Are we going to have another strike?

[PWNdroia]

See this article: http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-sp-dodgers-jansen-union-20180127-story.html
 
Kenley Jansen is saying that the players may consider going on strike because the market has been limited this season.  What do you think?
 
Doubt it happens, but I wanted to spark some news one way or another with this horrible down time. 

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Nah

 

[A.E]

Not a chance. This offseason needed to happen. The Boras boat was getting a little too damn big. Pending FAs should now think twice before switching agents.

 

[CoachAF]

If the players are gonna strike, they need to strike from using Boras as an agent. 

 

[brett05]

I think the strike is coming, but not as fast as you may all believe.  I think it will be within the year of the contract being up which IIRC is 2021

 

[elcheato]

I think it's certainly likely to happen at some point. Owners have control over players for their first 6-7 years in the majors, at majorly reduced rates, and now they're refusing to pay the veterans once they finally are able to cash in. That's not going to fly for long. 

 

[catman]

This year's free agent class is being hurt by the fact that the big players (Yankees and Dodgers) are trying to get under the luxury tax cap to reset so they can spend next year.  I could see a few very short contracts at high AAVs being handed out to this group.  Hosmer could go back to KC at a reasonable AAV ($21MM/yr) and Moustakas could go to St Louis, who is under the luxury tax threshold.  JD Martinez has a bonafide offer from the Red Sox, and possibly no one else.  Why would the Sox bid against themselves?  Darvish has several 5 year offers on the table, and Arrietta may as well.  Similar teams are bidding for both of these guys.  
Some of the big fish will come off the market pretty soon, I'm sure.

 

[PWNdroia]

I think it's certainly likely to happen at some point. Owners have control over players for their first 6-7 years in the majors, at majorly reduced rates, and now they're refusing to pay the veterans once they finally are able to cash in. That's not going to fly for long. 

More like the veterans are asking for too much.

 

[A.E]

The luxury tax system is what's screwing FAs. Big markets are tired of giving away the $$ and it's hurting FA paydays. We won't see a strike but the next CBA is going to be very different from what we've seen before.

 

[catman]

The players allowed this to happen during the last CBA negotiations.  The pendulum has swung back to the owners' side in the negotiations.

 

[CoachAF]

The players have themselves to blame for agreeing to the current CBA. There were rumblings that came out when it was signed about how it only benefits the top paid players and will squeeze out the middle class. Looks like that is coming true. This is a perfect storm of events is all...
 
1) Salary Cap - the 197 million soft cap is really keeping teams like the Red Sox from aggressively pursuing FA's. If they were to sign JD right now, they'd pay 30% in taxes and then their 1st rd. pick would be pushed back 10 spots.
 
2) Big 2018-19 FA Class - Teams like LAD and NYY have been pinching pennies for the Machado/Harper sweepstakes next winter. 
 
3) Tanking - With the Cubs/Astros success with building through high draft picks, I think there are a number of teams that see the landscape right now and feel like they can't compete right now so they are gonna wait and build their farms. 
 
4) Analytics/Sabermetrics - Call it what you will, it has changed the way teams valuate players. A guy like JD would have been worth a lot more 15 years ago, but teams value defense more. There has been a clear connection made between defensive metrics and wins. 
 
 
These are only 4 things, and admittedly not even really in depth reasons for the problem. I think teams are putting their foot down on unreasonable demands. I think they are planning for next year. I think they are planning for the next 5-7 years. There are a lot of things going on. 
 
 
 
I think players need to ask for a soft salary floor. If teams don't spend at least 80 million (let's say) then they will lose their revenue sharing. There's no stipulations on how teams are supposed to spend that money. A soft floor would force them to spend some of it at least on the players. 23 teams are already over 80 million. Only the Marlins, Pirates, Rays, Padres, White Sox, Athletics, and Phillies are under it. It would hypothetically force them to collectively spend 101 million dollars to meet that floor. Maybe the Phillies sign JD in an attempt to speed up the rebuild. Maybe the Rays sign Darvish to solidify their rotation. 
 
 
I dunno. I've read a lot of suggestions for tearing apart the current structure for player control. The owners won't let that happen. But the players can start to make little efforts here and there to improve the CBA. I'm really hoping they can avoid a lockout. I think it's about a 50/50 likelihood within the next 3 years. Both sides need to give in a little though. 

 

[catman]

I agree that there should be a soft salary floor also.  I think the players would agree to that in a heartbeat.  Perhaps that could be a chip in the owners attempt to get pace of play in the next deal.