is a fan.

[HalfSmokes]

F.P. is a fan.

Sure, until he works for another team

[KnorrForYourMoney]

with FP and Carp, they aren't nats fans, they're MASN employees who are fans (to the extent they are) because of that relationship- I don't expect them to be fans and don't fault them for working for MASN. With Woods, he's supposedly a huge nats fan but he takes a paycheck from the organization doing the most harm to the nats- I have no problem booing him and giving him crap for it

 

Yeah, Phil Wood is committing a great evil because his presence on MASN is giving the channel a huge ratings boost and lining the pockets of Angelos!!!

[Mathguy]

Don't hold your breath ...

Sure, until he works for another team

[whytev]

Sure, until he works for another team

Whatever when you're in the industry that's as good as it gets.

[imref]

Yeah, Phil Wood is committing a great evil because his presence on MASN is giving the channel a huge ratings boost and lining the pockets of Angelos!!!

Wood is on an indefinite deferred compensation plan.

[varoadking]

Sure, until he works for another team

Didn't see who posted this initially, but knew it was HS nevertheless...

[whytev]

Didn't see who posted this initially, but knew it was HS nevertheless...

I'm not a giant F.P. fan, but he sure loves the chance to mention the Expos...just like me.  Shows an affinity for the franchise.  Bob, you can tell could equally get behind whatever team he's asked to cover.