Free Agency changes in new labor agreement

[homer]

 

Quote:
After Major League players file for free agency in the one-week period that begins at midnight the day after the World Series, all subsequent deadline dates are eliminated: Dec. 7 (for club to offer arbitration), Dec. 19 (for players to accept), Jan. 8 (last day the old club could re-sign its own free agent) and May 1 (first day a club's former player could re-sign with its former club if he went past Jan. 8 date). Also, the tender date for clubs to offer contracts to all players has been moved up from Dec. 20 to Dec. 12. And players traded in the middle of a multi-year contract can no longer demand a trade.

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[austro]

Quote:
And players traded in the middle of a multi-year contract can no longer demand a trade.

That's going to be a big one.  Or it's going to cause everybody to demand no-trade contracts.

[No? in Austin]

Quote:

Quote:
And players traded in the middle of a multi-year contract can no longer demand a trade.

That's going to be a big one.  Or it's going to cause everybody to demand no-trade contracts.

It's actually historically been a way for the MLBPA to negotiate away the ceiling cap (soft version) the MLB has long wanted.  By keeping the "traded at the middle of the contract", players maintained a free agency spiral up effect and caused organization to spend more to keep players around.

If they've traded away those rights (the MLBPA), it's probably because they've managed to get the MLB to shelve any idea of a soft cap for a very long time... or until the next negotiation.  As is, the owners proved they can't help but spend like sailors on shore leave when it comes to free agency, so all the MLBPA needed was a way to guarantee that they could do so without fear of being over any sort of cap.

I think you're going to see some wild arse free agency signings in the near future that will cause all of us to shake our heads in amazement that these owners really are powerless against themselves.