If a graph can be said to explain the current impasse between the players and the owners it would be this one. The owners figured out that paying older players (especially those past the age of 30) wasn't worth it. The best thing to do is underpay younger players when they are at their peak. The owners underpay younger players by maintaining the vestiges of the reserve clause. Younger players are "owned" by the team and the best they can do, salary-wise, is via the arbitration process. When they become free agents their best seasons are behind them. The players obviously want to change that system. They want to get to free agency sooner. They are right, of course, just a little late in their thinking. They got schooled by the owners during the last two rounds of CBA negotiations and now they are well behind where they ought to be.
The solution is obvious: make all players free agents from the beginning. Get rid of the draft, arbitration, and the rest of the nonsense surrounding the reserve clause.
I don't expect much progress. The owners will be reluctant to give the players anything. The players might get a few bones thrown their way, and they'll sign a deal that's superficially better than what they have now, but there won't be fundamental changes to the way MLB is run. Then we'll do this all over again in a few years.
Meanwhile, have a great holiday season. Merry Christmas!
--M.C.
