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Jeff Erickson

@jeff-erickson.bsky.social

RotoWire Senior Editor, Proud Dad of two awesome girls. Northwestern, Reds, Bengals, Pacers, Red Wings, Liverpool, LA Galaxy

441 Posts2834 Follower 395 Folgt

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 5d ago

Tonight’s office!

Christopher Harris @harrisfootball.com · last wk.

Podcast

Harris Football is your fantasy football weapon. We ignore the box score and watch game film. Draft strategies, stats and 2026 guide form Harris Football. Draft better. Manage smarter. Win.

harrisfootball.com

Mark Sheldon @msheldon.bsky.social · 4w ago

Lodolo gave up a game-tying HR in the 6th inning and just left the game. Looked like something with his finger again, but no word yet. #reds

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

We're live with @jasoncollette.bsky.social right now!!!

Jeff Erickson@jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

With Scott Jenstad jumping into a last-minute Wimbledon qualifier, @jasoncollette.bsky.social is going to join me in hosting the @rotowire.bsky.social MLB podcast tonight. Did we land Cooper Pratt or Tony Santillan? Is there a Cubs RP we trust? Join us, 10:30 ET: YT: www.youtube.com/live/YQyUXIf...

Aaron Gleeman @aarongleeman.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Almost halfway through the season, 12 of the 15 teams in the American League have a negative run differential.

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

This is the most anyone has been disappointed in (a) Turkey since Dr. Johnny Fever in WKRP in Cincinnati.

Craig Calcaterra @craigcalcaterra.bsky.social · 2mo ago

I wrote about the league's salary cap proposal in today's newsletter. It was not a serious proposal, nor do I think it was intended to be. It was designed to set the groundwork for stories like that horseshit Sawchik wrote. www.cupofcoffeenews.com/cup-of-coffe...

The league is touting this as a plan that would share revenue 50/50 with the players and it and its surrogates will make such an assertion to every single reporter who will listen. Importantly, however, the 50/50 proposal does not define what revenue actually is for these purposes, beyond saying that it'd be calculated in the same way other leagues calculate it. Which isn't helpful given how wildly different the other leagues' and the teams within those leagues have structured their businesses and their television contracts over the past several decades. And that's before one acknowledges that, historically, the league and its owners have routinely sought to classify all manner of money they make as something other than "baseball-related revenue" for purposes of calculations that affect players. You cannot agree on a figure about revenue splits if you don't first precisely define revenue, and that's something the owners have simply never, ever wanted to do and don't seem all that eager to do now.

That aside, if such a cap and floor plan were activated now there are 12 teams who would need to increase their payrolls to reach the floor while eight teams would have to shed payroll to get under the ceiling. It would, at least according to one calculation I saw, require those eight above-cap teams to slash $578 million in aggregate salary while requiring the 12 below the floor to increase their payroll by a combined $617 million. That may sound like a pretty good deal overall, but it only takes a moment of thinking to appreciate how such a plan might prove seriously unpopular with people.

I say that because while, sure, a majority of baseball fans and observers may truly believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers have an unfair advantage, how many believe that the Astros, Blue Jays, or Atlanta as they currently exist, are somehow operating unfairly and should be forced to slash their payrolls? Because all of those teams, the Mets, the Phillies, the Yankees and the Cubs would have to do so. The league's spokesman Glen Caplin said yesterday that "fans overwhelmingly support a salary cap and floor," but I don't think that stands up once one starts to actually look at what is being demanded here.

That whole statement from Caplin:

"Fans overwhelmingly support a salary cap and floor like in the other leagues because they don't believe a $446 million spending gap from top to bottom is a fair fight. Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together."
Caplin deployment of that "$446 million spending gap" figure echoes Rob Manfred's use of that figure while making the media rounds earlier this week. It's a completely disingenuous figure, however, in that it includes current payroll plus whatever a team is paying in Competitive Balance Tax. That despite the fact that Competitive Balance Tax money does not go to players and does not improve a team. It's a figure that was concocted to mislead fans and the commentators into believing that the Dodgers are able to put a nearly half-billion dollar more expensive team on the field than the Marlins are, and that's not at all what is reflected in that figure.

MLB routinely pulls that kind of crap in negotiations and in the communication of its positions in order to get the generalist press and less-than-savvy sports fans to rally to their side (tellingly, Manfred introduced that figure on the Pat McAfee Show, not in a serious interview with a serious reporter) but anyone who cares about this stuff knows that's an inflated figure arrived at in bad faith, which only serves to kill the league's credibility. That, most importantly, includes its credibility among the people with whom the league is negotiating: the players and their representatives.

MLBPA Executive Director Bruce Meyer certainly clocks the disingenuousness at play here:

"Billionaire owners are not seeking to cap their profits or asset values, only player salaries. This isn't out of generosity or a desire to protect the game's well-being. It's a play to control costs, increase profits and maximize franchise values – all at the expense of players past, present and future."

I saw someone online wondering why Meyer's statement only rejects the league's idea of a cap rather than offer anything positive. One could just chalk that sentiment up to people, generally, disliking the players union. But I think it's important to understand something important here: the players, in their proposal, are merely seeking to adjust the figures in a well-established system that everyone has known and operated under for nearly a quarter of a century. It's the league that is pushing for radical change here, and when one is pushing for radical change it is incumbent upon them to make the case for it. It is not the job of those who are generally happy with the status quo to concoct some radical plan of their own. Again, this is something that gets lost in the coverage, in large part because everyone's been so conditioned to believe that unions and workers are the radicals, seeking to ruin a good thing. In this case the situation is pretty clearly reversed.

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Coming up at 9:15p CT, the great @dvr.bsky.social from @theathletic.com joins me on the @rotowire.bsky.social MLB livestream! We'll discuss Colt Emerson, the Memorial Day week slate, and the wild closer environment among many topics - join us! www.youtube.com/live/0tyvBDI...

11 Players experts are adding on the fantasy baseball waiver wire

YouTube video by RotoWire

youtube.com

Aaron Gleeman @aarongleeman.bsky.social · 3mo ago

My big news: I've left The Athletic because they wanted me to stop covering the Twins. I refused to give up my dream, so I'm betting on myself and returning to my independent roots. I need your support to make it work. Join me and let's do this together: www.aarongleeman.com/welcome-to-t...

Welcome to the new AaronGleeman.com (and why I left The Athletic)

I refuse to stop covering the Twins, so I'm betting on myself and returning to my independent roots. Let's do this together.

aarongleeman.com

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Jose Siri challenged strike 2 here. Even the Angels announcers said "... Siri may have to go to ABS detention ...." Impressively he still drew a walk.

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

I need to remember next time to fade a pitcher the start after he throws a no-hitter or a near no-hitter, especially if he extends his pitch count. Ginn tonight, Messick earlier this season. Unfortunately that wasn't actionable in the leagues where I had him, so we're basically talking Picks.

Andy @atk825.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Also one of 14 relievers with a save on the 2024 Dodgers.

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Marcus Semien with an awful ABS challenge: www.mlb.com/gameday/8227...

MLB Gameday live updates: Mets at Nationals game on 05/21/2026 free

Follow MLB results with FREE live box scores, pitch-by-pitch strikezone info, and Statcast data for Mets vs. Nationals at Nationals Park

mlb.com

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 3mo ago

I seriously want the bases to be empty whenever Ke'Bryan Hayes is at the plate. That way he can't ground into yet another double play. It's uncanny how often he does it.

Smart - Roll Safe Meme

ALT: Smart - Roll Safe Meme

static.klipy.com

Bobby Nightengale @nightengalejr.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The Twins like the way Connor Prielipp is pitching. But they’re going to ask him to pitch less frequently to manage his innings this year. Derek Shelton: “Moving forward, I think any chance that we can give him a day or two, we’ll do that.” www.startribune.com/twins-to-pus...

Twins to push back Connor Prielipp’s next start to manage innings

Connor Prielipp, a 25-year-old lefthander, has a 3.32 ERA through four big-league starts with the Minnesota Twins.

startribune.com

Bobby Nightengale @nightengalejr.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Zebby Matthews is starting Thursday vs. Marlins, manager Derek Shelton confirmed.

Bobby Nightengale@nightengalejr.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 3mo ago

So many blown saves tonight!!! Baker (and Brooks for extra measure for the Rays), Uribe, Latz, Sewald, King A lot of "right answers" were wrong ones tonight.

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Really good depiction of what a big mess the Imai situation is right now.

Chandler Rome@chandlerrome.bsky.social · 3mo ago

On Tatsuya Imai, free and unlocked for all to read - www.nytimes.com/athletic/727...

Joe Sheehan @sheehannewsletter.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This promotion was very popular yesterday, hope you'll be the next to sign up. The Joe Sheehan Baseball Newsletter celebrates its 16th birthday this weekend. www.joesheehan.com Become a new subscriber for 16 months for 16% off the one-year rate: tinyurl.com/sszefh55

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Last week on the Tuesday @rotowire.bsky.social MLB podcast, Fred Zinkie and I discussed difficult keep vs. drop decisions with pitchers, this week we're tackling struggling hitters like Luis Robert Jr. and Trevor Story. Join us at 5p ET! www.youtube.com/live/K2Wbdic...

8 Hitters You MUST DROP in Fantasy Baseball

YouTube video by RotoWire

youtube.com

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Name the player (bottom line is the 2026 MLB average):

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Jesse Scholtens is going to get two extra earned runs because Junior Caminero forgot how many outs there are. Big ERA is a lie.

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Nice to see Jac Caglianone get on the HR board. Maybe this will get him rolling - I saw him getting dropped in some leagues over the weekend.

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Everyone aspires to avoid being a main character on social media, but do you aspire to pick up the Main Character in FAAB in a given week? My Week 3 FAAB Review on @rotowire.bsky.social : www.rotowire.com/baseball/art...

Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Results

rotowire.com

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 4mo ago

A few reactions to the #Yankees sitting Ben Rice tonight against lefty Yusei Kikuchi tonight: - Platoons are as old as baseball existed. This isn't "modern analytics." - Rice had a .752 OPS against LH's last year - not helpless. - Goldy was better still though - .981.

Peter Schoenke @rotopeter.bsky.social · 4mo ago

So the InsideEdge matchup score surprisingly suggested Senga and Soriano as I mentioned on today's RotoWire SXM show. Amazing. www.rotowire.com/daily/mlb/in...

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 4mo ago

FAAB Results from AL @toutwars.bsky.social Full results from all Tout FAAB leagues will be posted here: www.toutwars.com

Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Here's my AL Tout Wars Auction Review @rotowire.bsky.social www.rotowire.com/baseball/art... (outside of the paywall)

Expert League Draft Review

rotowire.com

Mark Sheldon @msheldon.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Brady Singer was pitching well and in the fourth inning with two outs vs the Rockies when the trainer had to go to the mound. Looked like something was wrong with one of Singer’s fingers. #reds