Brian Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 link Players, owners agree to tentative 5-year labor dealESPN.com news services DETROIT -- Baseball players and owners have reached a tentative agreement on a five-year labor contract, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press. Peter Gammons' blog There is little that is earth-shattering about the new labor deal except that it was hammered out so discreetly, without threats or cries of poverty, press conferences or games missed. That's because the baseball business is awash in cash. • For more of Peter Gammons' analysis, click here. The sides worked out the deal during bargaining in New York on Friday night and Saturday, but it is subject to the sides putting the contract in writing, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not official. In the often bitter history of baseball labor relations, reaching agreement before a contract's expiration has to be considered a milestone. The current deal, set to expire Dec. 19, was agreed to in August 2002, just hours before players were set to strike. Lawyers were working on drafting language for the new deal Sunday, and hoped to put the finishing touches on it Monday or Tuesday. If they are able to meet that goal, commissioner Bud Selig would announce it in St. Louis at the World Series. "Baseball is at an all-time high point right now," Detroit's Craig Monroe said before Game 2 of the World Series. "You've got low-market teams doing well and different teams winning every year. Getting this done couldn't have come at a better time." "I think both sides know there's no point in dragging it out or putting it in the minds of the fans that this is a money issue," Curtis Granderson, Detroit's alternate player representative, told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. "As soon as you lock it up, it's a baseball issue, and people can look forward to coming back and watching baseball. "You look at the record attendance and the record amount of money being spent on the game, and there's no point to mess with it. If you have a chance to keep it going smoothly, the best way to do that is to lock it up quick, get both sides happy and move on." Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, declined comment. Union head Donald Fehr did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment. Most of the key provisions of the current contract will be continued with minor modifications, such as revenue sharing and the luxury tax. With the luxury tax set to expire on Dec. 19, there was pressure on management to make a deal to ensure that the 2007 season would be played with the tax in place. "I think we're all for certainty and not going through a winter of wondering what's going to be going on," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "I applaud the powers with the union and the MLB. Helps us go about our business." Record economic success helped produce an agreement with no public rancor. Commissioner Bud Selig said last week that he estimated the sport will produce $5.2 billion in revenue this year. It was about $3.6 billion in 2001. Selig credited the changes in the 2002 agreement with making more teams competitive. "I had dreams of things getting better but, no, in many ways this has exceeded my fondest expectations," he said Tuesday night in St. Louis. "This sport has more parity than ever. We have more parity than any other sport. It's remarkable." An agreement had been anticipated by officials on both sides in recent days. "This is a setting of success. It's a platform, a stage that's been built through very difficult times," agent Scott Boras said Sunday. "To do anything to alter that success would be something that wouldn't be in the best interests of the game." The huge influx of money smoothed negotiations. The average player salary was $1.1 million in 1995, the first season after the 7½-month strike that wiped out the 1994 World Series. It rose to just under $2.3 million in 2002 and will be about $2.7 million this year. The average likely will top $3 million next year or in 2008. Still, the very top of the salary scale has stayed the same since Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year contract with Texas before the 2001 season. And in a sign that spending doesn't translate into postseason success, the New York Yankees failed to advance past the opening round of the playoffs in 2005 and 2006 despite a $200 million annual payroll. "The business of baseball is being operated much more efficiently," said Boras, who negotiated Rodriguez's deal. "Owners are becoming better owners. League officials are becoming more aware of the opportunity for content both nationally and internationally. The force of the revenue streams basically put the collective bargaining process into a different framework than it's been in the past." An AP-AOL Sports poll released Thursday shows that only one-third of Americans call themselves fans of professional baseball -- about the level of support for the last decade, but lower than 1990 and among all Americans. Skyrocketing salaries were identified as the biggest problem in baseball by more poll respondents -- 28 percent -- than any other, including steroids. Information from The Associated Pres was used in this report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I can't believe this isn't getting more pub. This is absolutely fantastic news. Its great for the PR of baseball (5 more years without a labor stoppage) and is obviously great for us fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benchwarmerjim Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I agree about how little pub this is getting. I saw it on the breaking news corner yesterday on ESPN News. But because it was thier heavy NFL coverage, there was no analysis of it. And I dont think I heard about it on Sports Center Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchetman Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 no testing for HGH i'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Oct 23, 2006 -> 04:28 PM) I can't believe this isn't getting more pub. This is absolutely fantastic news. Its great for the PR of baseball (5 more years without a labor stoppage) and is obviously great for us fans. Bad news gets more ratings than good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 (edited) It's great news that they got it done and we have 5 more years of peace, but the only reason it did get done is the owners pussied out and put no HGH language in there as well as minimal changes to the caste system esque payroll chart in the game. The game is getting better, and more teams can win, but just imagine even how many more teams would be in it with a real shot at winning it all if the payroll spending was an even field? Edited October 24, 2006 by whitesoxfan101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 No world wide draft? No trading of draft picks? No slotted salaries for draft picks? No salary floor/ceiling? No HGH testing? Meh, glad to see Bud really pushing to change things that need fixing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 (edited) QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Oct 24, 2006 -> 07:08 AM) No world wide draft? No trading of draft picks? No slotted salaries for draft picks? No salary floor/ceiling? No HGH testing? Meh, glad to see Bud really pushing to change things that need fixing... My thought exactly. It's good pub for the average fan, and I'm glad we'll have unimpeded MLB through 2011, but nothing got done here at all. But I'm sure the next commish, Andy MacPhail, will get this stuff done (and I'm not kidding about who the new commish will be, just watch. The Cub resignation is all part of that plan). And even with all that said, I am interested to see what exactly turns out to be done with comp picks for lost FA's. Not sure why they'd mess with that, as it's part of the increase in competitive balance, but hey, baseball isn't exactly the smartest group of people. Edited October 24, 2006 by whitesoxfan101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Oct 24, 2006 -> 12:03 AM) It's great news that they got it done and we have 5 more years of peace, but the only reason it did get done is the owners pussied out and put no HGH language in there as well as minimal changes to the caste system esque payroll chart in the game. The game is getting better, and more teams can win, but just imagine even how many more teams would be in it with a real shot at winning it all if the payroll spending was an even field? Judging by the moves some of those teams make I really don't think some of them would win anything regardless of whether they were the highest salaried teams in the league. Obviously there were other things that would have been nice, but I'll take 5 more years without a strike myself. They can continue to negotiate the other things on the side knowing that regardless of what happens in that sense you'll still have baseball. A world wide draft would have absolutely no chance of success. Sure it sounds cool, but the logistics of it are near impossible. Especially when you consider some of those players that would be eligible are professionals in other leagues (especially Japan) and those professionals are not going to want to come here and get drafted and have no say on there contract or team they go to. They are leaving one major league for another major league and have the right to options and some say. As far as draft pick slotting, technically MLB has suggested slot prices and by and large the MLB draft works very well when it comes to salary. In the late 90's there was a short run with ridiculous contracts but right now they are very in control as opposed to the NFL and almost as good as the NBA and considering all the rounds in the MLB draft they do an absolutely outstanding job. A salary floor/ceiling will absolutely never work. IF they went after that idea we'd be enjoying a spring of no baseball a year from now and probably would miss at the minimum one full season of baseball, maybe more. QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Oct 24, 2006 -> 06:34 AM) My thought exactly. It's good pub for the average fan, and I'm glad we'll have unimpeded MLB through 2011, but nothing got done here at all. But I'm sure the next commish, Andy MacPhail, will get this stuff done (and I'm not kidding about who the new commish will be, just watch. The Cub resignation is all part of that plan). And even with all that said, I am interested to see what exactly turns out to be done with comp picks for lost FA's. Not sure why they'd mess with that, as it's part of the increase in competitive balance, but hey, baseball isn't exactly the smartest group of people. The problem is under the current system it was the high payroll teams that were getting the extra draft picks (think of when the White Sox lost a good size group of FA's and we had a ton of 1st/2nd round picks even though we had a league avg to above avg payroll). The Yanks/BoSox have been in similar boats at times as well. Very few of the lower payroll teams are getting extra draft picks so really the system tends to just give one high payroll team extra picks while another high payroll team loses the picks (that would be the high payroll team that is losing a player it probably just acquired at the deadline from some crappy team). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteSoxfan1986 Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Oct 24, 2006 -> 08:34 AM) My thought exactly. It's good pub for the average fan, and I'm glad we'll have unimpeded MLB through 2011, but nothing got done here at all. But I'm sure the next commish, Andy MacPhail, will get this stuff done (and I'm not kidding about who the new commish will be, just watch. The Cub resignation is all part of that plan). And even with all that said, I am interested to see what exactly turns out to be done with comp picks for lost FA's. Not sure why they'd mess with that, as it's part of the increase in competitive balance, but hey, baseball isn't exactly the smartest group of people. Compensation picks will stay, but they will be revised somewhat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 QUOTE(WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Oct 24, 2006 -> 04:15 PM) Compensation picks will stay, but they will be revised somewhat. As long as they are revised to help the smaller market teams (Jason had some good points on that topic), no worries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWSGuy406 Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Oct 24, 2006 -> 03:47 PM) Very few of the lower payroll teams are getting extra draft picks so really the system tends to just give one high payroll team extra picks while another high payroll team loses the picks (that would be the high payroll team that is losing a player it probably just acquired at the deadline from some crappy team). That, and the compensation picks were 'devaluing' having the the first overall pick. Not that it had much effect on the top half of the first round, but teams with top second round picks were getting screwed as more and more compensation picks piled up in that 'sandwich' round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamrock4Life Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 so what are the details of the new cba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Oct 24, 2006 -> 10:47 AM) Judging by the moves some of those teams make I really don't think some of them would win anything regardless of whether they were the highest salaried teams in the league. Obviously there were other things that would have been nice, but I'll take 5 more years without a strike myself. They can continue to negotiate the other things on the side knowing that regardless of what happens in that sense you'll still have baseball. A world wide draft would have absolutely no chance of success. Sure it sounds cool, but the logistics of it are near impossible. Especially when you consider some of those players that would be eligible are professionals in other leagues (especially Japan) and those professionals are not going to want to come here and get drafted and have no say on there contract or team they go to. They are leaving one major league for another major league and have the right to options and some say. As far as draft pick slotting, technically MLB has suggested slot prices and by and large the MLB draft works very well when it comes to salary. In the late 90's there was a short run with ridiculous contracts but right now they are very in control as opposed to the NFL and almost as good as the NBA and considering all the rounds in the MLB draft they do an absolutely outstanding job. A salary floor/ceiling will absolutely never work. IF they went after that idea we'd be enjoying a spring of no baseball a year from now and probably would miss at the minimum one full season of baseball, maybe more. The problem is under the current system it was the high payroll teams that were getting the extra draft picks (think of when the White Sox lost a good size group of FA's and we had a ton of 1st/2nd round picks even though we had a league avg to above avg payroll). The Yanks/BoSox have been in similar boats at times as well. I know you don't like the idea, but I really think a world wide draft levels the playing field for teams that do not have the resources to scout world wide. You give foreign players an early deadline to file by so that everyone knows who is available before hand. It would work the same way for US HS and college players who would have to formally submit their name. #1 it prevents the rediculousness of things like the posting system in Japan, the Cuban exiles who go to a third country first, etc. #2 It means that teams who trade all of their US prospects away can't just buy the best guys on the world market, which is currently exempt from the draft. Now if you add to that system slotting salaries based on draft position, you really allow the bottom teams to have an actual chance of leveling the playing field by bringing in real talent from the entire world. I know it would be a fight to get, and of course that's why it will never get done in baseball, but it would be incredible for the health of the entire game, instead of just worrying about what George wants. Both of these ideas are in place in the NBA and have done wonders to balance out the league a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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