If the MLBPA is the strongest union, why is the CBA so bad?

Oct 18, 2011
44,064
9,673
Is it just me or does the MLB CBA highly favor the owners, especially when it comes to free agency? The service time rules seem to screw the top young talent who often can't be free agents until their late 20s, are there going to be changes soon?
 

SSF

Registered User
Oct 5, 2017
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276
You are UFA after 6 years, this CBA is amazing, especially in comparison
 

robert terwilliger

the bart, the
Nov 14, 2005
24,059
511
sw florida
because the players only think of the players who make it and made sure that they got things like guaranteed contracts, no mlb salary cap and more days off.

they forgot to focus on what the owners wanted and now have a cbt that teams treat as a salary cap, capped international free agency and a capped draft. teams now bring players up sooner, get as much value for them as possible and don't fill needs in free agency.

in short, all the veteran players got their gold watches and have now made it very difficult moving forward for players over 28 years old.
 
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IU Hawks fan

They call me IU
Dec 30, 2008
28,516
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NW Burbs
because the players only think of the players who make it and made sure that they got things like guaranteed contracts, no mlb salary cap and more days off.

Yeah, the things they cared most about in the last negotiations were like days off, more meal money, and no shared rooms on the road after a certain amount of service time :laugh:

They somehow never saw this coming.
 
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StreetHawk

Registered User
Sep 30, 2017
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But it's much longer than that due to having to play in the minors and how teams manipulate service time rules
Then the PA needs to come up with a better definition of what constitutes a year of MLB service as part of the 6 years in the league, so that players are not kept in the minors for extra time. Do they need to add an age component to it like the NHL where it's 7 years of service so if you come in at age 18/19, you can be UFA at 25/26 or you can be UFA if you turn 27 by July 1 with 4 years of experience.

Teams are looking at their analytics and seeing a drop off in production from players once they hit their mid 30's at 34-36. So, based on that data, they are beginning to limit the term on free agent contracts.

I think there are way more teams who would do a 6 years $200 million deal for Harper rather than a 10 year $300 plus million dollar deal for him.

Blue Jays just ate $52 million or so of contracts to get rid of Tulo and Martin. Teams want value for what they spend and signing players until their late 30's makes no sense anymore.
 

Vamos Rafa

Registered User
Jan 11, 2010
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Armenia, California
6 years of team control doesn't seem a lot but since professional baseball players don't generally make their MLB debut until they're 22 or older (even the biggest prospects), they are already close to their declining years by the time they reach free agency. So you get drafted out of college at 22. You probably won't get your first call-up until your age 24 season after spending 2 years in the minors even as a first round pick. You will already be 30 by the time you're a FA. In the NBA, the biggest prospects are 19/20-year old rookies with a maximum of a 4-year rookie contract. They can hit the UFA at 24-25 unless they sign extensions.
 
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SSF

Registered User
Oct 5, 2017
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276
Actually, NBA players are RFA after their 4 year contracts
 

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