Ever since Messersmith/McNally paved the way for free agency in baseball, ownership has bemoaned the unfairness of the system that require they pay--as Jerry Reinsdorf once famously opined--‘What [the] dumbest competitor pays for talent.’ The solution to their woes was right in front of them from the get go however, the answer didn’t suit them for two reasons (1) they only understood monopolistic control and (2) they despised the man giving the resolution to the dilemma--one Charles Oscar “Charlie O” Finley. What was his advice?
“Make ’em all free agents.”
When Marvin Miller heard Finley suggest this back in 1976, he nearly soiled himself and prayed that one of the more respected owners (such as Walter O Malley) wouldn’t catch on. After all, flooding the market with free agents would cause players to compete for jobs rather than teams competing for players. If they had to vie for available jobs, players would have to be willing to play for less than comparable talent.
Well, we’re seeing a demonstration of that this season. Although a poor economy is partly to blame Tom Verducci points out that there are more free agents than available jobs:
This is how one general manager described the remnants of the market: about 70 major league free agents competing for about 50 remaining roster spots, who are seeking about $100 million in contracts, but with only $60 million available.
While any remaining starting pitchers should be O.K., position players and middle relievers will not be getting the dollars and years that they hoped and as Verducci points out, a lot may have to retire simply because their demands are too high and if they were offered arbitration (and are Type A or B free agents) will cost a draft pick.
The ones that declined arbitration may discover that it is the last mistake they’ll ever make in MLB.
Of course, Verducci also points out one guy in desperate need of a smack upside the head reporting:
One journeyman reliever, for instance, turned down a $2 million offer, saying he would retire before taking that kind of money.
I mean, turning down $2 million freakin’ dollars plus all the perks of a playing in the bigs for maybe 100 innings work at most and he feels insulted?
I’m sorry, but shouldn’t natural selection have weeded such stupidity out of the gene pool by now? Talk about a complete and utter lack of perspective--turning down that kind of jack to play in the big leagues; a truly fun job, a luxurious lifestyle and because he’s not getting what he feels he “deserves” he’s gonna take his glove and go home.
Enjoy retirement--I guarantee that this cretin will be asking someone to give him a good swift kick in the butt in a year or two--just ask Kenny Lofton what being insulted at a million dollar payday does for one’s career.
I’m still amazed that the strike of 1981 was over free agent compensation--clubs wanting more than the draft pick for losing free agents to act as a disincentive for signing free agent players. Now it has become a deterrent--whether it’s a function of the economic downturn or teams are starting to realize that developing boatloads of cheap talent is a far better way of putting together a winning ball club than throwing $50-100 million for someone past his prime whose skill set is being reduced to simply hitting.
Hey, defense and base running count too and teams are starting to realize that it takes more than walks and home runs to win--you still have to be able to get the other team out. Further, sharp defense makes your pitching that much better and gives you more mileage from your pitching staff since efficiently turning balls in play into outs means your starter will need fewer pitches to get out of innings. In turn, this allows your starter to throw more innings taking the stress off the bullpen and so it goes.
Between teams becoming smarter and the MLBPA losing its centre it now appears that the pendulum has again swung back to management’s favour. Player agents that realize this will serve their clients better by not automatically assuming that there will be a better offer forthcoming and sometimes get while the getting is good.
Best Regards
John
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