House That Hank Built
Fansided

Atlanta Braves and the future of contracts for the young

By Alan Carpenter

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 24: Boston Children's Hospital CEO Sandra L. Fenwick speaks with (L to R) Sam Kennedy, President of the Boston Red Sox, Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball Commissioner, and Tom Brasuell, Vice President of Community Affairs, Major League Baseball, at Boston Children's Hospital October 24, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images for Boston Children's Hospital)
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 24: Boston Children's Hospital CEO Sandra L. Fenwick speaks with (L to R) Sam Kennedy, President of the Boston Red Sox, Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball Commissioner, and Tom Brasuell, Vice President of Community Affairs, Major League Baseball, at Boston Children's Hospital October 24, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images for Boston Children's Hospital) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
IN SPACE – SEPTEMBER 12: In this satellite image provided by the National Aeronatics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA), Hurricane Florence churns through the Atlantic Ocean toward the U.S. East Coast on September 12, 2018. The image was captured by ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, currently living and working onboard the International Space Station. (Photo by ESA/NASA via Getty Images)
IN SPACE – SEPTEMBER 12: In this satellite image provided by the National Aeronatics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA), Hurricane Florence churns through the Atlantic Ocean toward the U.S. East Coast on September 12, 2018. The image was captured by ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, currently living and working onboard the International Space Station. (Photo by ESA/NASA via Getty Images) /

The Problems Ahead

From this layman’s point of view, here are the issues that will almost certainly lead to a labor strike as we enter 2022:

  • Lack of long-term contracts
  • Lack of money for age 30+ players
  • Tanking teams (that don’t wish to spend money)
  • Rich teams unwilling to spend (Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, this year)
  • The Qualifying Offer system still doesn’t work

The trick here is that the players’ association (MLBPA) more-or-less allowed all of this to happen while blissfully failing to see any of this coming in their last negotiation (between the 2016-17 seasons).

As a result, the MLBPA is now behind the 8-ball in that they will have to negotiate from a position of relative weakness in needing to demand major changes without having much that they would want to give up in return.

Hence the recipe for a strike.

There are some ways, however, that both sides may be able to get what they want/need… but it will require some fundamental changes in how professional baseball players experience their careers in the future.

Fan Perspective

I know – neither the MLBPA nor the owners really have to care about the fans.  Tony Clark (the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association) has one duty:  to protect the interests of his membership.

Some may question how he’s performed in that role, but that was then and this is now… and the players are more unhappy with baseball owners than with Clark at the moment.

Likewise, baseball owners have their own interests to protect, but let me at least throw onto the table a fan’s lament:

  • Player choice and player movement is as America as our Constitution, but we also hate to see our favorites bolt for other teams
  • Likewise, we want to encourage teams to spend money in wise ways, but also to feel free to do so for players that can help
  • Finally, tanking teams are bad for the game.  Fan bases should be interested in coming to see their favorite teams year after year… and not stop going for 3-4 years at a time while a ‘rebuild’ is underway.  Grow the game.

With all of that in mind, here are humble suggestions about how to modify baseball’s current labor scheme in the hopes of preserving baseball for a post-steroid era rebound.

Home/Braves News