Does Baseball Need A Salary Cap?

[BadgerFan]

Do you think Baseball needs a salary cap? Yes or No, and why?

[JYD]

I believe so. At the end of the day, it's frustrating as a Yankee fan to know we can just go out and add whoever in the off-season. It's pretty lame.

[Guru]

No, because I'm a Yankee's fan.

[Phightins]

No, and I'm not a Yankee fan.

[Flash]

No, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

[Lkr]

IMO it is, there isn't enough parity in the league.

[NomarFachix]

IMO it is, there isn't enough parity in the league.

 

Evidenced by the Rangers in the world series, and Marlins two championships in the past 12 years.

 

In the end, it doesn't matter what people want... because there will never, ever be a salary cap in baseball.

 

For the sake of the argument... No, no salary cap. Require cheap owners to pump money back into their team to attempt successes, rather than keep payroll low and pocket revenue? I'd be down for that.

[Guest The REAL STL10]

I think baseball needs to set a minimum payroll limit.

 

They need to mandate that each team must spend AT LEAST $60 Million if they want to keep operating.

 

It would keep teams like the Pirates, Marlins, and Orioles from being cheap every year.

[fish7718]

Evidenced by the Rangers in the world series, and Marlins two championships in the past 12 years.

 

In the end, it doesn't matter what people want... because there will never, ever be a salary cap in baseball.

 

For the sake of the argument... No, no salary cap. Require cheap owners to pump money back into their team to attempt successes, rather than keep payroll low and pocket revenue? I'd be down for that.

2 headed argument for that, why pump money into your team when teams like the Mets can put double the money you can in, and make more profits?

 

Baseball is far from perfect, but I'll take the devil we know over the devil we don't know...

[Phightins]

I think this discussion is always started when people see how the Yankees (and a handful of other teams) far and away exceed every other team payroll-wise, and how there are 4-5 teams that have been at the bottom of the standings for a decade + and are seemingly stuck in neutral. So people see this and assume a lack of "parity". In reality, there is much more parity in MLB than there is in the NBA, a league that does have a cap (although a flawed one I'd argue).

 

As for the teams like the Royals, Pirates, Orioles, Nationals, etc., the reason they suck every year has nothing to do with a lack of a salary cap. They suck because they can't draft for [expletive] (well, the Royals and Pirates in particular). It may have something to do with not spending as much as other teams on draft day, but I don't think it has much to do with that. These are teams picking in the top 5 every season. I do not have the numbers in front of me, but I have found that teams picking that high generally take the best available player regardless of signing bonus demands. The whole bonus issue doesn't usually come into play until the middle of the first round, where you might see guys fall due to signability. But literally every first round pick the Pirates have made in the last 10 years has been a huge failure (Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez look promising, Jameson Taillon is still up in the air), and the same goes for the Royals with the exception of Zack Greinke and to some degree Billy Butler, and perhaps a couple of guys still in AA/AAA (Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer). Needless to say, that is an awful lot of top 5 picks that have not turned into anything. For every Greinke or McCutchen there are 2 or 3 Bryan Bullingtons, Alex Gordons, Luke Hochevars, Chris Lubanskis, and John VanBenschotens.

 

And it isn't a matter of these teams not being willing/able to spend. The Nationals and Orioles made competitive offers to Mark Teixeira a few years back, and from my understanding the Nationals are planning on at least trying for Carl Crawford. The reason players don't go to these teams has nothing to do with finances. This is one argument for a cap I suppose, but I don't think a cap would really solve this. Big markets would find a way to circumvent it if they really want a player, much like you see in the NHL.

 

Obviously there are the Marlins and the Rays. Neither can spend in free agency, but they have both shown that with great drafting, player development, and international scouting, it is possible to be a competitive team year in and year out regardless of revenue. And teams like these exist in every league. The bottom line is that if you don't get people into your stadium, it is hard to run a successful business. And no, I don't believe that the Rays and Marlins don't draw as a result of their reputations, they don't draw because Florida as a whole is just a terrible professional sports market. This is evidenced by the Rays attendance problems this past season, as well as the Marlins attendance problems in their playoff runs. Even winning doesn't draw fans in Florida. And there are teams like this even in capped leagues.

 

Also, on another note, being able to spend doesn't necessarily mean success, as evidenced by the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. IMO, player development is and always has been the most important key for success in baseball. You can spend all you want, you can have as many TV networks and supplemental revenue streams as you want, but if you aren't producing your own talent it is difficult to win consistently.

 

And the bigger issue may be a flaw with revenue sharing. If there is anything that should be addressed, it is this.

 

And this just touches the surface. I could go on for much longer about this. Cap won't happen, nor should it. Sorry if that is too much to read.

Edited October 28, 2010 by Phightins

[NomarFachix]

2 headed argument for that, why pump money into your team when teams like the Mets can put double the money you can in, and make more profits?

 

To win would be the short answer, I guess. With winning comes fans, attendance, national exposure, jersey sales, etc.

[BadgerFan]

The reason why I am for a salary cap is because wouldn't it be nice for all teams to have nearly the same amount of money to spend on free agency? Sure, some teams like the Rangers, Rays, Marlins etc make the playoffs, but do you really think the Rays will be able to keep Crawford, Pena, or Soriano?

 

Those teams could draft all the good players they want (Rays do a great job of drafting btw) but they are never able to keep the good players because they always leave for free agency because a big market team will offer 100 million plus for them.

 

Let's take the Brewers for example. Their whole lineup is pretty much homegrown (outside of McGehee) Fielder is one hell of a player, and because of this, he knows what he can get on the open market. The Brewers payroll is probably about 80 million. Do you think it would be smart for them to offer Prince Fielder 100+ milllion over a 5-6 year span? That would be nearly 25% of their payroll.

 

What I am trying to say is the small market teams can draft really well, make the playoffs, but then it won't matter because their star players will just leave for FA to a bigger market team. So then they have to rebuild again. Rinse, wash and repeat. But if your a bigger market team, you could hit up the FA market because you have more to spend.

 

Just my thoughts on this.

[Phightins]

The reason why I am for a salary cap is because wouldn't it be nice for all teams to have nearly the same amount of money to spend on free agency? Sure, some teams like the Rangers, Rays, Marlins etc make the playoffs, but do you really think the Rays will be able to keep Crawford, Pena, or Soriano?

 

Those teams could draft all the good players they want (Rays do a great job of drafting btw) but they are never able to keep the good players because they always leave for free agency because a big market team will offer 100 million plus for them.

 

Let's take the Brewers for example. Their whole lineup is pretty much homegrown (outside of McGehee) Fielder is one hell of a player, and because of this, he knows what he can get on the open market. The Brewers payroll is probably about 80 million. Do you think it would be smart for them to offer Prince Fielder 100+ milllion over a 5-6 year span? That would be nearly 25% of their payroll.

 

What I am trying to say is the small market teams can draft really well, make the playoffs, but then it won't matter because their star players will just leave for FA to a bigger market team. So then they have to rebuild again. Rinse, wash and repeat. But if your a bigger market team, you could hit up the FA market because you have more to spend.

 

Just my thoughts on this.

 

Big market vs. small market in this case doesn't really have much to do with a salary cap though. The reason the Rays won't be able to keep those guys has nothing to do with a lack of a salary cap. They won't be able to keep them because they play in the worst professional sports market in America and bring in almost no revenue. If anything, we can push for a ceiling on max contracts, but the MLBPA would never go for that (and even that likely wouldn't help the Rays in the situation you gave).

Edited October 29, 2010 by Phightins

[fish7718]

To win would be the short answer, I guess. With winning comes fans, attendance, national exposure, jersey sales, etc.

The argument is who says they will win if they spend money? Especially when if they are spending 60 million and teams are spending 3 times as much. I'm not defending these owners at all I think it's very corrupt what they are doing to these franchise I'm just saying the argument for a salary floor has it's loop holes.

[NomarFachix]

The argument is who says they will win if they spend money? Especially when if they are spending 60 million and teams are spending 3 times as much.

 

Who says they will win if they spend that 3 times as much? Look at the Cubs and Mets, friendo.

 

There are no guarantees in baseball.

[YugoRocketsFan]

No, it would piss 90% of baseball (Yankee) fans, we all know that if there was a salary cap, there wouldn't be a reason to be a Yankees fan anymore.

[kingfish]

Yes there should be. Just because teams target free agents dont mean they can get them. Tell me who can outbid the Yankees? If the Yankees want a player who is a free agent, they are going to get them.

 

Yes drafting players and scouting is nice, but eventually your draft picks are going to become free agents, who will follow the money to New York. Why should the Yankees be able to draft players AND have control over the free agent market? Doesnt make sense, put the Yankees on the same level as every other team in baseball. We all know the Yankees arent winning the world series last year if they dont get the 3 best free agents from the year before.

 

Of course it will never happen cause the players union or whatever will never go for it.

[Phightins]

Yes there should be. Just because teams target free agents dont mean they can get them. Tell me who can outbid the Yankees? If the Yankees want a player who is a free agent, they are going to get them.

 

Yes drafting players and scouting is nice, but eventually your draft picks are going to become free agents, who will follow the money to New York. Why should the Yankees be able to draft players AND have control over the free agent market? Doesnt make sense, put the Yankees on the same level as every other team in baseball. We all know the Yankees arent winning the world series last year if they dont get the 3 best free agents from the year before.

 

Of course it will never happen cause the players union or whatever will never go for it.

 

Oh? So a salary cap is going to magically pump money to teams in bad markets? It will put people in the seats in Miami and Tampa and give them significant revenue? That would be pretty miraculous.

 

Also, to Kingfish and anybody else who thinks a salary cap will bring complete parity....I challenge you to look at the team payroll rankings for the other 3 major leagues (all with some sort of salary cap) and then see if you feel the same way.

 

Also FYI...whenever a team signs a type-A free agent, they give up a first round (or compensation round) pick. So I am not quite sure what your comment about "controlling the draft and controlling free agency" means.

Edited October 29, 2010 by Phightins

[NomarFachix]

No, it would piss 90% of baseball (Yankee) fans, we all know that if there was a salary cap, there wouldn't be a reason to be a Yankees fan anymore.

 

You aren't even good at being a troll lately. Step up your posting game.

[trutrojan8]

I used to think there should be a salary cap, but now I don't think it's necessary. It's what makes baseball unique, like the different sized playing fields, and the lack of time limit.

[kingfish]

I used to think there should be a salary cap, but now I don't think it's necessary. It's what makes baseball unique, like the different sized playing fields, and the lack of time limit.

It is certainly unique how one team can buy all the best players.

[NomarFachix]

It is also certainly unique when a team ranks 5th yearly in attendance and plays in an outrageous market, but still allows a team to outbid them on every player. Empty those pockets, Moreno.

[Phightins]

Yes there should be. Just because teams target free agents dont mean they can get them. Tell me who can outbid the Yankees? If the Yankees want a player who is a free agent, they are going to get them.

 

Yes drafting players and scouting is nice, but eventually your draft picks are going to become free agents, who will follow the money to New York. Why should the Yankees be able to draft players AND have control over the free agent market? Doesnt make sense, put the Yankees on the same level as every other team in baseball. We all know the Yankees arent winning the world series last year if they dont get the 3 best free agents from the year before.

 

Of course it will never happen cause the players union or whatever will never go for it.

 

Bumpski

 

Those damn Yankees, always buying the best players....

[Phightins]

It is certainly unique how one team can buy all the best players.

 

Certainly true.

[Phightins]

(H/T to iMan for the archive search)