Level the playing field

[WORST OWNER]

MLB should follow the NFL model and instill a salary cap, I know many will say its not possible the players union is to strong and a prolonged lockout would do irreversible damage to baseball, I disagree.

1st. bite the bullet and lock out players that won't cross the picket line.

2nd. bring in replacement players and count the games. You never know we may ever win one.

3rd. stand firm the game goes on without the union players.

This model made the nfl the most competitive game in sports and will advance baseball the same way.

WO/PA

[orioles119]

I do believe that a year without major league baseball would actually hurt the players union and would help the game overall.

It worked somewhat for the NHL... now it's MLB's turn.

In the end, I don't think the union would be willing to sacrifice a season, but they did sacrifice a World Series for their petty greediness.

[Mark Carver]

Check out the MLB section... pick one for solutions for MLB.

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74125

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74197

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74158

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74058

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74178

[estrada]

NO,NO,NO to a salary cap. Bad idea. 100% revenue sharing with a salary minimum is the way to go. Salary caps do nothing but punish the teams that are most competent. Teams that scout and draft better than others are ultimately penalized. That is NOT the way the system should work. Share 100% of revenues and require owners to spend a certain percentage on salaries. That is a far better plan than one that does what no fan wants, penalizes teams that do their jobs well.

[Mad Mark]

NO,NO,NO to a salary cap. Bad idea. 100% revenue sharing with a salary minimum is the way to go. Salary caps do nothing but punish the teams that are most competent. Teams that scout and draft better than others are ultimately penalized. That is NOT the way the system should work. Share 100% of revenues and require owners to spend a certain percentage on salaries. That is a far better plan than one that does what no fan wants, penalizes teams that do their jobs well.

Not 100% certain I favor a salary floor, but this poster is right on when he says the problem lies on the revenue side.

A salary cap that doesn't address the revenue issue simply makes the Yankee$ more profitable.

[Guest afichter-OH]

I was raving salary cap the other day with the news of the Tex signing. Then I saw how much payroll the Yankees dumped this offseason (ALOT). Also, I watched PTI and the way they quickly dismissed any arguments of the Yankees overspending. Pretty much, they have the money to spend and they are doing the right thing for the fans by taking that revenue and putting into players so that they can have the best product on the field as possible.

Now, you can argue about how much sense it makes to dump a quarter of a billion dollars into 2 pitchers, but I tend to agree with the idea that if the team has the money to spend, why not spend it on players? Isn't that what a franchise should do? Try to keep the fans happy by putting the best product possible on the field each day?

I do think something needs to be done to limit the through-the-roof salaries. I like the idea on Roch's blog about limiting the amount you can spend on top of the line free agents. Really though, this is a subject that will have strong cases either way and frankly, it needs to be dealt with. I feel sorry for Selig or whoever decides to finally face this because of how tough of a subject it really is.

Someone tell me if I'm being completely ignorant here, but instead of a salary cap for teams, what about a salary cap for players? Put a max on the annual salary for any player. Naturally this would throw fits into the union and would pretty much guarantee a work stoppage. But the fact of the matter is, as long as there are free agents and teams with the money to spend, they are going to get the price they are asking because of the economics of baseball. That is what drives salaries up. But, if you limit the max salary for a player, this would level the playing field.

[zff4]

...this poster is right on when he says the problem lies on the revenue side.

A salary cap that doesn't address the revenue issue simply makes the Yankee$ more profitable.

Arguing that revenue is a problem probably won't get too far. Revenue is why the owners are in the game.

Like a theater owner who owns the theater to sell popcorn, Yankees just sell more popcorn. There's nothing intrinsically unfair about that. More people go to their movies is all.

Salary caps for sports who don't have a prolonged internship like baseball might make sense. Entry level into the other sports immediately pays. You know how long an average baseball must toil making a pittance before he even makes MLB minimum wage. And the very good players chafe making just minimum. The MLBPA wouldn't even allow consideration of a cap.

Nor does the "obvious" argument for a cap make much sense if you are arguing a relationship between wins and spending. My overlong argument against it is here.

[mrbig1]

NO,NO,NO to a salary cap. Bad idea. 100% revenue sharing with a salary minimum is the way to go. Salary caps do nothing but punish the teams that are most competent. Teams that scout and draft better than others are ultimately penalized. That is NOT the way the system should work. Share 100% of revenues and require owners to spend a certain percentage on salaries. That is a far better plan than one that does what no fan wants, penalizes teams that do their jobs well.

I agree, A few years back the Arizona Cardinals were 40 million under the cap. Why should they spend more money when they make the same amount as the superbowl champions. Small market teams make the playoffs every year in MLB. The top 3 in income didn't even make the playoffs. Tampa went to the WS with the 2nd lowest payroll in baseball. In Baseball it pays to win not in the NFL. Keep the system the way it is. Boston turns out great young talent every year. If they can do that and we can't it's not because Boston spends more money it's because we suck.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I agree, A few years back the Arizona Cardinals were 40 million under the cap. Why should they spend more money when they make the same amount as the superbowl champions. Small market teams make the playoffs every year in MLB. The top 3 in income didn't even make the playoffs. Tampa went to the WS with the 2nd lowest payroll in baseball. In Baseball it pays to win not in the NFL. Keep the system the way it is. Boston turns out great young talent every year. If they can do that and we can't it's not because Boston spends more money it's because we suck.

If you have SO much more money than anyone else that you can buy the three best available free agents on the market, that puts you in a far better position to be able to make the playoffs.

That's why the system is flawed.

[Mark Carver]

If you have SO much more money than anyone else that you can buy the three best available free agents on the market, that puts you in a far better position to be able to make the playoffs.

That's why the system is flawed.

And if one of those 3 goes to spring training and injures himself and is done in MLB. A very rich team like the Yankees can shrug it off. A team like the Orioles losing $23m a year to a player that can no longer play, would take a very big hit.

[mweb]

I was raving salary cap the other day with the news of the Tex signing. Then I saw how much payroll the Yankees dumped this offseason (ALOT). Also, I watched PTI and the way they quickly dismissed any arguments of the Yankees overspending. Pretty much, they have the money to spend and they are doing the right thing for the fans by taking that revenue and putting into players so that they can have the best product on the field as possible.

Now, you can argue about how much sense it makes to dump a quarter of a billion dollars into 2 pitchers, but I tend to agree with the idea that if the team has the money to spend, why not spend it on players? Isn't that what a franchise should do? Try to keep the fans happy by putting the best product possible on the field each day?

I do think something needs to be done to limit the through-the-roof salaries. I like the idea on Roch's blog about limiting the amount you can spend on top of the line free agents. Really though, this is a subject that will have strong cases either way and frankly, it needs to be dealt with. I feel sorry for Selig or whoever decides to finally face this because of how tough of a subject it really is.

Someone tell me if I'm being completely ignorant here, but instead of a salary cap for teams, what about a salary cap for players? Put a max on the annual salary for any player. Naturally this would throw fits into the union and would pretty much guarantee a work stoppage. But the fact of the matter is, as long as there are free agents and teams with the money to spend, they are going to get the price they are asking because of the economics of baseball. That is what drives salaries up. But, if you limit the max salary for a player, this would level the playing field.

Well if multiple teams are offering the same amount, why would a player pick a losing team? That would just make things worse imo.

[mrbig1]

Well if multiple teams are offering the same amount, why would a player pick a losing team? That would just make things worse imo.

Great point sir. The 3 biggest payrolls the Yankees,Mets, and Tigers were all watching the playoffs on T.V.

[mrbig1]

If you have SO much more money than anyone else that you can buy the three best available free agents on the market, that puts you in a far better position to be able to make the playoffs.

That's why the system is flawed.

It's hasn't worked for the Yankees,Mets, or Cubs. If that were true the Twins,Brewers, and Rays would all be in last place.

[BaltimoreTerp]

It's hasn't worked for the Yankees,Mets, or Cubs. If that were true the Twins,Brewers, and Rays would all be in last place.

All three have been for the better part of the past fifteen years, while the Yankees had thirteen consecutive playoff appearances, half of that time in the LCS and six times in the World Series.