$100 million not enough?

[excessive]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article198080479.html

‘A fight is brewing:’ Spring training boycott hinted at by one prominent MLB agent

BY RUSTIN DODD

rdodd@kcstar.com

February 02, 2018 01:08 PM

Updated 1 hour 17 minutes ago

One of baseball’s most prominent agents has suggested a possible spring training boycott in response to an offseason free-agent market beset by gridlock and depressed wages.

Brodie Van Wagenen, co-head of the baseball division at CAA Sports, released a lengthy and pointed statement on Friday morning, stating that “there is a rising tide among players for radical change. A fight is brewing.”

The statement, perhaps the most highly charged to date in an environment of growing player discontent, comes as dozens of top free agents remain unsigned just weeks before the start of spring training. The list of available free agents includes Royals stars Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, in addition to slugger J.D. Martinez, starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Jake Arrieta and closer Greg Holland.

Van Wagenen offered a harsh critique of Major League Baseball owners and warned of a potential backlash among players. He hinted at potential labor unrest not seen in the decades since the sport’s last work stoppage, a players’ strike that canceled the World Series in 1994.


“Bottom line, the players are upset,” said Van Wagenen, whose agency represents such stars as Robinson Cano, Yoenis Cespedes and Buster Posey. “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.”

Later Friday, MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark weighed in with his own statement.

“For decades free agency has been the cornerstone of baseball’s economic system and has benefited Players and the game alike,” Clark said. “Each time it has been attacked, Players, their representatives and the Association have united to defend it. That will never change.”

Players across baseball have become increasingly frustrated in recent weeks as the market has remained sluggish. Former Royals outfielder Lorenzo Cain signed a five-year, $80 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in late January, representing the largest expenditure of the offseason. First baseman Carlos Santana signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in December. Those deals have proven to be the exception.

“A boycott of Spring Training may be a starting point, if behavior doesn’t change,” Van Wagenen continued. “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?”

The statement comes just a week after Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen told reporters in Los Angeles that “maybe we have to go on strike, to be honest with you.”

“That’s how I feel about it,” Jansen said, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Earlier this week, former Royal Brandon Moss appeared on MLB Network and said that players “have to be willing to dig your heels in a little bit, fight for the things that the guys in the past have fought for.”

For now, the voices of angered players have been simmering mostly below the surface, out of public view. Yet the debates over what has caused this winter’s slow market have continued. Some have pointed to baseball’s front offices, which are now largely run by data-driven executives who see the game through a cold, calculated lens. Others have pointed out that many of baseball’s largest spenders, such as the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox, have mostly sat out this offseason; the Dodgers and Yankees have stated their desire stay under a luxury tax kept in place in the latest collective-bargaining agreement.

In the process, the collective-bargaining agreement, negotiated last offseason, has become a lightning rod. In negotiations, players lobbied for such luxuries as extra meals and chefs in the clubhouse and additional days off. But caps on amateur spending, both in the draft and international, remained in place, as did the luxury tax system.

“We have incentivized owners and we have incentivized teams to say: ‘We don’t want to meet that price, it costs us too much,’” Moss said. “‘It costs us draft picks. It costs us international signing money. It costs us, all these different things. We’re going to have to pay a tax if we go over a certain threshold that (players) have set ourselves.’”

The market has also been affected by a league structure that has increasingly incentivized losing. The last three World Series champions — the Royals, Cubs and Astros — were built on the backs of losing seasons, high draft picks and systematic rebuilding plans. As the 2018 season approaches, nearly a third of the teams in baseball are emulating that approach and rebuilding, a process that generally includes shedding salary and selling off assets.

“I have six free agents with MLB service time whom are seeking (minor-league) deals,” agent Joshua Kusnick said Friday in a statement also released on Twitter. “These guys are not getting calls at all because everything at the top of the market is frozen. It really does trickle down to A-ball, and I have never dealt with anything like this in 15 years.”

For now, the gridlock continues, the staredown between labor and management threatening spring training and perhaps eventually the sport’s labor peace. Hosmer, a 28-year-old first baseman, is believed to have multiple offers worth more than $100 million, including one from the Royals, while Martinez, the consensus best hitter on the market, reportedly had a five-year, $100 million offer from the Boston Red Sox. In addition, Darvish has reportedly had heavy interest from multiple suitors. Yet all three have declined to accept those offers to this point.

In recent weeks, the evidence of discontent from players has continued to mount. The questions is whether a unified front can make a difference.

“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,” Van Wagenen wrote. “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.”

Rustin Dodd: 816-234-4937, @rustindodd. Download True Blue, The Star’s free Royals app.

[Sassy Squatch]

They're not getting the deals they want anymore because time and time again they end up biting the team in the ass.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Wage depression ROFL

[BigRedChief]

Baseball is rolling in the dough. Every team just got an extra $50 million this year.

But, most of these FA’s are older and wanting to get paid like they are in their prime when they are 34-35. Teams are figuring out, that those deals never works out for the team, only the player.

[RippedmyFlesh]

It was years ago but I remember Andre Dawson being one of the worst examples of this.
Should have been a monster bidding war for him but there wasn't.

[cosmo20002]

It's kind of impossible to know who's to "blame" without actually knowing what offers have been made.
All I know is that if Hosmer has been offered 7 years/147M, he's got nothing to complain about. Based on his career thus far, that seems pretty reasonable.

[BlackHelicopters]

Everyone and everything has a price. It’s all about negotiation. What would it take to be fucked in the ass by Scott Boras? Let’s start the negotiations. Start at $50M.

[Prison Bitch]

Is 100M not enough? Hard to say. Glass' franchise increased in value 800M in 15 years. Is 800M not enough?

[CaliforniaChief]

Capitalism giveth, and capitalism taketh away. Just like the stock market goes through sustained growth with periods of correction, so will salaries.

Wait until next year when Machado, Harper, Donaldson, and (probably) Kershaw hit the market.

[chiefzilla1501]

As I've always said, the reason they boycott is because they can. People watch sports for the athletes, not the owners. There is certainly enough money to pay players in every sport a lot more money and the players union knows that.

[Indian Chief]

It's kind of impossible to know who's to "blame" without actually knowing what offers have been made.
All I know is that if Hosmer has been offered 7 years/147M, he's got nothing to complain about. Based on his career thus far, that seems pretty reasonable.

This. Full stop.

[jaa1025]

This just isn't that great of a FA class. Next year is going to be huge though.

[BigRedChief]

This just isn't that great of a FA class. Next year is going to be huge though.and may be one of the reasons for the slow signing. Teams saving money for next year.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Boo-fucking-hoo

[Best22]

I can atleast sympathize with an NFL player wanting more money. Football is damn dangerous (Shazier, McMahon, Favre, etc). Cash in

But baseball? 162 games a year, concussions not a serious concern, injuries few and far between, etc. ROFL

I'd play it for $100,000 a year

[cooper barrett]

Is 100M not enough? Hard to say. Glass' franchise increased in value 800M in 15 years. Is 800M not enough?

And the Hunts/ Chiefs did that in what? 3 ?

Days in baseball that are important to me. Opening day, Start of playoffs. If MLB only played 30 regular season games, I wouldn't care.

[Mecca]

I'm beginning to think being part of baseball ownership is an awful idea. Sure there is a ton of money there but if you try to make any type of smart business decisions and the rest of the league follows this is what you get.

"Collusion" "We'll strike" It's literally like showing up to work and demanding your boss pay you something over the top and if they refuse you saying "fine I'll get it either way" the baseball players have been running the asylum forever and it really needs to change.

I said it a long time ago and I'll say it again, baseball needs a hard salary cap even if that means telling players to fuck themselves for a long time ala the NHL.

[Miles]

Baseball is rolling in the dough. Every team just got an extra $50 million this year.

But, most of these FA’s are older and wanting to get paid like they are in their prime when they are 34-35. Teams are figuring out, that those deals never works out for the team, only the player.

My suspicion is this could be the main driver and luxury tax also being used as an excuse to not blow large amounts of money on guaranteed contracts for a players decline.

[Mosbonian]

From my perspective....them going on strike wouldn't ruin anything, as I don't seem to have the love for MLB I used to have.

I enjoyed the run the Royals had...but until MLB brings about something akin to the parity the NFL created my interest will continue to wane.

[chiefzilla1501]

I'm beginning to think being part of baseball ownership is an awful idea. Sure there is a ton of money there but if you try to make any type of smart business decisions and the rest of the league follows this is what you get.

"Collusion" "We'll strike" It's literally like showing up to work and demanding your boss pay you something over the top and if they refuse you saying "fine I'll get it either way" the baseball players have been running the asylum forever and it really needs to change.

I said it a long time ago and I'll say it again, baseball needs a hard salary cap even if that means telling players to **** themselves for a long time ala the NHL.

The irony is, the nba and nfl have salary caps and they have major parity issues. Baseball doesn't and their parity has been incredible. I know there's a lot more to that. But the salary cap is fine. I believe now and always will believe that the problem isn't money, it's the cheapskate owners who refuse to spend on their team

[chiefzilla1501]

From my perspective....them going on strike wouldn't ruin anything, as I don't seem to have the love for MLB I used to have.

I enjoyed the run the Royals had...but until MLB brings about something akin to the parity the NFL created my interest will continue to wane.

The nfl has parity? That's news to me.

[ChiefsCountry]

From my perspective....them going on strike wouldn't ruin anything, as I don't seem to have the love for MLB I used to have.

I enjoyed the run the Royals had...but until MLB brings about something akin to the parity the NFL created my interest will continue to wane.

MLB has way more parity if you actually pay attention.

[dlphg9]

From my perspective....them going on strike wouldn't ruin anything, as I don't seem to have the love for MLB I used to have.

I enjoyed the run the Royals had...but until MLB brings about something akin to the parity the NFL created my interest will continue to wane.

Do you have any idea what you're talking about?

[JakeF]

Everyone is the world wants to get paid more.

Spare me your millionaire tears.

[BigRedChief]

I'm beginning to think being part of baseball ownership is an awful idea. Sure there is a ton of money there but if you try to make any type of smart business decisions and the rest of the league follows this is what you get.

"Collusion" "We'll strike" It's literally like showing up to work and demanding your boss pay you something over the top and if they refuse you saying "fine I'll get it either way" the baseball players have been running the asylum forever and it really needs to change.

I said it a long time ago and I'll say it again, baseball needs a hard salary cap even if that means telling players to fuck themselves for a long time ala the NHL.
Royals bought for $95 million. Current value is $351 million

Cardinals bought for $144 million. Current value is $1.8 billion.

Maybe worth it?

[ChiefsCountry]

Royals bought for $95 million. Current value is $351 million

Cardinals bought for $144 million. Current value is $1.8 billion.

Maybe worth it?

Royals are worth 950 million.

[BigRedChief]

Royals are worth 950 million.forbes 2017 team values

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2017/04/11/baseball-team-values-2017/

[Frazod]

They're not getting the deals they want anymore because time and time again they end up biting the team in the ass.

Yeah, no shit.

I'm thinking if these greedy pricks don't like it, they can all go do something else.

[ChiefsCountry]

forbes 2017 team values

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2017/04/11/baseball-team-values-2017/

Yes exactly what I said 950 million.

[SAUTO]

forbes 2017 team values

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2017/04/11/baseball-team-values-2017/

ROFL 950 million

[tk13]

From my perspective....them going on strike wouldn't ruin anything, as I don't seem to have the love for MLB I used to have.

I enjoyed the run the Royals had...but until MLB brings about something akin to the parity the NFL created my interest will continue to wane.

The Chiefs play in a conference where 29 of the last 33 AFC titles have been won by a group of six teams. Six. The Patriots alone have been to almost half of the Super Bowls this century.

The other 10 teams have 4 conference titles in almost three and a half decades. If you're under 50 years old, you barely have any recollection of anything else except the Pats, Broncos, Steelers, etc.

Meanwhile, even with the financial limitations of baseball, 10 of the 15 American League teams have won a pennant since the year 2000. Baseball has way more parity.

[007]

You know, I was just starting to get back into baseball again. If they pull this shit I may just drop them forever this time. I'm sick of millionaires playing a game (or millionaires in general) never being happy with the millions of dollars they make yearly.

[Chiefspants]

The Chiefs play in a conference where 29 of the last 33 AFC titles have been won by a group of six teams. Six. The Patriots alone have been to almost half of the Super Bowls this century.

The other 10 teams have 4 conference titles in almost three and a half decades. If you're under 50 years old, you barely have any recollection of anything else except the Pats, Broncos, Steelers, etc.

Meanwhile, even with the financial limitations of baseball, 10 of the 15 American League teams have won a pennant since the year 2000. Baseball has way more parity.

+1

There has been far more parity in baseball than the NFL since the turn of the century.

[tk13]

You know, I was just starting to get back into baseball again. If they pull this shit I may just drop them forever this time. I'm sick of millionaires playing a game (or millionaires in general) never being happy with the millions of dollars they make yearly.

The same thing will eventually happen in the NFL. When your boss is making billions of dollars, the workers are always going to want a cut. Doesn't matter what the business is.

[Best22]

MLB has more parity because stars aren't as valuable

Players like Bryce Harper and Derek Jeter only show up 3-5 times a game. Great pitchers only pitch every 4 games

Meanwhile Brady takes every offensive snap of every game

[007]

The same thing will eventually happen in the NFL. When your boss is making billions of dollars, the workers are always going to want a cut. Doesn't matter what the business is.

NFL is a soft salary cap though right? The owners can exceed it but it costs them more if they do. At least thats how I understand it. Baseball is more of a hard cap I think.

I don't know much about how all these caps work.

[Chiefspants]

MLB has more parity because stars aren't as valuable

Players like Bryce Harper and Derek Jeter only show up 3-5 times a game. Great pitchers only pitch every 4 games

Meanwhile Brady takes every offensive snap of every game

If the NFL didn’t turn the other way at cap offenses and teams who circumvent the system, we could proooobably have a shot at a more even balanced league.

Also, changing the rules to benefit high scoring quarterbacks and offenses didn’t help with this.

Baseball, for what it’s worth, chased away it’s greatest offensive performer of all time after cheating AND just stripped the Braves away of their prime prospects after they were found to break the rules.

No such luck with the NFL and the Spyflatriots.

[tk13]

MLB has more parity because stars aren't as valuable

Players like Bryce Harper and Derek Jeter only show up 3-5 times a game. Great pitchers only pitch every 4 games

Meanwhile Brady takes every offensive snap of every game

You could partially thank Brady and Manning for that. It was a different game when they started. They pushed hard for the illegal contact rules we have today, and are a huge reason they are enforced so tightly. They also benefited from it the most considering they've been the QB in 12 of the last 17 Super Bowls.

[chiefzilla1501]

You know, I was just starting to get back into baseball again. If they pull this shit I may just drop them forever this time. I'm sick of millionaires playing a game (or millionaires in general) never being happy with the millions of dollars they make yearly.

I will never understand why there's so much resentment for players who make millions, knowing that when each player makes millions less, there are billionaire owners who make tens of millions more.

I'd rather pay the player.

[chiefzilla1501]

If the NFL didn’t turn the other way at cap offenses and teams who circumvent the system, we could proooobably have a shot at a more even balanced league.

Also, changing the rules to benefit high scoring quarterbacks and offenses didn’t help with this.

Baseball, for what it’s worth, chased away it’s greatest offensive performer of all time after cheating AND just stripped the Braves away of their prime prospects after they were found to break the rules.

No such luck with the NFL and the Spyflatriots.

Big difference maker. Big reason for MLB parity, in my opinion, was allowing liberal defensive shifting over the past few years. Kudos to the MLB for refusing to change even knowing that it would bump up HR totals which is supposedly more fun to watch. Then again, 2017 was a breakthrough HR year and I can't help but think the ball was juiced. If so and the power surge is here to stay, I imagine we'll see the parity drop a little bit.

[007]

I will never understand why there's so much resentment for players who make millions, knowing that when each player makes millions less, there are billionaire owners who make tens of millions more.

I'd rather pay the player.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I don't like the owners either. The problem with millionaires and billionaires is the fact they are never happy unless they are getting more. Even then, they are not happy.

I just don't feel for any of them.

[cosmo20002]

NFL is a soft salary cap though right? The owners can exceed it but it costs them more if they do. At least thats how I understand it. Baseball is more of a hard cap I think.

I don't know much about how all these caps work.

This seems to be correct.

:D

[007]

This seems to be correct.

:D

Hence why I put that there. :D

[cosmo20002]

Big difference maker. Big reason for MLB parity, in my opinion, was allowing liberal defensive shifting over the past few years. Kudos to the MLB for refusing to change even knowing that it would bump up HR totals which is supposedly more fun to watch. Then again, 2017 was a breakthrough HR year and I can't help but think the ball was juiced. If so and the power surge is here to stay, I imagine we'll see the parity drop a little bit.

Huh? Allowing it? When wasn't it allowed?

[Hoover]

Look at the deal the Cubs gave Heyward. 8 years, $184 million.

He's a great teammate, great defensively, but in the two years he's been with the team he's batted .230 and .259. He's also shown no power, 7 home runs and 11 home runs.

What's crazy is that when you look at his yearly stats none of this looks out of place. I just don't ever think he was worth that kind of contract. And while Hosmer isn't going to get $184 million, I think the team that pays him is going to have great expectations and end up being disappointed. I just hope he stays with the Royals, they know what they are getting with him

[chiefzilla1501]

Huh? Allowing it? When wasn't it allowed?

There was a cry that defensive shifts were leading to boring baseball and that the MLB should step in and put a stop to it. They didn't. They could have easily done the same with expanding the strike zone. Unlike football, baseball isn't going to make a rule change just to appease the casual fan who only cares about offense.

[Mosbonian]

The nfl has parity? That's news to me.

It does....just because some teams are smarter with their money than others doesn't mean there isn't parity.

[Mosbonian]

MLB has way more parity if you actually pay attention.

Actually...I do pay attention. But your version of parity and mine must be different.

[Mosbonian]

Do you have any idea what you're talking about?

Yes I do....the question is, do you?

Evidently not when you ask that question.

[Mosbonian]

The Chiefs play in a conference where 29 of the last 33 AFC titles have been won by a group of six teams. Six. The Patriots alone have been to almost half of the Super Bowls this century.

The other 10 teams have 4 conference titles in almost three and a half decades. If you're under 50 years old, you barely have any recollection of anything else except the Pats, Broncos, Steelers, etc.

Meanwhile, even with the financial limitations of baseball, 10 of the 15 American League teams have won a pennant since the year 2000. Baseball has way more parity.

I understand what you are saying....and I love it when the smaller market teams with more limited budgets blow away all the "spend as much money as you can" teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Braves, Rangers....etc

But let's not pretend that the best free agents ever consider anyone outside the large market teams.

Parity is everyone playing on the same level....same salary limits....same opportunities. To me that is parity.

What you illustrate above in the NFL really plays out to better coaching....

[Best22]

I will never understand why there's so much resentment for players who make millions, knowing that when each player makes millions less, there are billionaire owners who make tens of millions more.

I'd rather pay the player.

He could be a trilliionaire for all I care. As long as I get my multi-million dollar contract, I'd be a fool to feel in any way ungrateful

[chiefzilla1501]

It does....just because some teams are smarter with their money than others doesn't mean there isn't parity.

In the past 5 years, only 5 teams have been in the Super Bowl. Because NE, Seattle, Denver have been there multiple times.

Meanwhile in MLB, in the past 5 World Series, 9 teams have made it (only repeat was the Royals). That includes the Indians, Royals, Cubs, Astros, and Mets - 5 teams who were notoriously terrible for many years prior.

The problem I have with the salary cap is that it rewards mediocrity. The higher the cap, the more a QB becomes a liability. Same shit is happening in basketball. The max deal thing is a total fucking joke because it's led to teams stockpiling superstars.

[chiefzilla1501]

He could be a trilliionaire for all I care. As long as I get my multi-million dollar contract, I'd be a fool to feel in any way ungrateful

And the owners would be fools to think they can replace professional players with amateurs. It's the players who make the game, not the owners. Hell, many owners have no idea what the **** they're doing and they're still making a shitload of money. The players know how important they are. They are not getting paid market value and everyone knows it. As long as they're being undercut, they have a right to demand more. There has to be a balance where payrolls stay out of control. But think we've seen pretty consistently that the main reason most teams don't spend is because owners don't want to, not because they can't.

[tmax63]

Maybe the baseball owners are starting to figure out that signing good, not great, players to 7-8-10 year contracts for grotesque amounts of money expecting salary and cap inflation to make it a better deal in the long run is not good economics.
Agents always point to the worst deal a MLB club anywhere has signed and says "so and so got 8yr/150 so my guy is worth...".
Then they're pizzed when an owner says "that owner/gm was an idiot".
I'm thinking there was a lot of "they were idiots" being said this year.

[dirk digler]

In the past 5 years, only 5 teams have been in the Super Bowl. Because NE, Seattle, Denver have been there multiple times.

Meanwhile in MLB, in the past 5 World Series, 9 teams have made it (only repeat was the Royals). That includes the Indians, Royals, Cubs, Astros, and Mets - 5 teams who were notoriously terrible for many years prior.

The problem I have with the salary cap is that it rewards mediocrity. The higher the cap, the more a QB becomes a liability. Same shit is happening in basketball. The max deal thing is a total fucking joke because it's led to teams stockpiling superstars.

The NFL has parity at least on the NFC side while the AFC side has been dominated by the Pats because of Brady\Belichick.

I agree MLB has probably the best parity at least as far as different teams winning championships.

I don't know how you fix the NBA though because money doesn't really matter in the league. The only thing that matters is if you have one of the Top 5 players and if you don't you really don't have any chance. It has been that way forever though.

[BigRedChief]

Parity is everyone playing on the same level....same salary limits....same opportunities. To me that is parity.
Baseball doesn't have parity like football but its better than it was 20 years ago, Every team has money but as it always was, some teams still have a lot more money than most. It allows them to pay big contracts and just write them off if they go bad. Go sign someone else.

But let's not pretend that the best free agents ever consider anyone outside the large market teams.
Yep.

We have a great and long history of success. Attendance is over 3 million every year. We dont have LA or NY money but, we have a top ten payroll to get us close enough. We usually play the max on ESPN's Sunday night baseball. Yet, they end up going somewhere else. And its always a bigger market for relativity the same money.

there is a consensus forming among Cardinal fans that free agent players only want to play in big markets and build a "brand".

[GloucesterChief]

Verlander went to Houston and Houston is not considered a big market.

In baseball scouting and a GM that runs a really good farm system are the keys to winning.

[Prison Bitch]

And the Hunts/ Chiefs did that in what? 3 ?

Days in baseball that are important to me. Opening day, Start of playoffs. If MLB only played 30 regular season games, I wouldn't care.


No clue what your point is. I simply pointed out Glass has pulled in 800M from his franchise. Why shouldn't his employees share some of the profits?

[nychief]

Verlander went to Houston and Houston is not considered a big market.

In baseball scouting and a GM that runs a really good farm system are the keys to winning.


Houston is the 4th largest city in the US.

[chiefzilla1501]

The NFL has parity at least on the NFC side while the AFC side has been dominated by the Pats because of Brady\Belichick.

I agree MLB has probably the best parity at least as far as different teams winning championships.

I don't know how you fix the NBA though because money doesn't really matter in the league. The only thing that matters is if you have one of the Top 5 players and if you don't you really don't have any chance. It has been that way forever though.

It starts first by recognizing that if you have a really, really critical player like any NBA superstar or any QB, a team should be "punished" for having them. If you increase the salary cap, Tom Brady would be worth a hell of a lot more money in the open market which means other teams could decide that for one Tom Brady, you could get multiple superstars at other positions for the same price. That's what's totally broken about the NBA. If you sign Lebron or Curry, that should mean you struggle to sign any other superstar. The max contract and "Bird rights" shit is out of control.

Granted... a lot of this goes away if the NFL stops creating rules to coddle QBs and offense. But I don't think the salary cap creates as much parity as people think it does. It only makes QBs more important, which is bad for parity. You need some controls, but ultimately I think a strong spending floor and a luxury tax... maybe still some kind of cap does that for you.

[BigRedChief]

Verlander went to Houston and Houston is not considered a big market.WTF? 4th largest city in the USA is not a large market? ROFL

[ChiefsCountry]

City size is not market size.

[Prison Bitch]

City size is not market size.

You're wasting your time.

[BigRedChief]

City size is not market size.You dont get a mulligan because your huge city doesn't support a baseball team. Your still a huge city.

[Best22]

I don't mind dynasties in sports. We just haven't had one. If the Chiefs won 3 titles in 4 years with Mahomes I don't think anyone would complain.

Patriots, Bills, Steelers, Broncos, Colts. What did they have in common that we didn't during 1985-2017? They actually drafted their quarterbacks (and they were also good quarterbacks with talented players on both sides of the ball)

Let's give it time

[dirk digler]

It starts first by recognizing that if you have a really, really critical player like any NBA superstar or any QB, a team should be "punished" for having them. If you increase the salary cap, Tom Brady would be worth a hell of a lot more money in the open market which means other teams could decide that for one Tom Brady, you could get multiple superstars at other positions for the same price. That's what's totally broken about the NBA. If you sign Lebron or Curry, that should mean you struggle to sign any other superstar. The max contract and "Bird rights" shit is out of control.

Granted... a lot of this goes away if the NFL stops creating rules to coddle QBs and offense. But I don't think the salary cap creates as much parity as people think it does. It only makes QBs more important, which is bad for parity. You need some controls, but ultimately I think a strong spending floor and a luxury tax... maybe still some kind of cap does that for you.

I understand your point but at the same time Bird Rights and Franchise Tags are there to help small market teams keep their best players. I like that.

And don't forget players like Brady and KD have taken less money to keep their other team mates around so they could win multiple championships. To them that is more important than getting several more millions of dollars that they will never spend anyway in 5 generations.

[GloucesterChief]

Houston is the 4th largest city in the US.

It is not considered a big market in baseball terms though. It is not NY, Boston, Chicago, or LA.

[BigRedChief]

You dont get a mulligan because your huge city doesn't support a baseball team. Your still a huge city.

It is not considered a big market in baseball terms though. It is not NY, Boston, Chicago, or LA.
Doesn’t invalidate fact.

[GloucesterChief]

Doesn’t invalidate fact.

and it is not a media center at all.

[wazu]

Terrible wage depression. Poor Eric Hosmer might have to settle for barely over $140 million. How will he play baseball when he can’t even afford to eat?