If I were one of the major league players just starting out, or a guy in the high minors about to crack the big league ceiling, I'd want the compensation system changed.
Simply, it takes too many years already to become a free agent. And with a largely lost year, unless they get credited for a full year for 2020 for free agency timing purposes, it would make it worse.
Lots of guys, especially pitchers, hit the majors like a house on fire, but can get injured along the way and never make big bucks.
Me? I'd like to see top salaries capped at somewhat lower levels than what we're seeing - but also like seeing guys get to free agency a few years earlier, to avoid those flame out guys making a pittance only because they got hurt and are not durable.
For instance, Max Scherzer and Matt Harvey were similar competence pitchers at their peaks - but Max has proven far more durable. Max's annual average compensation for his many top years is tremendously much higher than Harvey's were for his 2 top seasons.
For instance, Max Scherzer and Matt Harvey were similar competence pitchers at their peaks - but Max has proven far more durable. Max's annual average compensation for his many top years is tremendously much higher than Harvey's were for his 2 top seasons.
Because of graduated compensation rules, Matt Harvey in 2013 and 2015 went 22-13 (an unrepresentative record only that low due to incredible lack of offensive support), with an ERA of 2.50 in 367 innings, with an amazing 0.98 WHIP and 377 Ks, but for those two seasons, he made a total of only about $1.1 million.
He was not only a great pitcher, he was the DARK KNIGHT, with all of the baseball world (and fans) focused on him.
WAY underpaid.
He was not only a great pitcher, he was the DARK KNIGHT, with all of the baseball world (and fans) focused on him.
WAY underpaid.
Jeff McNeil is another example. After a dazzling rookie partial year debut in 2018 and an equally dazzling 2019, he would have made only slightly more than $600,000 had 2020 been a full season - RIDICULOUSLY LOW.
Equally, or more, ridiculous is 53 homer Pete Alonso making $555,000 in 2019, and for all that, he would have only made about $100,000 more in 2020.
Can you imagine having a large sales team, and a guy named Pete is hired and promptly crushes company sales records - but is only earning a salary for his next year equal to about 2% of that of the highest paid, and currently far less effective, salesman in the company?
Nope - I sure can't - but that's baseball.
Nope - I sure can't - but that's baseball.
And that's stupid. And grossly unfair.
And worse, because if you were to ask a fan which two Mets players spurred you to buy a ticket for a game, the two would probably be deGrom and Alonso.
So, Alonso's immense gate impact is not at all factored into the current salary structure (and into his relatively meager salary). Unless the Mets offer him a long term extension early, he could be grossly underpaid for several years.
So, Alonso's immense gate impact is not at all factored into the current salary structure (and into his relatively meager salary). Unless the Mets offer him a long term extension early, he could be grossly underpaid for several years.
And of course, how many guys who have made it through the "I'm a star AND I'm durable" gauntlet to finally sign a huge multi-year contract promptly get hurt (David Wright) and/or drastically tail off (Jayson Bay).
In that regard, I'd also like to see contract lengths capped at 3 years.
So, basically:
Change the system, from where the relatively few of baseball's top stars WHO ARE LONG TERM DURABLE make a lion's share of major league aggregate salaries, to a system where players get a lot more $$ early on; allow less $$ for the mega contracts later on; and cap a contract length to 3 years, to make guys earn their pay throughout their careers.
Right now, it is, de facto, "Star's Salaries Matter".
It should be "All Players' Salaries Matter".
10 comments:
Nice dream, but you forgot one thing here.
The Player's union.
The players union would agree that younger players all need to be paid more. That they should receive performance rewards when they become Rookie All-Stars, ROY, MVP, etc. Just don't cut the Vet contracts.
My position? Build a farm team based on pitching, fundamentals, speed, and defense. So, when players get to the majors they know how to bunt, shorten the swing to get men in from third on outs, hit against the shift, steal a base when needed, run hard when they pop the ball up to the catcher (for example - Fernando Martinez & Colton Plaia). AND - if they have a manager in the system that emphasizes these things - don't remove him from his post and make him the team ambassador.
I agree 100 percent!!! It’s ridiculous from the unions part as well. If they get the same overall amount value but spread it out more evenly it would be better for far more players than very few that are grossly overpaid.
Some members of management don't like personnel who have more gate appeal than they do and dispatch them to the unemployment line so there is more room for their own personal spotlights to shine. These same management types have been without a World Series win since 1986. That's 34 years of incompetence. Why would you want to highlight that?
A wise man named Reese once said something like this - "Do something wrong the first time - it's a mistake...do is wrong again...it's a g$#@d$@# choice."
Pete speaks up a lot - he will, absent injury, get paid huge - but I hope he has a voice here. Because bottom 80% of major leaguers make just 5% to 10% of the total pay. For guys like Jeff and Pete, it's wrong.
One death.
It will take one death to shut this down again.
Mack, I know the cases are going up, but I am baffled by one thing: how on earth NYS deaths could be 800 on April 10, and just 10 on June 20. My only conclusion? It has to be weakening. Perhaps a lot. The 10 that died, they don't give details - it could have been people in intensive care for weeks.
In Suffolk, 1 died, only 7 new hospitalizations yesterday, only 89 in total.
I think it is really weakening. It may now be less deadly than the seasonal flu. They want to keep people very cautious, so they won't tell them that, but it seems that way.
Tom
Go tell that to Arizona fans.
Mack
They're dropping like overheated iguanas in Arizona.
Actually, "only" 42 deaths yesterday there. Not that I am up on Az, but that could be 40 people over 80 and 2 others. Lots of elderly out in Az. Still far too many for a state of 7 million, but without research (and I am working), hard to know.
Players-wise, I'd be surprised if any die.
I am not surprised that some tested positive. I just wonder if any even got sick out of those who tested positive.
In NY, "just" a little over 1% of deaths were folks under 40, and of those, it seems 3/4 of them had comorbidities. So, healthy players seemingly face very minimal risk, ESPECIALLY if the virus is weakening.
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