Jan Levine: Rangers ride two from Mika and performance from Kane to 5-3 win Pittsburgh in for back-to-back contests

Prior discussion: pitch clock will speed up the game and removal of full shift will help as well. That said, punt Rob Manfred to the moon

Best thing GG should do is just leave the lines alone. They were going real well last night (most of the game).

Love to see that I read through 10 pages to catch up, commented a couple times along the way and then find Jan's "new blog up."

Love to see that I read through 10 pages to catch up, commented a couple times along the way and then find Jan's "new blog up."
- Tonybere

Sorry, everyone seemed to vanish when I did that. Must be me

Prior discussion: pitch clock will speed up the game and removal of full shift will help as well. That said, punt Rob Manfred to the moon
- airjan23

The shift was another part of the game I hated. The thing I never understood tho, is if you have a guy getting shifted like that, where the 3rd basement is basically playing short stop, teach the guy how to lay down a bunt. It would drive me insane they’d still swing for the fences rather than get a runner on base.

The one thing I noticed is that they did less passing and dangling in the middle of the ice and were either taking the puck into the zone or dumping it in.

Sorry Jan ---

Edwin Diaz blew out his knee celebrating a win over Team Dominican Republic in the game tonite.

Just remember, I'll always save a seat for you on the Yankees bandwagon!

Sorry Jan ---

Edwin Diaz blew out his knee celebrating a win over Team Dominican Republic in the game tonite.

Just remember, I'll always save a seat for you on the Yankees bandwagon!
- TommyGTrain

Only the Mets 😔

The shift was another part of the game I hated. The thing I never understood tho, is if you have a guy getting shifted like that, where the 3rd basement is basically playing short stop, teach the guy how to lay down a bunt. It would drive me insane they’d still swing for the fences rather than get a runner on base.
- nyrangers9479

Analytics my friend.

Some numbers guy figured out that it was more productive for the team bat .200 with 2hr and 8Ks than to bat .400. Guys are encouraged to try to hit homeruns. Shift happens but the numbers guys still maintain that 2 Homers is better so no one changes their approach.

The WBC strikes again. Poor Mets.

The WBC strikes again. Poor Mets.
- lacaprup

This is a season ender I assume. At least Cohen can buy another closer with his gazillion bucks

This is a season ender I assume. At least Cohen can buy another closer with his gazillion bucks
- Slimtj100

I guess gas can Otovino or Roberston will have to step up.

Analytics my friend.

Some numbers guy figured out that it was more productive for the team bat .200 with 2hr and 8Ks than to bat .400. Guys are encouraged to try to hit homeruns. Shift happens but the numbers guys still maintain that 2 Homers is better so no one changes their approach.
- climbdenali12

It is/was better. Hitting for contact against a guy throwing 98 with movement is almost impossible. The more you hit for softer contact, the more apt you are to make an easier out. Especially with Runners on base when there are no outs or one out.

Danny Briere's kid in action.
https://nypost.com/2023/0...teps-in-disturbing-video/

Love to see that I read through 10 pages to catch up, commented a couple times along the way and then find Jan's "new blog up."
- Tonybere

I did too.
Congrats on the MSG tour. Sounds like fun.

I guess gas can Otovino or Roberston will have to step up.
- lacaprup

Saw something where they may bring in Zach Britton. He’s a FA still. Showalter managed him in Baltimore

Danny Briere's kid in action.
https://nypost.com/2023/0...teps-in-disturbing-video/
- Fenrir

What a PoS. Person whose wheel chair was knocked down the stairs is a 22 year old double amputee from a car crash back in 2021.

What a PoS. Person whose wheel chair was knocked down the stairs is a 22 year old double amputee from a car crash back in 2021.
- JRR1285

Supposedly that kid is a real poophead. He was kicked off the ASU hockey team last year for "violating team rules". Whatever that means. Obviously can't be good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ9DtnfF55o

Hartman hit Bing, nice reaction but you have to love MAF's reaction!!

I don’t fully understand the escrow stuff, but Bettman said the cap may go up 4.5 if they can figure it out. That would be huuuuge

I don’t fully understand the escrow stuff, but Bettman said the cap may go up 4.5 if they can figure it out. That would be huuuuge
- Slimtj100

Good, simple explanation here: https://pittsburghhockeyn...d-why-players-despise-it/

And if you don't want to give the whole thing a read, this excerpt does a pretty good job on its own:

For a real-world example, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jason Zucker has a $5.5 million average annual value on his five-year, $27.5 million contract. However, Zucker doesn’t make $5.5 million.

The salary cap is based on expected hockey-related revenues (HRR) for that season. So, each June, the owners, and the NHLPA decide the salary cap based on projected HRR. The two sides generally project growth, not a loss, and the salary cap rises, without a guarantee that revenues will rise (Owners control the business).

Per the last CBA in 2012, the players and owners share revenues 50/50, but the player’s salaries are fixed while the revenues and the salary cap fluctuate annually.

So, escrow was created to balance the equation. Legally, escrow is an account held by a third party for legal distribution after a matter has been resolved.

Continuing our example, the league puts some of Zucker’s paycheck in an escrow account. The escrow holdback was somewhere around 10-12% in typical years, which would be about $550,000 – $660,000 for Zucker.

The owners and players projected revenues and set the salary cap at $79.5 million for 2018-19. However, revenues fell well short of hoped gains, despite NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s proclamation, “We’re having healthy growth.”

So, to balance the players’ and owners’ 50/50 split of revenues, the escrow money is given to the side, which is short of their 50/50 take. If the owners were short by $1, that dollar would come from the escrow account and the remainder given back to the players.

It just so happens that every year, the owners get most or all of the escrow. The two sides aren’t very good at revenue projections, are they? After several seasons, the escrow holdback exceeded 12%.

Good, simple explanation here: https://pittsburghhockeyn...d-why-players-despise-it/

And if you don't want to give the whole thing a read, this excerpt does a pretty good job on its own:

For a real-world example, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jason Zucker has a $5.5 million average annual value on his five-year, $27.5 million contract. However, Zucker doesn’t make $5.5 million.

The salary cap is based on expected hockey-related revenues (HRR) for that season. So, each June, the owners, and the NHLPA decide the salary cap based on projected HRR. The two sides generally project growth, not a loss, and the salary cap rises, without a guarantee that revenues will rise (Owners control the business).

Per the last CBA in 2012, the players and owners share revenues 50/50, but the player’s salaries are fixed while the revenues and the salary cap fluctuate annually.

So, escrow was created to balance the equation. Legally, escrow is an account held by a third party for legal distribution after a matter has been resolved.

Continuing our example, the league puts some of Zucker’s paycheck in an escrow account. The escrow holdback was somewhere around 10-12% in typical years, which would be about $550,000 – $660,000 for Zucker.

The owners and players projected revenues and set the salary cap at $79.5 million for 2018-19. However, revenues fell well short of hoped gains, despite NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s proclamation, “We’re having healthy growth.”

So, to balance the players’ and owners’ 50/50 split of revenues, the escrow money is given to the side, which is short of their 50/50 take. If the owners were short by $1, that dollar would come from the escrow account and the remainder given back to the players.

It just so happens that every year, the owners get most or all of the escrow. The two sides aren’t very good at revenue projections, are they? After several seasons, the escrow holdback exceeded 12%.
- eichiefs9

And that happens just by accident. How lucky are these owners eh?

And that happens just by accident. How lucky are these owners eh?
- tomburton99

I'm not so sure that it's the league screwing the players as much as it is that the PA doesn't want to "aim low" on the salary cap upper limit/HRR projections because then that keeps the size of new contracts signed down which players would be more unhappy with. If you're losing the same percentage no matter what, you're still taking home more money with a higher cap.

I think it's more of an organic inefficiency that just happens to benefit the owners and I'm no big company-man for the league/owners.