Comments on: My Proposal to Clean Up Baseball in The New York Times http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2007/12/my-proposal-to-clean-up-baseball-in-the-new-york-times/ Economic Thinking about Baseball Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:16:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Marc Schneider http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2007/12/my-proposal-to-clean-up-baseball-in-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-72084 Marc Schneider Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:31:45 +0000 http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2007/12/my-600-word-proposal-to-clean-up-baseball-in-the-new-york-times/#comment-72084 It seems to me that Miller is a bit disingenous. He apparently knew that players were taking greenies, whether provided by the owners or not, and he didn't seem terribly concerned about their consequences when he was running the union. It seems to me that, as Kyle suggests, the union could have been proactive on this matter because they knew that, regardless of effect or lack thereof on performance, these substances were not beneficial to players' health. But they didn't want to do anything that might depress stats and, thus, salaries, and Miller was as guilty as anyone. It seems to me that Miller is a bit disingenous. He apparently knew that players were taking greenies, whether provided by the owners or not, and he didn’t seem terribly concerned about their consequences when he was running the union. It seems to me that, as Kyle suggests, the union could have been proactive on this matter because they knew that, regardless of effect or lack thereof on performance, these substances were not beneficial to players’ health. But they didn’t want to do anything that might depress stats and, thus, salaries, and Miller was as guilty as anyone.

]]> By: Erich http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2007/12/my-proposal-to-clean-up-baseball-in-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-71796 Erich Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:58:58 +0000 http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2007/12/my-600-word-proposal-to-clean-up-baseball-in-the-new-york-times/#comment-71796 two thoughts: 1. While this plan may curtail the demand, can you really stop the innovation that provides drugs beyond detection? 2. Given that the players are key to your enforcement plan, is not being a snitch worth the fraction of extra bonus money a clean player would receive? On the margin, I'm skeptical that the extra reward relative to pay would work given the macho atmosphere. Also, wouldn't this just shift the knowledge to trainers and confidants of the users, who do not share in the incentive to report? two thoughts:
1. While this plan may curtail the demand, can you really stop the innovation that provides drugs beyond detection?

2. Given that the players are key to your enforcement plan, is not being a snitch worth the fraction of extra bonus money a clean player would receive? On the margin, I’m skeptical that the extra reward relative to pay would work given the macho atmosphere. Also, wouldn’t this just shift the knowledge to trainers and confidants of the users, who do not share in the incentive to report?

]]> By: Kyle http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2007/12/my-proposal-to-clean-up-baseball-in-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-71793 Kyle Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:28:42 +0000 http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2007/12/my-600-word-proposal-to-clean-up-baseball-in-the-new-york-times/#comment-71793 Great post JC. I've long been an advocate of this very idea. It's always been my opinion that the Players Union dropped the ball on this one. They could and should have taken control of the situation and protected their own players interests when it was clear that ownership wasn't interested. No 22 year old trying to stick in the majors long enought to get to free agency should have to feel pressured to take PEDs just to make that one payday. The MLBPA members health is the one that is being jeopardized, but they ignored the threat because of the monetary benefits of letting their players jeopardize their health. Every union member that didn't demand that their union protech their health should realize they were part of the system that lead to the quagmire baseball is in today. Great post JC. I’ve long been an advocate of this very idea. It’s always been my opinion that the Players Union dropped the ball on this one. They could and should have taken control of the situation and protected their own players interests when it was clear that ownership wasn’t interested. No 22 year old trying to stick in the majors long enought to get to free agency should have to feel pressured to take PEDs just to make that one payday. The MLBPA members health is the one that is being jeopardized, but they ignored the threat because of the monetary benefits of letting their players jeopardize their health. Every union member that didn’t demand that their union protech their health should realize they were part of the system that lead to the quagmire baseball is in today.

]]>