Baseball’s Bidding Wars: The Haves And The Have Nots

For those of us blessed to live in large market areas, “Hot Stove” talk in the off season, and the start of the free agent signing period, is very exciting. But otherwise, it’s another example of what’s wrong with baseball.

After a lot of thought, I am of the opinion that MLB, like football, basketball and hockey, SHOULD have a salary cap. I know what you’re thinking: “Bobby that makes you sound so un-Republican, so un capitalist.” How right you are. But there are always exceptions to every rule.

Hear me out: It’s awesome that the Mets have the inside track on Francisco Rodriguez. K-Rod is the top closer out there and it sure seems like the Mets want him gift wrapped and sitting at the entrance of Citi Field on Christmas Day. Bobby Jenks of the White Sox is also a possibility, Good for me-both have more talent in their arms than Billy Wagner could ever hope to possess.

It’s a foregone conclusion that the Yankees will back up the money truck for C.C. Sabathia, and he will be the ace of the Yankees rotation in 2009. Great for the Bronx Bombers. But this really bothers a dyed in the wool fan like me.

On the one hand, it makes my job easier. The idea of preparing a ‘Sabathia to the Royals’ story is a fantasy worthy of a Tom Clancy novel. BUT: Is it fair; is it GOOD for baseball, if only 5-6 teams are the ones that get the vast majority of free agents? The answer is no. As always, it gets back to greed.

Used car salesman/commissioner Bud Selig and the owners want to make money, the more the better. Team owners are multi-millionaires-don’t cry for them. However, some teams just don’t have the revenue that others do. You don’t see too many Pirates caps in Tokyo. The AVERAGE price of a ticket in MLB in 2008 was $38. 38 bucks-not bad when you consider that tickets in NY (and they WILL go up in the Big Apple with the new stadiums next year), Boston and Los Angeles are near or above $100 a pop. Millionaires like the status of owning a team. Sadly, many don’t have a clue about running one.

There are potential solutions to this problem. First, a salary cap means that everybody has the same chance to get players. A cap would force all the owners and GM’s to use their brains to run a team. Everybody ante up the same amount of chips into the pot. Of course, players and agents would NEVER go for this. The salary cap totally limits the usefulness of a players’ representative in any sport. Sadly, it would probably take a work stoppage and/or a continuing downturn in the economy to force MLB to have a cap.

The second choice is much more painful, much more personal to fans. To use Selig’s word: Contraction. Let’s face it; there ARE too many teams in MLB. The sport really only needs 20. But even losing two, say Kansas City and Pittsburgh, would make the game better. The fewer the players, the better quality of player. Once again, the Players Union would never allow this and use all the resources at village idiot Donald Fehr’s disposal.

That leaves us with a cap. I hate to side with management here, but a cap HELPS the game. It piques fan interest (Imagine if there really was a competition between the Twins and A’s –who are very cost effective-read cheap-to sign Sabathia, as well as the Yanks?) That is ultimately what MLB wants-or SHOULD-more fans. The game continues to shoot itself in the foot with high prices, too many teams that result in long games that bore fans, and late night starts that go up against Letterman and Leno during the playoffs.

Just to be fair, a Bobby proposed baseball cap would only extend to players’ salaries. Revenue sharing (redistribution as Obama might say) is NOT fair. The Mets and Yankees should not have to pay a luxury tax to other teams. What you do with non player money is your business. That’s the American way.

But I fear that the players and owners will never grasp that their greed hurts the game and turns fans off. The Great American Pastimes these days are the NFL and NASCAR, both of which cater to their fans with greater passion.

Oh well, have fun with the off-season Mets and Yankees fans. Fans in smaller markets will pick up the scraps when we and a handful of other teams are done.