Addressing the MLB Tanking Crisis

[Panerista]

We throw the word "Tank" around here a lot, but it would appear that the quality of the game is historically bad.  So the question is a simple one: How do we fix it? 

• Draft Wheel: Simple concept: Draft order is preset for all time - no team is rewarded or punished for their record
• Punishing Teams for Tanking: Suggested multiple times here.  Somehow we punish teams for purposefully losing games.  I understand this one to some extent, but what is the difference between tanking and being bad?  
• Draft Technicalities: Make a team ineligible to draft over a certain position multiple years in a row
• Reward Trying: Prioritize teams which try but miss the playoffs.  

 

[Balta1701]

And how many of those leave teams like the Orioles or Royals or Pirates set up to never actually make the playoffs again?

[Quin]

- Get rid of the Competitive Balance Picks. Big market teams might not be as inclined to tank if they know their 2nd round pick will actually be in the 30s. Right now a 2nd rounder for a team missing the playoffs can be in the early 60s. 

- Do the Bill Simmons tournament, where teams do a single-elimination tournament to set the draft order. Winner gets the top pick, runner up gets second, then the rest is by W-L.

- Do the above, but with a twist. Roster has to be constructed as follows:

Allowed 5 MLB players (26 and younger), 5 AAA players, 5 AA players, 5 A+ players, 5 A players.

All of the minor-league players have to have prospect status in tact. 

This crazy ass idea will incentivize teams to develop their farms.