Jim Henneman: Trying To Make Sense Out Of Nonsense, Starting With MLB’s Lockout

SARASOTA, Fla. — Trying to make sense out of nonsense, throwing in some questions that apparently have no answers and wondering if the Orioles’ van will return to Baltimore with the equipment unused this spring …

How are Rob (There’s Never Been A Work Stoppage On My Watch) Manfred and Tony (The Game Has Changed) Clark going to talk their way out of this one? Can’t wait to see the smoke from that peace pipe.

With all the fuss about minimum salary and arbitration eligibility, why can’t Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association come up with compromise minimum salaries for first-, second- and third-year players? While they are at it, why not also add a veterans’ minimum? Seems like that might cut down on the number of players who are released before going to arbitration.

Perhaps the biggest concern of the MLBPA is the number of veterans playing for the equivalent of a rookie minimum, which a year ago was roughly half of MLB’s median salary — the most overlooked feature of the game’s economic structure. While the Max Scherzers of the world, with their $40 million-per-year contracts, get the most notice, the average salary in MLB was “only” a reported $4.17 million last year. That number is grossly inflated, however, compared to the median salary of $1.1 million, meaning as many players make that figure or lower as those at that number or above.

As a comparison, it should be noted baseball isn’t alone in this disparity department. Displaying Further Review’s versatility, we checked out the NFL. Top-ranked quarterbacks are pulling deals worth $40 million per year these days, but the league’s average salary is $2.1 million while the median is a “paltry” $860,000.

Speaking of which, how come Lamar Jackson’s contract status seems to bother everybody but the quarterback and general manager Eric DeCosta? And I also wonder what LJ’s mom thinks when she hears suggestions her son needs a “super” agent? Don’t think I want to go there.

* * *

While on the subject of the NFL (isn’t it always open season?) I’m a little late with this one, but does the Super Bowl really need a halftime show? I heard this year’s was a good one, so I guess that means the songs had PG wording, but should the players have twice as much time between halves in the biggest game of the year as they do during the regular season?

And by the way, did you notice that Bengals kicker Evan McPherson drew the ire of Cincinnati’s coaching staff by staying on the field to watch the halftime entertainment? You mean they didn’t miss him in the locker room? Somehow I don’t think Vince Lombardi — you know, the guy they named the trophy after — would have passed it off as a rookie mistake.

* * *

I just checked the NBA standings and saw Miami is in first place in the Eastern Conference? Didn’t LeBron James leave there a couple of teams ago?

I did catch part of LeBron’s 56-point act against Golden State and it was impressive — but aren’t the Lakers in ninth place?

* * *

Whoever came up with the idea of a “ghost” win for a top-ranked team in baseball’s postseason should be barred from a seat at the table forever. The idea of a “best-of-three” series being won by a team winning only one, or a team having to win two, is boggling my mind. How does a best-of-three series turn into a one- or two-game sweep?

Like I said up top, some of these questions apparently are unanswerable.

* * *

As screwed up as the professional sports leagues sometimes seem, can it really get any worse than what the NCAA and Division I schools are going through with the transfer portals that are sabotaging football and basketball?

Those NIL deals (players’ rights to capitalize on their names, images and likenesses) should really level the playing field, right? Archie Manning, the nephew of two recent NFL quarterbacks you may have heard of, is just finishing his junior year in high school and has yet to commit to the soon to become “college of his dreams.”

It has been estimated, as next year’s No. 1 recruit, his NIL deal will be worth $1.5 million. And he still has another year to build his brand. It’s nothing against the kids involved — they’d be foolish not to take advantage of their opportunities — but sometimes it seems like what’s right isn’t always correct, or something like that. You get my drift?

* * *

If anybody ever doubted the resiliency, or legitimacy, of the “reverse lock” to move from one sport to another, then North Carolina’s win at Duke in the final regularly scheduled game of Mike Krzyzewski’s career should forever cure you. With 96 of Coach K’s former players joining the “Cameron Crazies,” any thought the underperforming Tar Heels would win that game was beyond comprehension.

* * *

Memo to Rob and Tony — unless one side or the other makes a legitimate move on the CBT (competitive balance tax) there isn’t going to be a CBA (collective bargaining agreement) anytime soon. Time to pause working on a pitch clock and put a timeline on finishing negotiations or this is going to be 1994-95 all over again.

There are already a lot of people out there who don’t care. If the two of you (and you can throw in the 30 owners, too) don’t realize the potential damage — shame on you. No apologies will be acceptable.

Jim Henneman can be reached at JimH@pressboxonline.com

Photo Credit: Lesly Juarez/Unsplash.com