New CBA

[roadrunner]

Interesting changes.  I'm not going to list them all, but one thing that could benefit the Astros is a competitive balance lottery to get teams extra draft picks for low revenues and low markets.  Based on Crane's short term model, this seems like it would play in our favor.

[roadrunner]

Other stuff...

- 2 more wild cards start this year
- $2.9M international bonus cap per year (this money can be traded)
- harsh taxes on going over slot in the draft
- HGH testing

Lots of negativity towards the draft taxes saying that the best athletes will choose other sports now.

[hostros7]

Lots of negativity towards the draft taxes saying that the best athletes will choose other sports now.

Other sports are moving towards a similar draft compensation system, right?  I would think this would mitigate the affect, but I don't follow draft rules extremely closely. 

[roadrunner]

Other sports are moving towards a similar draft compensation system, right?  I would think this would mitigate the affect, but I don't follow draft rules extremely closely. 

That's a good point.  I also really only follow them for baseball, but wouldn't propping up the slot recommendations help avoid this, too?

It also seems like high schoolers who are stud athletes are making the decision based on making a million dollars now versus waiting 4 years and then getting a big pay day.

[OregonStrosFan]

Inside MLB's New 5-Year Labor Agreement

[Jacksonian]

That's a good point.  I also really only follow them for baseball, but wouldn't propping up the slot recommendations help avoid this, too?

It also seems like high schoolers who are stud athletes are making the decision based on making a million dollars now versus waiting 4 years and then getting a big pay day.

This is a college baseball coach's dream.

[austro]

This is a college baseball coach's dream.

And Boras's nightmare.

[Jacksonian]

Inside MLB's New 5-Year Labor Agreement

"d. Active Roster limits will be expanded to 26 for certain regular or split doubleheaders."

I wonder how they are going to define "certain."

[Ron Brand]

So the owners gave the players a little salary bump and travel concerns by evening the leagues, and in return they got an extra playoff game, slot drafting with real penalties and significantly reduced compensation for free agents. I know travel can be a drag, but come on.

[Jacksonian]

They need to deal Wandy this off-season.

Regarding FA compensation:
"A. Only Players who have been with their Clubs for the entire season will be subject to compensation."

Those half season rentals should become much rarer.

*Nevermind.  I thought his contract was up after 2012.

[Ron Brand]

"d. Active Roster limits will be expanded to 26 for certain regular or split doubleheaders."

I wonder how they are going to define "certain."

"XX.d.(3).a.: If the visiting team is Houston, the home team only can add a 26th player to the active roster if two games are scheduled to be played within a 24 hour period of each other."

"XX.d.(3).r.: If the home team is Houston, the visiting team only can add a 26th player to the active roster if two games are scheduled to be played within a 24 hour period of each other."

"XXIII.j.(2).a.: Any scheduled game in which Houston is the home team may be moved to any other location at the pleasure of the Commissioner. Houston will retain its designation as the home team but all venue revenues will be split between the visiting team and the Commissioner's Fund for Emerging Fairness at a rate to be decided by the vote of all 2012 American League teams prior to June 1, 2012."

[Ty in Tampa]

"XX.d.(3).a.: If the visiting team is Houston, the home team only can add a 26th player to the active roster if two games are scheduled to be played within a 24 hour period of each other."

"XX.d.(3).r.: If the home team is Houston, the visiting team only can add a 26th player to the active roster if two games are scheduled to be played within a 24 hour period of each other."

"XXIII.j.(2).a.: Any scheduled game in which Houston is the home team may be moved to any other location at the pleasure of the Commissioner. Houston will retain its designation as the home team but all venue revenues will be split between the visiting team and the Commissioner's Fund for Emerging Fairness at a rate to be decided by the vote of all 2012 American League teams prior to June 1, 2012."

nom..nom..nom..nom

[Jacksonian]

So the owners gave the players a little salary bump and travel concerns by evening the leagues, and in return they got an extra playoff game, slot drafting with real penalties and significantly reduced compensation for free agents. I know travel can be a drag, but come on.

Speaking of travel:

"d. The parties will agree upon a comprehensive international play plan in which Clubs and Player will visit countries in which games have not been staged in the past."

[S.P. Rodriguez]

"XX.d.(3).a.: If the visiting team is Houston, the home team only can add a 26th player to the active roster if two games are scheduled to be played within a 24 hour period of each other."

"XX.d.(3).r.: If the home team is Houston, the visiting team only can add a 26th player to the active roster if two games are scheduled to be played within a 24 hour period of each other."

"XXIII.j.(2).a.: Any scheduled game in which Houston is the home team may be moved to any other location at the pleasure of the Commissioner. Houston will retain its designation as the home team but all venue revenues will be split between the visiting team and the Commissioner's Fund for Emerging Fairness at a rate to be decided by the vote of all 2012 American League teams prior to June 1, 2012."

I don't think I've ever read something written as a joke that made me this angry!

[Navin R Johnson]

On the Lottery deal, anyone know who the 10 smallest markets and lowest revenue teams are, isn't there a decent chance that they are the same 10?

[Jacksonian]

From a Callis tweet:

"By my calculations, TWENTY teams went 16% or more over slot this year, which would have triggered 100% tax & loss of two 1st-rders #mlbdraft"

[Navin R Johnson]

From a Callis tweet:

"By my calculations, TWENTY teams went 16% or more over slot this year, which would have triggered 100% tax & loss of two 1st-rders #mlbdraft"

Sure seems to me that JUCO's are about to rake in the talent.  Bunch of kids who get drafted in the 3rd or 4th are gonna go Juco so they are eligible for the draft the following season and the season after that. 

[astrosfan76]

Sure seems to me that JUCO's are about to rake in the talent.  Bunch of kids who get drafted in the 3rd or 4th are gonna go Juco so they are eligible for the draft the following season and the season after that. 

The stipulation of bonuses signed for more than $100K after the 10th round being added to the cap only exacerbates the problem.  You won't see negotiations like we saw with Jacoby or Chad Jones later on.  Well, I guess you could if an earlier round pick makes it clear that they won't sign.  The cap shouldn't be as tight as initially thought, with it going up as high to ~$11M, depending on position and number of picks.  But, you are right that there should be a spike in HS players going to some form of college.