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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2018 12:15:56 GMT -5
Thought I would post this as a talker while we wait for free agents to sign. I've read some articles talking about possible collusion with the owners as a reason for the slow free agent signings so far.
Is there collusion? Probably not but conspiracy theories can be fun! It happened in the 1980s so I guess it could happen again. I think teams are waiting for Yu Darvish to set the market.
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Post by Neil on Jan 8, 2018 13:32:33 GMT -5
I don’t think it’s collusion, I just think everyone is waiting for that first main domino to fall, then they’ll start dropping like flies. I don’t know if team are waiting for prices to fall a bit by waiting them out, but Scott Boras is probably the agent for half of these guys and teams don’t like dealing with him. I just want my Saux to get a bat or two for the middle of the lineup to keep pace with the Evil Empire, then I’ll be happy.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2018 13:51:04 GMT -5
I hope it is collusion against boras!!
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Post by Brian Shepard on Jan 8, 2018 18:45:45 GMT -5
This is not a great batch of FA, and I think everyone is saving their bullets for next offseason with Bryce, Machado, Kershaw, etc. I also think that the fact that the Yanks, Dodgers, etc are trying to stay under luxury tax seriously limits the market. There was a good article on espn.com today about this.
Brian
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2018 10:16:06 GMT -5
Agreed, already read something on fangraphs that alludes to the delaying of signings as possibly owners not hard-pressed to grab free agents and instead focus on moneyballing replacement level players. Though, it likely is that teams are trying to stay under cap AND saving for next year AND screw Boras.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2018 22:24:10 GMT -5
Scott Boras is a d-bag. I assume hes insisting on 7-10years and 200+ mil for every player he reps.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2018 13:55:44 GMT -5
Strong words from a MLB agent.
Source MLB TRADE RUMORS:
In perhaps the greatest show of player unrest of the entire offseason, Brodie Van Wagenen — the co-head of CAA Baseball and one of the game’s most prominent agents — issued a statement today stating that ownership behavior in the 2017-18 offseason “feels coordinated” and referencing a level of player unity against ownership that hasn’t been seen since the most recent MLB labor stoppage back in 1994:
"In 2017, the Players were content with a status quo Collective Bargaining Agreement. They enjoyed a 23% increase in their average salary from 2012 ($3.2M) to 2017 ($4.1M).
The average salary grew from $2.8M in 2007 to $3.2M in 2012 (just 13.8% growth). That is a 9.2% increase from the last CBA, during Tony Clark’s first four years as the Executive Director of the Players Association. $100M guaranteed contracts were regular occurrences. $200M contracts: yes. $300M: yes. Not bad by any measure. Free enterprise at its best.
The getting was good for both Players and Owners during an economic boom in the sports industry, based in large part to the value of live content in the entertainment landscape. Yes, Baseball is entertainment and too often teams forget about the audience they serve.
However, the behavior of Owners in this year’s free agent market has changed dramatically. It feels coordinated, rightly or wrongly. Many club Presidents and General Managers with whom we negotiate with are frustrated with the lack of funds to sign the plethora of good players still available, raising further suspicion of institutional influence over the spending. Even the algorithms that have helped determine player salaries in recent years are suggesting dramatically higher values than owners appear willing to spend.
Bottom line, the players are upset. No, they are outraged. Players in the midst of long-term contracts are as frustrated as those still seeking employment. Their voices are getting louder and they are uniting in a way not seen since 1994.
I would suggest that testing the will of 1,200 alpha males at the pinnacle of their profession is not a good strategy for 30 men who are bound by a much smaller fraternity. These 1,200 players have learned first-hand that battles are won through teamwork, and they understand that Championships can’t be achieved by individuals. They are won by a group united by a singular focus. Victory at all costs. They are willing to sweat for it; they are willing to sacrifice for it; they are willing to cry for it; and most importantly, they are willing to bleed for it.
There is a rising tide among players for radical change. A fight is brewing. And it may begin with one, maybe two, and perhaps 1,200 willing to follow. A boycott of Spring Training may be a starting point, if behavior doesn’t change.
Players don’t receive their paychecks until the second week of April. Fine them? OK, for how much? Sue them? OK, they’ll see you in court two years from now. At what expense?
Baseball offers 4,881 dates of live content annually across 27 media markets. Franchise values are at all-time highs. Fans want to see the best players competing at the highest level.
Sign them; Play them; Celebrate them; and then sit back and let them entertain us the way they have more than 100 years."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2018 9:47:45 GMT -5
seems to me the owners saw the ridiculous increase in salaries of 23% over 5 years and realized that players would come to expect this increase each year and with each new contract and create a untenable situation. On a smaller scale this is happening each year in the NFL. Each quarterback that signs a new deal becomes the highest paid player. Kirk Cousins will become the highest paid player in the league even though hes not a top 10 QB. The rate of inflation is obscene and the owners have seen the situation they have created where each FA feels they are owed the big money and contracts extending over a decade. A strike would not surprise me in the least. The big problem is with all the best players demanding ever increasing massive contracts they will hinder smaller market teams from even being in the race and the teams that do sign them will have to wear them like a albatross for years. Even the rich yankees were anchored down by bloated contracts from diminished players like AROD and Texiera. Baseball has long needed a cap to promote parity, curb rampant salary escalation and help small market teams compete on a regular basis. Small teams now are forced to grow a farm system and develop a team that then has a narrow window to compete before their homegrown talent leaves as free agents and the long process starts all over again.
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