The concept of salary cap is very common in professional sports leagues. But the pay base is very low. In terms of salary, we are talking about the minimum a team should spend in a season. It’s in the NHL, but not in the NFL, NBA, MLS or major league baseball.
In the NHL, the salary base for 2021-2022 is $ 60.2 million and the ceiling is $ 81.5 million. By imposing a very high base, teams are forced to have some well-paid players, which ensures a comparative balance in the league. In MLB it is the opposite.
In short, the MLB cap is “soft”. This can be violated, but the overspending team will have to pay a luxury tax and even face fines if it exceeds the cap. By 2022, three teams (out of 30) are expected to exceed the $ 210 million mark: the Yankees ($ 221 million), the Dodgers ($ 233 million) and the Mets ($ 265 million). All figures in this text are dated December 26, 2021.
Let’s compare that to the three teams that cost the least.
For now, in 2022, the Cleveland Guardians will spend $ 29.05 million. After that, Jose Ramirez will earn $ 12 million, earning only 41.31% of the total salary. 15 key players earn more than Guardians pay.
Baltimore Orioles will spend $ 23.75 million on current players. That means 29 majors will earn more than Baltimore’s total pay. The team’s highest paid player is Trey Mancini, $ 8 million, and Jordan Liles, $ 6 million.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are the lowest-spending group with a salary of $ 21.45 million. 35 key players will have higher salaries.
Specifically, unspent teams are listed below. In 2021, Baltimore was the last of the Americans with a record of 321. In Pirates National, he finished second and last with a record of 377.
Nine teams will spend more than $ 150 million in 2022, eight $ 100 to $ 150 million, 10 $ 50 to $ 100 million and three less than $ 50 million. By setting up a pay base of $ 60 million, the league’s balance would already be a little better. As we tell each other, being a supporter of a team that loses all the time is not easy (I vote for pirates, it’s boring). The Pirates had 20 consecutive losing seasons between 1993 and 2012, having three good seasons before that and then dropping back in the rankings.
Another thing that should help balance: Keep the actual salary limit, it can not be spent. Because if you can pay your players $ 200 million a year, you can buy luxury tax.
Big $ 300 million deals have been awarded recently, but there are still teams that have not been awarded $ 100 million deals, including Pirates.
And even if some teams lose, it’s okay to say that no one wants to see them play. But, precisely, no one wants to see them play just because they look. It’s hard to watch your team play knowing they’re going to lose (when the Montreal Canadians have the right to fill the bell center they are popular). By imposing a pay base, teams will become more competitive, which will bring in more spectators and in turn will pay teams, who can spend even more to improve their performance.
The cities that run these clubs deserve to win. In 2018, the season when the Baltimore Orioles ended with a terrible .290 record, I went to watch the Baltimore game. The stadium was very beautiful and had a lot of atmosphere. Imagine a season of success. Same thing in Pittsburgh. These cities deserve to support the winning teams.
MLB and the Players’ Association are in talks for a new partnership, and I believe it is necessary to discuss it (from the ground up) only to increase the popularity of the game of baseball. Without the rest of the league, there is no point in having some famous teams.
For all team pay figures, See here.