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Cleveland Indians preparing for labor strife this offseason

By David Hill

PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 25: Scouts wait for the game to start between the Oakland Athletics and the Cleveland Indians at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on February 25, 2013 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 25: Scouts wait for the game to start between the Oakland Athletics and the Cleveland Indians at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on February 25, 2013 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images) /
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It seems as though the decades of labor peace in Major League Baseball are coming to an end. Not only has the MLBPA filed a lawsuit against the league regarding the pandemic shortened season, but there has been little movement in regards to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The first labor stoppage since 1994 seems inevitable.

The Cleveland Indians are preparing for that inevitability. They are allowing their scouts to interview with other teams in an attempt to find more stability for the upcoming offseason given their pessimistic view of negotiations.

Cleveland Indians preparing for cost cutting measures

At the beginning of the season, the Indians had employed 48 scouts combined between the major league and minor league levels. Two of those scouts have already left Cleveland behind, finding roles with new teams. They are not likely to be the last ones to leave.

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Scouting has changed a great deal over the years, especially in the wake of the pandemic. It is much easier to find information on players due to a plethora of databases and videos. Travel restrictions last year, and the inability to allow scouts into ballparks, changed the way teams gathered information. The days of the traditional scout, sitting behind home plate with a radar gun and a notebook, are coming to an end.

This does not change the importance of these scouts. They still have a role in the game, picking up on subtle weaknesses or strengths that may not be readily apparent. Video and statistics can only tell so much – having someone watching those players in person, and seeing them daily, can make a difference.

It is notable that the Indians are not eliminating their scouting department even as they allow their scouts to leave. They have been honest about their expectations of the future and are giving the scouts a chance to prepare. Instead of this being a case where ownership is being cheap, they are actually doing the right thing by their employees.

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The Cleveland Indians are allowing their scouts to find other opportunities should they be available. Given the labor climate, this move makes sense.

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