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Hey Hoynsie: I just read an article that said that in the ongoing negotiations on a new base agreement, an idea was proposed to pay a minimum wage of $ 100 million per team. Have you heard of this idea? – Bill, Peoria, Ariz.
Hey, Bill: I wrote about that in a Hey, Hoynsie column a few weeks ago. According to Athletic, the owners proposed a $ 100 million minimum wage floor for all teams if players were willing to accept a fourth tier luxury tax to provide the money to help these small market teams hit $ 100 million on their payroll could.
In the past, the players’ association has spoken out against a lower salary limit because it is similar to a salary upper limit. Adding another tier to the luxury tax – which tax teams that go beyond those salary limits – sounds like another step toward a cap.
The Indians opened the season with an estimated salary of $ 50 million for the 26-man squad. It was the second lowest in the major leagues.
Hey Hoynsie: With rookie Owen Miller, who looks like a seasoned pro on defense at first base – and he’s finally starting to hit – will he stay at first base next year? I know Bobby Bradley was the hope, but it seems the opposition caught up with him because of his rising strikeout rate. – Mike Fumic, Avon.
Hey Mike: I think Bobby Bradley will get every chance to be the first baseman of the present and future. At the moment he is of course dealing with a left knee injury and is on the injury list.
Miller did a good job in the beginning, but to me he looks more comfortable in second or third place.
Hey Hoynsie: what do you think of an outfield on opening day in 2022 with midfielder Myles Straw, right fielder Bradley Zimmer and a healthy Josh Naylor on the left? – Steve Kelley, Asbury, NJ
Hey Steve: So much can happen during the off-season, especially when the Indians raise the payroll, but Straw and Zimmer make sense now. I hope Naylor gets to where he’s talking about in 2022. Right now we just don’t know how long his recovery will take from the fractures to his right leg and ankle.
Hey Hoynsie: what is the greatest need for Indians to fight for the postseason in 2022? – Jim Mullen, Bay Village.
Hey Jim: You need Shane Bieber, Aaron Civale, and Zach Plesac to stay healthy. You need a much better offensive production from left and right field, first base, second base and catcher. Other than that, they’re fine.
Hey Hoynsie: I’m looking forward to 2022. Do you think Terry Francona will come back as a coach? – Frank Stanton, North Royalton.
Hey, Frank: Only one man can answer that question – Francona. It sounds like his recovery from the left hip replacement is going as expected. Baseball division president Chris Antonetti said a few days ago that Francona is expected to have left big toe surgery in September, followed by eight to ten weeks of rehab.
A big league manager cares about everyone but himself. I think Francona’s quality of life had deteriorated so much earlier this season that he finally had to think about himself and how he wanted to live the rest of his life. I think he will try to answer that question for a while longer.
Hey Hoynsie: how many games has Bryan Shaw lost for the Indians this year? Another Tuesday night against Texas. It seems when the team is ahead or close, he blows it. There has to be someone better in the yard. – Keith Anderson.
Hey Keith: Shaw has had some problems since the All-Star hiatus. The opponent who scored .167 against him in the first half has been hitting .329 since the break.
But he was still an effective helper. He stands 5-6 with 17 holds and two saves in seven chances. He performs Indian reliefs in appearances (61) and pitched innings (58). He’s 2-1 in August with a 3.97 ERA and the Indians are 34-27 if he appears in a game.
As for the Texas game you are referring to, Shaw didn’t lose it. He finished ninth, 4-3 behind the Indians, and allowed a triple homer after getting a double to escape a traffic jam in eighth place.
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