It is about fair competition from the MLB point of view. The players don't want it because the under the board deals help them. If it is a big deal for the players, they can easily give in elsewhere.
I don't believe it's about fair competition from the owners with regards to the international draft. Plenty of small market teams sign top IFAs. For the owners this is about driving down cost.
There is already a spending cap for IFAs. MLB is proposing to increase how much is spent in accordance with the CBA on international prospects. Sure, this will eliminate cheaters that don't report spending, but eliminating cheating is fair competition. Maybe players should tie the international draft to service time manipulation as they are opposite sides of the same coin.
That's because the fans of Pittsburgh and Miami know they have no chance against the Dodgers or Yankees and that's been true for decades with the spending structure. But what if they did have a chance to actually win?
If they had a chance to win more by spending more, the Yankees and Dodgers would spend even more and we would end up in a system in which they have no chance against the Dodgers or Yankees. The only way for balance in a system with huge differences in ability to spend is to make spending matter less. The only way to get the Pirates and Marlins to spend more in a balanced system would be to dramatically reduce the Yankees and Dodgers ability to spend (though spending matters a lot less because Yankees and Dodgers are not allowed to spend). The MLBPA would not want a salary cap or CBT low enough that it would get the Pirates to spend $10M more.
The MLB proposals to keep the CBT relatively flat, increase the penalties for going over the CBT, and increasing playoff teams should more effectively create a "hard cap". And MLB revenues are increasing dramatically, meaning more and more teams can afford to get closer to the CBT. That should spur spending as more teams can compete - it would be more like the NBA and NFL, except with a salary cap that doesn't increase all that much.
Players are voting now on the deal. Sounds like it will be approved. Free agency should open back up as soon as tonight! Spring training games starting late next week. Opening Day April 7th.
This helps balance, but MLBPA is against it. Most years, the Pirates revenue was about ~250M prior to the pandemic with owner pocketing $10-40M each year in profits after expenses (Forbes). The Yankees revenue prior to pandemic was about $650M. Dodgers, $550M. Boston $520M. Cubs $470M. Trying to squeeze another few million out of the Pirates owner and other similar teams by preventing the really rich from spending $100M+ combined does not increase total spending. When revenue goes up, most of it is to the big market teams.
Took the words out of my mouth. I’m excited. Just hope the season is smooth and not like the bubble season
Let's get this world series ring. Just please no more homefield 'advantage' and NL East teams. Watch it'll be Mets V Astros facing off =(
