https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/10/26/watercooler-wednesday-11/
WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 26, 2021 / TOTALLYTIGERSBLOG
baseball1
Today, another chance for readers to have increased opportunities to discuss the hottest topics in a forum where thoughtful conversations and a variety of opinions are welcomed.
Let?s create some running conversation threads with not just comments but replies to others. And for those of you still going into offices, here?s a question to take with you ? or use via Zoom calls ? as you talk to your co-workers.
Here is today?s hot topic. For this blog only, a maximum of 10 sentences please.
MLB and the Players? Union continue to meet about crafting a new CBA. The current one expires on December 1st.
One of the issues they are negotiating is payroll. The MLBPA is concerned about organizations that drop their payroll substantially with explanations of ?rebuilding? which they believe really is tanking. Tanking teams save money and can actually product a profit.
MLB, on the other hand, supports owners who don?t want to spend more millions than need be. Currently, teams may spend up to $210 million without incurring a luxury tax on the overage.
Baseball does not have limits on how much teams may spend ? or not spend. This past year, only 1 team spent over $210 million. In 2019, it was 3.
In terms of teams spending the least, this year 12 teams spent under $100 million. In 2019, it was 6.
MLB is rumored to currently be proposing a new system in which there are payroll ceilings and floors. They are offering the union $100 million that is the minimum teams must spend on their payrolls. It will help prevent teams from putting a non-competitive product on the field.
In exchange, their proposal includes reducing the luxury tax threshold to $180 million. This would likely reduce what teams will spend on players overall.
The bottom line is that baseball organizations would be spending more similar amounts on their payrolls. Most teams would be within a maximum of $80 mill of each other. In the past, the spread was as large as $175 mill.
The final result could be increased competition, esp. favorable to smaller markets. On the other hand, a lower luxury tax limit could prevent some organizations from signing the necessary free agents.
It could also mean that free agents could be signed but payroll limits may prevent them from filling other holes in the lineup. It could also artificially reduce the size of free agent contracts which is a part of the proposal that the union will likely refuse to entertain.
Similar payrolls may also create teams that are too alike both in terms of performance and win-loss records.
What do you think? Should teams be allowed to spend whatever they want or should there be some control over their payrolls?
Oh, one little catch. You can?t cherry pick and want a minimum floor with no maximum ceiling. You?ve got to make the hard choice and select the best out of the 2 options offered.
Should the new CBA include payroll limits?
1. Yes, approve a minimum and maximum payroll limit.
2. No, teams shouldn't be limited in what they spend.
VOTE
