Salary Cap in Baseball

AKB, if you can delay submission of that paper, you may read a lot about that topic. Read an article in the SF Chronicle last week. The contract between the players and owners will expire at the end of this season. Revenues, revenue sharing and the luxury tax are all on the table it seems.
To my way of thinking, the likelihood of a cap is non existent. It will never occur because the Yankees and Red Sox for two would never vote for it. When you see contract offers escalate the way the clubs did with free agents this year, the players assn knows there is a lot more revenue to be had. A cap only has a chance when there is a situation like hockey which had limited revenues and could demonstrate that.
For your paper I would suggest trying to get as much information as you can on the recent history of the Diamondbacks. Until about 2003, they were hugely in debt to both the other clubs and other lenders and they kept signing players to huge contracts, even at the minor league level. They were well outside the prescribed limits of MLB for equity to debt ratios. What did they do? Found more investors, brought in a lot more money to reduce the debt ratios and continued to pay huge salaries even at the minor league level. Illustrates why I believe there cannot be a cap for the foreseeable future. There is too much money waiting to be invested in professional teams. Even when they get financially strapped, they can easily find more revenue and investors. Only if that equity stream is constricted/strangled will a cap ever make sense.

Yeah it just a 5 paragraph essay, and we are wrting it sections at a time. I have the intro and body done and I am just looking for smaller tidbits to throw in the fire . The D-Backs story I remember it happening and the story is a problem. In this case, I am pro the cap because I have a liking to some teams that cannot compete. I came across and analogy referring to the D-Rays and Yankees spending in 2005. Last year, the Yanks spent about 205 mil, Tampa spent about 30. That is about ten times more . But the analogy was that it is like a Div. III football teamtrying to beat a NFL team. I do agree that it cannot be changes soon, but when or if MLB starts to slide $ wise, the need for parity in markets should and maybe will be brought to the table. Imagine baseball being to a parity level that the NFL is? That is what is going to bring in money. It is not like the top spenders: New York's, Boston, Atlanta, and others (Toronto hehe) are going to magically vanish from the playoff picture. I just think that it would create great interest if every single game that the Sox or Yanks played really mattered because they had to fight for it like everyone else. As it is now, every game for a lower level spender, such as lets say Pittsburgh, wants to be a contender. They have to battle for all the season long to make it. But teams that have "bought players" might not necesarrily (spell check that) have to work so much. Just my opinion and I appriciate all the help. It is pretty cool when you can delve into a topic for school and make it have real signifcant personal interest too Thanks infield dad!
Brad

i will keep it simple and sweet, there definately should be a salary cap. because of guys like a-rod ticket prices are jacked up and a regular guy can't take his kid to see the ball game, that just pisses me off, he doesn't need all that money.

get this an actual clause on his contract is that he has to make atleast one more dollar than the highest paid player on the team, how greedy do you have to be.

AKB, interesting points and I thought maybe we could play with the issue a bit more.
First of all, a Cap does not equate with revenue sharing. The Cap merely protects the owners by putting a Cap or ceiling on how much they can pay. Whether the Yankees and Red Sox share any of the revenue is an entirely different matter.
But assuming there were both a Cap and revenue sharing, that does not guarantee a competitive situation either. The NFL has a Cap and revenue sharing. But one need only look at our 49ers to recognize that having equal money does not mean it will be spent, or spent on equal talent. While I understand that you would like the quality of play equalized, that does not come from a Cap and the NFL proves that I think. Also, if I recall right, the Devil Rays owned the Yankees last year.
Finally, I see you love Nebraska football. I assume we would agree that Nebraska football probably has a budget which is probably 2x that of a school like Iowa St. Why is it okay to use their financial advantage to return "to DOMINANCE" at the expense of little old State. If we wanted equal competition, shouldn't the Huskers be sharing that revenue dominance also? Brad, good luck on your paper. Hope I have given you some ideas and areas to consider. BTW, if you spent a summer with a minor league baseball player, you would come to love what they do, but might also understand a lot better why the salary situation in MLB is what it is and why a Cap/Revenue sharing is not the solution, nor a necessity.

Alaska,

With the sweat and blood of Marvin Miller, and the years of efforts of the MLB Players Union, you just might have to devote more than five pages to understand and educate yourself on establishing a mutual agreeable position of a Salary Cap for MLB Players.

If a successful argument is presented AGAINST (on the left ie MPB Union), you may become the next MLB Union rep.

If a successful argument is presented FOR (on the right ie Owners), may you seek a position within the Commissioners Office after you graduate college!

Good Luck

Keep us informed.

Regards
Bear

Say AK,

How's the paper coming along?

Have you run across (in your research) the first Basic Agreement as ratified between MPB Players Union and MLB Owners......(~ 1968?)

Regards
Bear

My paper is going good, working on the conclusion right now as I speak.

Yes, I did come across that Basic Agreement in 68 and it was pretty helpful and also interesting as well. I focused on the D-Backs history since it is more recent. Thanks for all the help, and my teacher has enjoyed my rough draft so far Thanks Bear, pitching101 and infielddad.

quote:

Originally posted by AKBaseball20:
My paper is going good, working on the conclusion right now as I speak.

I'd be interested in proof-reading it!

AK,

IMO - What a great project!!! Your professor should be commended. It is a fascinating subject with an equally fascinating history.

IMO - At this point in time - I strongly believe all caps (and revenue sharing) should be removed - and we should let the free market dictate the course of the game. The cat is out of the bag. And has been for awhile.

Let several teams die - and others spring up where investors are willing to take risk. One thing is for sure. The MLB Players Union - the lawyers - and the owners - will take every single penny that is available from the public - whether it be directly (A cup of soda for $5) - or indirectly - continued huge increases in your cable bill.

Either way - they win - and you the consumer - lose.

Good luck with your project.

I will have my final product essay up here soon. Just making a few edits.