MLB owners and players have reached deal

[ScreamingMeemie]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7269300/major-league-baseball-players-owners-sign-new-labor-agreement

HGH testing agreed upon---No date on when this will begin

Extra wild card team (one game only in postseason)--This goes into effect next season

No DH in the National League

New deal takes effect in 2013.

[Auggie]

1. Some deal -- still favors large market teams

"... the threshold for the luxury tax on payrolls will be left at $178 million in each of the next two seasons, putting pressure on high-spending teams such as the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies not to raise their spending even more. The threshold rises to $189 million for 2014-16.

2011 payrolls, #16 to #30 (that's half of baseball):

16. Seattle Mariners: $86,424,600

17. Milwaukee Brewers: $85,497,333

18. Baltimore Orioles: $85,304,038

19. Cincinnati Reds: $76,181,365

20. Houston Astros: $70,694,000

21. Oakland Athletics: $66,536,500

22. Washington Nationals: $63,681,929

23. Toronto Blue Jays: $62,517,800

24. Florida Marlins: $56,944,000

25. Arizona Diamondbacks: $53,639,833

26. Cleveland Indians: $49,188,867

27. Pittsburgh Pirates: $46,047,000

28. San Diego Padres: $45,869,140

29. Tampa Bay Rays: $41,932,171

30. Kansas City Royals: $36,126,400

[PRETZEL]

3. from what I've read,

smaller markets still getting screwed.

For example, the luxury tax. That's going to apply to the draft also. I know Pittsburgh the last couple of years has spent alot on signing their draft picks to large bonuses as an incentive that when they do reach the big leagues they might be more inclined to resign after their rookie contracts bacause of the bonus they received when they were drafted.

Under the new CBA, Pittsburgh will have to forfeit a first round draft pick and pay a penalty for doing this. Any team trying to rebuild from within will ultimately get screwed when their top prospects get bought out by the big money teams.

[TZ]

4. Bud Selig expressed disapproval with how much the Nationals spent

on their draft this year (the most with only Pittsburgh close). I'm sure thats why this rule is in there. Thanks Bud for fucking with MY team, you really don't give a damn about non-traditional teams competing do you asshole?

[PRETZEL]

5. he really doesn't

he knows where his loyalties lie.

He knows teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Phils and the like would rather buy their talent through free agency and pay the luxury tax and then let the other teams act like their farm system.

[Auggie]

10. It's Selig's big FUCK YOU to fans

[ProfessorGAC]

9. There Are At Least 4 Teams On There That Are Not. . .

. . .small market. Miami, Houston, Phoenix, and Toronto are not small markets. OK, maybe Phoenix is marginal, both the other three have metro populations of more than 3 million. Baltimore is pretty big too, but they do have to share market with the Nats. The others have no baseball competition for share.

I don't disagree that the small market teams are still in a bind, but that list also shows some teams that are in big markets that just decide not to spend big money. I can't defend them. They've got the revenue but are simply clearing larger profits.
GAC

[hughee99]

2. HGH testing? I didn't know they even had a test for thst yet. n/t

[Capt. America]

6. More uncompetative balance. Der Kommisar-for-life needs to hurry up and die for any real change.

[HuckleB]

8. +1

[HuckleB]

7. Looks like the poor just got poorer.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=law_keith&id=7270031&_slug_=mlb-new-collective-bargaining-agreement-does-more-harm-good&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb%2fblog%3fname%3dlaw_keith%26id%3d7270031%26_slug_%3dmlb-new-collective-bargaining-agreement-does-more-harm-good

Until there is a deal for true revenue sharing to make the league more even, fans lose.