STLtoday.com

govman wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 19:23 pm

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 17:03 pm

govman wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 14:00 pm

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 06:40 am

cardstatman wrote: ↑20 Feb 2026 22:52 pm I don't understand how a salary cap fixes anything for Cleveland.

Their revenue remains the same and they say they can only spend $100M on payroll now.

The answer is more revenue sharing. If the revenue was more equal, then the salary cap would not be necessary.

A salary cap just forces the Yankees/Dodgers/Cubs owners to pocket a lot of money or invest huge dollars in something other than payroll. The Yankees and Cubs owners are already voluntarily doing just that.

Kansas City won the super bowl 3 times in 5 years. They win the world series once every 40 years. That's what a payroll cap does for a sport.

no they were in the WS, but have only won 2 in their lifetime

Correct. The won 3 super bowls in 5 years.

WRONG--please Google see below

Kansas City Royals, American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals have won four American League (AL) pennants and two World Series championships (1985 and 2015).

The super bowl is football.

Salary cap yes. Max and min but every owner needs to open their books and MLB needs 100 percent revenue sharing throughout the owners, players and every city. Even the playing field. Tax each owner that goes under or over and give that money to a fund to go to the minor leagues.

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 20:29 pm

dugoutrex wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 17:18 pm

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 06:40 am

cardstatman wrote: ↑20 Feb 2026 22:52 pm I don't understand how a salary cap fixes anything for Cleveland.

Their revenue remains the same and they say they can only spend $100M on payroll now.

The answer is more revenue sharing. If the revenue was more equal, then the salary cap would not be necessary.

A salary cap just forces the Yankees/Dodgers/Cubs owners to pocket a lot of money or invest huge dollars in something other than payroll. The Yankees and Cubs owners are already voluntarily doing just that.

Kansas City won the super bowl 3 times in 5 years. They win the world series once every 40 years. That's what a payroll cap does for a sport.

didn't work for the NFL in Stl - how many years did we have pro football and we got 1 little title
meanwhile ... 11 titles in 100 some years of baseball

It worked after they enacted the payroll cap. Then the fools fired Martz and went back to losing. You notice the Cowboys haven't won anything in a long time. Jerry Jones can't buy the super bowl now.

lol - Mikey was the worst head coach in the league

dugoutrex wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 23:47 pm

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 20:29 pm

dugoutrex wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 17:18 pm

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 06:40 am

cardstatman wrote: ↑20 Feb 2026 22:52 pm I don't understand how a salary cap fixes anything for Cleveland.

Their revenue remains the same and they say they can only spend $100M on payroll now.

The answer is more revenue sharing. If the revenue was more equal, then the salary cap would not be necessary.

A salary cap just forces the Yankees/Dodgers/Cubs owners to pocket a lot of money or invest huge dollars in something other than payroll. The Yankees and Cubs owners are already voluntarily doing just that.

Kansas City won the super bowl 3 times in 5 years. They win the world series once every 40 years. That's what a payroll cap does for a sport.

didn't work for the NFL in Stl - how many years did we have pro football and we got 1 little title
meanwhile ... 11 titles in 100 some years of baseball

It worked after they enacted the payroll cap. Then the fools fired Martz and went back to losing. You notice the Cowboys haven't won anything in a long time. Jerry Jones can't buy the super bowl now.

lol - Mikey was the worst head coach in the league

LOL

Rollin' on the River wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 16:56 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:54 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:18 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:15 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:04 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:47 am Guardian owner Paul Dolan inherited the team from his father who bought them for $323M, currently worth over $1B.

His uncle, partial owner, is worth $5.4B and is the founder of Cablevision and HBO.

Sounds like our ownership, crying poor mouth when they're sitting on a family fortune.

(And I don't see any chance we get a salary cap or increased revenue sharing)

And fans continue to try to impose their thoughts on how owners should spend money.

The simple fact is that there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises seemingly independent of any concern regarding annual operating income, expenses, and revenue.

No, we fans continue to point out SUPER WEALTHY BILLIONARE owners who cry poormouth while wanting we fans to shoulder the financial burden and weep for them.

The simple fact is virtually every MLB owner or ownership group has the revenues from their teams to easily spend much more than they're willing to spend.

Given his revenues there's little argument BDWJr etal could easily afford a $180-200M payroll w/o touching a dime of their personal fortune.

It's the same for the majority of MLB team sans a very small handful.

Even the lowly Pirates reported a 2025 Operating Income (Profit before ITDA) of $47 million!

Yet this season we're getting a 26 man payroll under what K. Tucker will make this season w/the Dodgers.

You can keep repeating that, but none of it changes reality - there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises like you claim they could afford to.

We've seen it across almost all MLB teams for decades - owners will operate their teams to generally make at least some annual profit. That's not going to change.

If you are going to find a solution to improve the quality of the MLB product, you have to start from that reality.

Repeating nothing it's the first time I posted that, you're the one who keeps repeating the same stuff month after month after month.

And my "claim" is backed up by FACTS (re: the lowly Pirates I intentionally picked out to show how they could afford a higher payroll).

You're reality (salary cap/floor) has ZERO chance of happen, just as he hasn't happened since the days of Marvin Miller.

The MLBPA will never accept a salary cap, the lowly franchise owners will (likely) never accept a payroll floor.

But keep posting it if it makes you feel better.

If the owners are united and steadfast on a salary cap. There isn’t much the players can do about it realistically. I heard the MLBPA has a rainy day fund; however, that will deplete quickly and when game checks stop coming in, and tuition payments, truck payments, mortgage payments, all start to get missed, then you’ll start to get guys attention. Guys will either play in the foreign leagues, or they won’t play. The owners can literally starve 90% of the players out. The nhl had to lose an entire year before the players came to their senses. And it’s a much better league now because of it.

You say there isn't much the players can do?

Sure there is since they have to agree to and ratify the new CBA.

The owners can stand "united" all they want while their business GOES DOWN THE DRAIN w/ZERO REVENUE that in 2025 totaled over $12+B!

So you think the owners can "starve out" 90% of the players?

HA! .

The vast majority of major league players are MULTI-MILLIONARES!

This isn't the Teamsters or UAW union we're talking about.

Even a rookie in 2025 earned $760,000!

They can live off that for multiple years.

The networks and streamers will put a huge amount of pressure on the owners to settle ASAP since they need that "live" programming to get viewer eye's.

There will be NO SALARY CAP (none starter for the MLBPA) , NO PAYROLL FLOOR (none starter for lower payroll owners) either.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:49 am

Rollin' on the River wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 16:56 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:54 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:18 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:15 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:04 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:47 am Guardian owner Paul Dolan inherited the team from his father who bought them for $323M, currently worth over $1B.

His uncle, partial owner, is worth $5.4B and is the founder of Cablevision and HBO.

Sounds like our ownership, crying poor mouth when they're sitting on a family fortune.

(And I don't see any chance we get a salary cap or increased revenue sharing)

And fans continue to try to impose their thoughts on how owners should spend money.

The simple fact is that there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises seemingly independent of any concern regarding annual operating income, expenses, and revenue.

No, we fans continue to point out SUPER WEALTHY BILLIONARE owners who cry poormouth while wanting we fans to shoulder the financial burden and weep for them.

The simple fact is virtually every MLB owner or ownership group has the revenues from their teams to easily spend much more than they're willing to spend.

Given his revenues there's little argument BDWJr etal could easily afford a $180-200M payroll w/o touching a dime of their personal fortune.

It's the same for the majority of MLB team sans a very small handful.

Even the lowly Pirates reported a 2025 Operating Income (Profit before ITDA) of $47 million!

Yet this season we're getting a 26 man payroll under what K. Tucker will make this season w/the Dodgers.

You can keep repeating that, but none of it changes reality - there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises like you claim they could afford to.

We've seen it across almost all MLB teams for decades - owners will operate their teams to generally make at least some annual profit. That's not going to change.

If you are going to find a solution to improve the quality of the MLB product, you have to start from that reality.

Repeating nothing it's the first time I posted that, you're the one who keeps repeating the same stuff month after month after month.

And my "claim" is backed up by FACTS (re: the lowly Pirates I intentionally picked out to show how they could afford a higher payroll).

You're reality (salary cap/floor) has ZERO chance of happen, just as he hasn't happened since the days of Marvin Miller.

The MLBPA will never accept a salary cap, the lowly franchise owners will (likely) never accept a payroll floor.

But keep posting it if it makes you feel better.

If the owners are united and steadfast on a salary cap. There isn’t much the players can do about it realistically. I heard the MLBPA has a rainy day fund; however, that will deplete quickly and when game checks stop coming in, and tuition payments, truck payments, mortgage payments, all start to get missed, then you’ll start to get guys attention. Guys will either play in the foreign leagues, or they won’t play. The owners can literally starve 90% of the players out. The nhl had to lose an entire year before the players came to their senses. And it’s a much better league now because of it.

You say there isn't much the players can do?

Sure there is since they have to agree to and ratify the new CBA.

The owners can stand "united" all they want while their business GOES DOWN THE DRAIN w/ZERO REVENUE that in 2025 totaled over $12+B!

So you think the owners can "starve out" 90% of the players?

HA! .

The vast majority of major league players are MULTI-MILLIONARES!

This isn't the Teamsters or UAW union we're talking about.

Even a rookie in 2025 earned $760,000!

They can live off that for multiple years.

The networks and streamers will put a huge amount of pressure on the owners to settle ASAP since they need that "live" programming to get viewer eye's.

There will be NO SALARY CAP (none starter for the MLBPA) , NO PAYROLL FLOOR (none starter for lower payroll owners) either.

Then there will likely be no baseball.

Owners have a lot more capital to ride out a season than the players do.

And 760,000 doesn’t get you real far. Especially after taxes.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:49 am

Rollin' on the River wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 16:56 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:54 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:18 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:15 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:04 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:47 am Guardian owner Paul Dolan inherited the team from his father who bought them for $323M, currently worth over $1B.

His uncle, partial owner, is worth $5.4B and is the founder of Cablevision and HBO.

Sounds like our ownership, crying poor mouth when they're sitting on a family fortune.

(And I don't see any chance we get a salary cap or increased revenue sharing)

And fans continue to try to impose their thoughts on how owners should spend money.

The simple fact is that there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises seemingly independent of any concern regarding annual operating income, expenses, and revenue.

No, we fans continue to point out SUPER WEALTHY BILLIONARE owners who cry poormouth while wanting we fans to shoulder the financial burden and weep for them.

The simple fact is virtually every MLB owner or ownership group has the revenues from their teams to easily spend much more than they're willing to spend.

Given his revenues there's little argument BDWJr etal could easily afford a $180-200M payroll w/o touching a dime of their personal fortune.

It's the same for the majority of MLB team sans a very small handful.

Even the lowly Pirates reported a 2025 Operating Income (Profit before ITDA) of $47 million!

Yet this season we're getting a 26 man payroll under what K. Tucker will make this season w/the Dodgers.

You can keep repeating that, but none of it changes reality - there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises like you claim they could afford to.

We've seen it across almost all MLB teams for decades - owners will operate their teams to generally make at least some annual profit. That's not going to change.

If you are going to find a solution to improve the quality of the MLB product, you have to start from that reality.

Repeating nothing it's the first time I posted that, you're the one who keeps repeating the same stuff month after month after month.

And my "claim" is backed up by FACTS (re: the lowly Pirates I intentionally picked out to show how they could afford a higher payroll).

You're reality (salary cap/floor) has ZERO chance of happen, just as he hasn't happened since the days of Marvin Miller.

The MLBPA will never accept a salary cap, the lowly franchise owners will (likely) never accept a payroll floor.

But keep posting it if it makes you feel better.

If the owners are united and steadfast on a salary cap. There isn’t much the players can do about it realistically. I heard the MLBPA has a rainy day fund; however, that will deplete quickly and when game checks stop coming in, and tuition payments, truck payments, mortgage payments, all start to get missed, then you’ll start to get guys attention. Guys will either play in the foreign leagues, or they won’t play. The owners can literally starve 90% of the players out. The nhl had to lose an entire year before the players came to their senses. And it’s a much better league now because of it.

You say there isn't much the players can do?

Sure there is since they have to agree to and ratify the new CBA.

The owners can stand "united" all they want while their business GOES DOWN THE DRAIN w/ZERO REVENUE that in 2025 totaled over $12+B!

So you think the owners can "starve out" 90% of the players?

HA! .

The vast majority of major league players are MULTI-MILLIONARES!

This isn't the Teamsters or UAW union we're talking about.

Even a rookie in 2025 earned $760,000!

They can live off that for multiple years.

The networks and streamers will put a huge amount of pressure on the owners to settle ASAP since they need that "live" programming to get viewer eye's.

There will be NO SALARY CAP (none starter for the MLBPA) , NO PAYROLL FLOOR (none starter for lower payroll owners) either.

Between billionaire owners and millionaire players, even if the billionaire owners shut the game down for a year or two, they figure to profit in the long run.

Millionaire players lose a lot more if they see their age 26, age 27, age 28, etc. prime seasons evaporate with nothing to show for it. They may well never recoup what they've lost by not getting paid for a season or two.

The question will be whether the small/mid market owners can find common cause with the non-star/superstar players to transform the economics of MLB in a way that benefits both of them at the expense of the few (1) big market owner and (2) star/superstar players.

The small/mid market owners have to offer a package of changes (higher ML minimum, fewer years to ARB, fewer years to FA, etc.) to win over the majority of the players to the cap/floor system they want.

This should end up being the "many" on both sides vs. the "few."

Rollin' on the River wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:55 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:49 am

Rollin' on the River wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 16:56 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:54 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:18 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:15 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:04 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:47 am Guardian owner Paul Dolan inherited the team from his father who bought them for $323M, currently worth over $1B.

His uncle, partial owner, is worth $5.4B and is the founder of Cablevision and HBO.

Sounds like our ownership, crying poor mouth when they're sitting on a family fortune.

(And I don't see any chance we get a salary cap or increased revenue sharing)

And fans continue to try to impose their thoughts on how owners should spend money.

The simple fact is that there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises seemingly independent of any concern regarding annual operating income, expenses, and revenue.

No, we fans continue to point out SUPER WEALTHY BILLIONARE owners who cry poormouth while wanting we fans to shoulder the financial burden and weep for them.

The simple fact is virtually every MLB owner or ownership group has the revenues from their teams to easily spend much more than they're willing to spend.

Given his revenues there's little argument BDWJr etal could easily afford a $180-200M payroll w/o touching a dime of their personal fortune.

It's the same for the majority of MLB team sans a very small handful.

Even the lowly Pirates reported a 2025 Operating Income (Profit before ITDA) of $47 million!

Yet this season we're getting a 26 man payroll under what K. Tucker will make this season w/the Dodgers.

You can keep repeating that, but none of it changes reality - there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises like you claim they could afford to.

We've seen it across almost all MLB teams for decades - owners will operate their teams to generally make at least some annual profit. That's not going to change.

If you are going to find a solution to improve the quality of the MLB product, you have to start from that reality.

Repeating nothing it's the first time I posted that, you're the one who keeps repeating the same stuff month after month after month.

And my "claim" is backed up by FACTS (re: the lowly Pirates I intentionally picked out to show how they could afford a higher payroll).

You're reality (salary cap/floor) has ZERO chance of happen, just as he hasn't happened since the days of Marvin Miller.

The MLBPA will never accept a salary cap, the lowly franchise owners will (likely) never accept a payroll floor.

But keep posting it if it makes you feel better.

If the owners are united and steadfast on a salary cap. There isn’t much the players can do about it realistically. I heard the MLBPA has a rainy day fund; however, that will deplete quickly and when game checks stop coming in, and tuition payments, truck payments, mortgage payments, all start to get missed, then you’ll start to get guys attention. Guys will either play in the foreign leagues, or they won’t play. The owners can literally starve 90% of the players out. The nhl had to lose an entire year before the players came to their senses. And it’s a much better league now because of it.

You say there isn't much the players can do?

Sure there is since they have to agree to and ratify the new CBA.

The owners can stand "united" all they want while their business GOES DOWN THE DRAIN w/ZERO REVENUE that in 2025 totaled over $12+B!

So you think the owners can "starve out" 90% of the players?

HA! .

The vast majority of major league players are MULTI-MILLIONARES!

This isn't the Teamsters or UAW union we're talking about.

Even a rookie in 2025 earned $760,000!

They can live off that for multiple years.

The networks and streamers will put a huge amount of pressure on the owners to settle ASAP since they need that "live" programming to get viewer eye's.

There will be NO SALARY CAP (none starter for the MLBPA) , NO PAYROLL FLOOR (none starter for lower payroll owners) either.

Then there will likely be no baseball.

Owners have a lot more capital to ride out a season than the players do.

And 760,000 doesn’t get you real far. Especially after taxes.

I'm not so sure RoR

While owners obviously have more money, it's not like players are going to the bread lines.

Even young Cardinals, like M. Winn, has earned $4,703,409, J. Walker $4,512,833!

They're literally already set for life.

Not sure what your spending habits are but $760,000 for a 21-22 year old rookie + their signing bonuses (even after taxes and agent fees) can take them multiple years even if they've already bought a $500,000 house and that new truck you mentioned.

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:59 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:49 am

Rollin' on the River wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 16:56 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:54 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:18 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:15 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:04 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:47 am Guardian owner Paul Dolan inherited the team from his father who bought them for $323M, currently worth over $1B.

His uncle, partial owner, is worth $5.4B and is the founder of Cablevision and HBO.

Sounds like our ownership, crying poor mouth when they're sitting on a family fortune.

(And I don't see any chance we get a salary cap or increased revenue sharing)

And fans continue to try to impose their thoughts on how owners should spend money.

The simple fact is that there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises seemingly independent of any concern regarding annual operating income, expenses, and revenue.

No, we fans continue to point out SUPER WEALTHY BILLIONARE owners who cry poormouth while wanting we fans to shoulder the financial burden and weep for them.

The simple fact is virtually every MLB owner or ownership group has the revenues from their teams to easily spend much more than they're willing to spend.

Given his revenues there's little argument BDWJr etal could easily afford a $180-200M payroll w/o touching a dime of their personal fortune.

It's the same for the majority of MLB team sans a very small handful.

Even the lowly Pirates reported a 2025 Operating Income (Profit before ITDA) of $47 million!

Yet this season we're getting a 26 man payroll under what K. Tucker will make this season w/the Dodgers.

You can keep repeating that, but none of it changes reality - there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises like you claim they could afford to.

We've seen it across almost all MLB teams for decades - owners will operate their teams to generally make at least some annual profit. That's not going to change.

If you are going to find a solution to improve the quality of the MLB product, you have to start from that reality.

Repeating nothing it's the first time I posted that, you're the one who keeps repeating the same stuff month after month after month.

And my "claim" is backed up by FACTS (re: the lowly Pirates I intentionally picked out to show how they could afford a higher payroll).

You're reality (salary cap/floor) has ZERO chance of happen, just as he hasn't happened since the days of Marvin Miller.

The MLBPA will never accept a salary cap, the lowly franchise owners will (likely) never accept a payroll floor.

But keep posting it if it makes you feel better.

If the owners are united and steadfast on a salary cap. There isn’t much the players can do about it realistically. I heard the MLBPA has a rainy day fund; however, that will deplete quickly and when game checks stop coming in, and tuition payments, truck payments, mortgage payments, all start to get missed, then you’ll start to get guys attention. Guys will either play in the foreign leagues, or they won’t play. The owners can literally starve 90% of the players out. The nhl had to lose an entire year before the players came to their senses. And it’s a much better league now because of it.

You say there isn't much the players can do?

Sure there is since they have to agree to and ratify the new CBA.

The owners can stand "united" all they want while their business GOES DOWN THE DRAIN w/ZERO REVENUE that in 2025 totaled over $12+B!

So you think the owners can "starve out" 90% of the players?

HA! .

The vast majority of major league players are MULTI-MILLIONARES!

This isn't the Teamsters or UAW union we're talking about.

Even a rookie in 2025 earned $760,000!

They can live off that for multiple years.

The networks and streamers will put a huge amount of pressure on the owners to settle ASAP since they need that "live" programming to get viewer eye's.

There will be NO SALARY CAP (none starter for the MLBPA) , NO PAYROLL FLOOR (none starter for lower payroll owners) either.

Between billionaire owners and millionaire players, even if the billionaire owners shut the game down for a year or two, they figure to profit in the long run.

Millionaire players lose a lot more if they see their age 26, age 27, age 28, etc. prime seasons evaporate with nothing to show for it. They may well never recoup what they've lost by not getting paid for a season or two.

The question will be whether the small/mid market owners can find common cause with the non-star/superstar players to transform the economics of MLB in a way that benefits both of them at the expense of the few (1) big market owner and (2) star/superstar players.

The small/mid market owners have to offer a package of changes (higher ML minimum, fewer years to ARB, fewer years to FA, etc.) to win over the majority of the players to the cap/floor system they want.

This should end up being the "many" on both sides vs. the "few."

NO they only would "profit" if they got a salary cap which they aren't going to get.

Players have almost always came out ahead, making up for any lost game checks w/HIGHER salaries after CBA negotiations.

Again matt

Make as many post as you want but the MLBPA will NEVER accept a salary cap, owners (those small market one's) will NEVER agree to a payroll floor.

Red7 wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 11:41 am

Jatalk wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 08:11 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 08:01 am

Red7 wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 07:41 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 04:45 am

Red7 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 16:08 pm This is America. In America, we don’t cap how much an individual can make. Why do all you cap supporters hate America?

In America, you can get fired for being bad at your job and not get paid - which you can't in baseball when you are signed to a $100, $200, etc. million guaranteed contract.

Many, many contracts are guaranteed. That’s why you have a contract. It’s not just in baseball.

Most contracts are contingent on both parties fulfilling their responsibilities as part of the contract. MLB players don't have to deliver production (see Anthony Rendon, etc.) consistent with their contracts.

What is this stupid un-American logic on caps. If the league owners and player unions agree to a cap then they have the right to do so. If players don’t like it then they can go get other jobs that pay them millions of dollars a year. No one is forcing them to play Major League Baseball.

The fact is professional sports are not a free market environment. Limited franchises, controlled market areas, and an agreed set of rules all must follow. Setting a cap is just another rule.

Supporting a rule that limits what an individual makes is unAmerican. Trying to FORCE that rule on players is even MORE unAmerican. Why do you hate the American worker?

Every single Union job in America, with the exception of professional sports, has limits in individual pay.

Get a grip.

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 09:11 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:59 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:49 am

Rollin' on the River wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 16:56 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:54 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:18 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:15 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:04 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:47 am Guardian owner Paul Dolan inherited the team from his father who bought them for $323M, currently worth over $1B.

His uncle, partial owner, is worth $5.4B and is the founder of Cablevision and HBO.

Sounds like our ownership, crying poor mouth when they're sitting on a family fortune.

(And I don't see any chance we get a salary cap or increased revenue sharing)

And fans continue to try to impose their thoughts on how owners should spend money.

The simple fact is that there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises seemingly independent of any concern regarding annual operating income, expenses, and revenue.

No, we fans continue to point out SUPER WEALTHY BILLIONARE owners who cry poormouth while wanting we fans to shoulder the financial burden and weep for them.

The simple fact is virtually every MLB owner or ownership group has the revenues from their teams to easily spend much more than they're willing to spend.

Given his revenues there's little argument BDWJr etal could easily afford a $180-200M payroll w/o touching a dime of their personal fortune.

It's the same for the majority of MLB team sans a very small handful.

Even the lowly Pirates reported a 2025 Operating Income (Profit before ITDA) of $47 million!

Yet this season we're getting a 26 man payroll under what K. Tucker will make this season w/the Dodgers.

You can keep repeating that, but none of it changes reality - there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises like you claim they could afford to.

We've seen it across almost all MLB teams for decades - owners will operate their teams to generally make at least some annual profit. That's not going to change.

If you are going to find a solution to improve the quality of the MLB product, you have to start from that reality.

Repeating nothing it's the first time I posted that, you're the one who keeps repeating the same stuff month after month after month.

And my "claim" is backed up by FACTS (re: the lowly Pirates I intentionally picked out to show how they could afford a higher payroll).

You're reality (salary cap/floor) has ZERO chance of happen, just as he hasn't happened since the days of Marvin Miller.

The MLBPA will never accept a salary cap, the lowly franchise owners will (likely) never accept a payroll floor.

But keep posting it if it makes you feel better.

If the owners are united and steadfast on a salary cap. There isn’t much the players can do about it realistically. I heard the MLBPA has a rainy day fund; however, that will deplete quickly and when game checks stop coming in, and tuition payments, truck payments, mortgage payments, all start to get missed, then you’ll start to get guys attention. Guys will either play in the foreign leagues, or they won’t play. The owners can literally starve 90% of the players out. The nhl had to lose an entire year before the players came to their senses. And it’s a much better league now because of it.

You say there isn't much the players can do?

Sure there is since they have to agree to and ratify the new CBA.

The owners can stand "united" all they want while their business GOES DOWN THE DRAIN w/ZERO REVENUE that in 2025 totaled over $12+B!

So you think the owners can "starve out" 90% of the players?

HA! .

The vast majority of major league players are MULTI-MILLIONARES!

This isn't the Teamsters or UAW union we're talking about.

Even a rookie in 2025 earned $760,000!

They can live off that for multiple years.

The networks and streamers will put a huge amount of pressure on the owners to settle ASAP since they need that "live" programming to get viewer eye's.

There will be NO SALARY CAP (none starter for the MLBPA) , NO PAYROLL FLOOR (none starter for lower payroll owners) either.

Between billionaire owners and millionaire players, even if the billionaire owners shut the game down for a year or two, they figure to profit in the long run.

Millionaire players lose a lot more if they see their age 26, age 27, age 28, etc. prime seasons evaporate with nothing to show for it. They may well never recoup what they've lost by not getting paid for a season or two.

The question will be whether the small/mid market owners can find common cause with the non-star/superstar players to transform the economics of MLB in a way that benefits both of them at the expense of the few (1) big market owner and (2) star/superstar players.

The small/mid market owners have to offer a package of changes (higher ML minimum, fewer years to ARB, fewer years to FA, etc.) to win over the majority of the players to the cap/floor system they want.

This should end up being the "many" on both sides vs. the "few."

NO they only would "profit" if they got a salary cap which they aren't going to get.

Players have almost always came out ahead, making up for any lost game checks w/HIGHER salaries after CBA negotiations.

Again matt

Make as many post as you want but the MLBPA will NEVER accept a salary cap, owners (those small market one's) will NEVER agree to a payroll floor.

Small market owners will have to be fine with a salary floor with enhanced revenue sharing to help fund it.

And the lack of a salary cap mostly helps the star and superstar players directly. The MLBPA has consistently sold the rest of the players on the "rising tide lifts all boats" philosophy, but I don't think that holds true anymore in current baseball economics. Absent a salary cap, I think baseball is working its way to where if you are a FA player who has interest from the top 5 or 10 biggest payroll teams, you are going to be in one market space, and if you don't you are going to be in a much different space.

That won't be good for the majority of the players and it won't be good for baseball.

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 09:53 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 09:11 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:59 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 08:49 am

Rollin' on the River wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 16:56 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:54 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:18 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:15 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:04 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:47 am Guardian owner Paul Dolan inherited the team from his father who bought them for $323M, currently worth over $1B.

His uncle, partial owner, is worth $5.4B and is the founder of Cablevision and HBO.

Sounds like our ownership, crying poor mouth when they're sitting on a family fortune.

(And I don't see any chance we get a salary cap or increased revenue sharing)

And fans continue to try to impose their thoughts on how owners should spend money.

The simple fact is that there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises seemingly independent of any concern regarding annual operating income, expenses, and revenue.

No, we fans continue to point out SUPER WEALTHY BILLIONARE owners who cry poormouth while wanting we fans to shoulder the financial burden and weep for them.

The simple fact is virtually every MLB owner or ownership group has the revenues from their teams to easily spend much more than they're willing to spend.

Given his revenues there's little argument BDWJr etal could easily afford a $180-200M payroll w/o touching a dime of their personal fortune.

It's the same for the majority of MLB team sans a very small handful.

Even the lowly Pirates reported a 2025 Operating Income (Profit before ITDA) of $47 million!

Yet this season we're getting a 26 man payroll under what K. Tucker will make this season w/the Dodgers.

You can keep repeating that, but none of it changes reality - there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises like you claim they could afford to.

We've seen it across almost all MLB teams for decades - owners will operate their teams to generally make at least some annual profit. That's not going to change.

If you are going to find a solution to improve the quality of the MLB product, you have to start from that reality.

Repeating nothing it's the first time I posted that, you're the one who keeps repeating the same stuff month after month after month.

And my "claim" is backed up by FACTS (re: the lowly Pirates I intentionally picked out to show how they could afford a higher payroll).

You're reality (salary cap/floor) has ZERO chance of happen, just as he hasn't happened since the days of Marvin Miller.

The MLBPA will never accept a salary cap, the lowly franchise owners will (likely) never accept a payroll floor.

But keep posting it if it makes you feel better.

If the owners are united and steadfast on a salary cap. There isn’t much the players can do about it realistically. I heard the MLBPA has a rainy day fund; however, that will deplete quickly and when game checks stop coming in, and tuition payments, truck payments, mortgage payments, all start to get missed, then you’ll start to get guys attention. Guys will either play in the foreign leagues, or they won’t play. The owners can literally starve 90% of the players out. The nhl had to lose an entire year before the players came to their senses. And it’s a much better league now because of it.

You say there isn't much the players can do?

Sure there is since they have to agree to and ratify the new CBA.

The owners can stand "united" all they want while their business GOES DOWN THE DRAIN w/ZERO REVENUE that in 2025 totaled over $12+B!

So you think the owners can "starve out" 90% of the players?

HA! .

The vast majority of major league players are MULTI-MILLIONARES!

This isn't the Teamsters or UAW union we're talking about.

Even a rookie in 2025 earned $760,000!

They can live off that for multiple years.

The networks and streamers will put a huge amount of pressure on the owners to settle ASAP since they need that "live" programming to get viewer eye's.

There will be NO SALARY CAP (none starter for the MLBPA) , NO PAYROLL FLOOR (none starter for lower payroll owners) either.

Between billionaire owners and millionaire players, even if the billionaire owners shut the game down for a year or two, they figure to profit in the long run.

Millionaire players lose a lot more if they see their age 26, age 27, age 28, etc. prime seasons evaporate with nothing to show for it. They may well never recoup what they've lost by not getting paid for a season or two.

The question will be whether the small/mid market owners can find common cause with the non-star/superstar players to transform the economics of MLB in a way that benefits both of them at the expense of the few (1) big market owner and (2) star/superstar players.

The small/mid market owners have to offer a package of changes (higher ML minimum, fewer years to ARB, fewer years to FA, etc.) to win over the majority of the players to the cap/floor system they want.

This should end up being the "many" on both sides vs. the "few."

NO they only would "profit" if they got a salary cap which they aren't going to get.

Players have almost always came out ahead, making up for any lost game checks w/HIGHER salaries after CBA negotiations.

Again matt

Make as many post as you want but the MLBPA will NEVER accept a salary cap, owners (those small market one's) will NEVER agree to a payroll floor.

Small market owners will have to be fine with a salary floor with enhanced revenue sharing to help fund it.

And the lack of a salary cap mostly helps the star and superstar players directly. The MLBPA has consistently sold the rest of the players on the "rising tide lifts all boats" philosophy, but I don't think that holds true anymore in current baseball economics. Absent a salary cap, I think baseball is working its way to where if you are a FA player who has interest from the top 5 or 10 biggest payroll teams, you are going to be in one market space, and if you don't you are going to be in a much different space.

That won't be good for the majority of the players and it won't be good for baseball.

No, they (small market owners) don't "have to be" fine w/it if they don't want to.

And of course the lack of a cap helps the superstars, kind of like it does in all walks of life be it entertainers, singers, lawyers, doctors, salesmen/women, ect....

You can do as many "hypothetical" agreement exercises you want matt that includes enhanced revenue sharing (Dodgers, Yankees etal are certainly going to agree w/this ), a salary cap and payroll floor but the truth likely lies in the fact the MLBPA has NEVER agreed to a salary cap and small market owners have NEVER agreed to a payroll floor.

BTW, that rising tide did in did raise all boats where the average salary for a MLB has risen from $2.1M in 2000 to $4.7M in 2026!

Even the rookies have benefited where the minimum salary in MLB has risen from $200,000 in 2000 to $780,000 in 2026!

Understand, it's not that I disagree w/the plan.................it's just that it doesn't have a shot in h e l l (salary cap + payroll floor) of ever happening.

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 20:31 pm

govman wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 19:23 pm

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 17:03 pm

govman wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 14:00 pm

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 06:40 am

cardstatman wrote: ↑20 Feb 2026 22:52 pm I don't understand how a salary cap fixes anything for Cleveland.

Their revenue remains the same and they say they can only spend $100M on payroll now.

The answer is more revenue sharing. If the revenue was more equal, then the salary cap would not be necessary.

A salary cap just forces the Yankees/Dodgers/Cubs owners to pocket a lot of money or invest huge dollars in something other than payroll. The Yankees and Cubs owners are already voluntarily doing just that.

Kansas City won the super bowl 3 times in 5 years. They win the world series once every 40 years. That's what a payroll cap does for a sport.

no they were in the WS, but have only won 2 in their lifetime

Correct. The won 3 super bowls in 5 years.

WRONG--please Google see below

Kansas City Royals, American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals have won four American League (AL) pennants and two World Series championships (1985 and 2015).

The super bowl is football.

How many super bowls has the salary cap helped the Browns, Bills, Dolphins and Jets win?

The NFL is largely a QB league. More teams have won world series over the past 10 years (7) than Super Bowls (6). And of the last 10 super bowls, 6 were won by Mahomes or Brady (2 with Pats, 1 with Bucs),

There is definitely payroll inequity in MLB, but you could argue MLB has more parity than the NFL. The Dodgers have kind of broken things for the moment, but spending crazy money hasn't helped the Mets, Phillies, Yankees, etc.

alw80 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:38 am

Jatalk wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:33 am

alw80 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:11 am

peterman'srealitytour wrote: ↑20 Feb 2026 23:51 pm Amen to a cap, a floor and some form of revenue sharing. Whatever it takes to restore competitive balance.

There is already revenue sharing. Be better at running your business and stop asking for handouts.

I think there should be some revenue sharing but not to extent it bails out poorly ran franchises. You make a valid point that some can’t understand.

The owners don't share any of their financials, we don't really know what they're capable of spending we are just supposed to take they're word for it. Until they are open and honest there isn't a need for a cap.

The Braves books are open. They have been for over 10 years.
If the players can't read their books and figure out approximate revenue streams for other franchises...that's on them.

alw80 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 13:06 pm

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 12:49 pm

alw80 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 12:44 pm

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 12:39 pm

alw80 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 12:32 pm

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 12:28 pm

alw80 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 12:04 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 11:59 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 11:05 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:54 am

mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:18 am

rockondlouie wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:15 am

No, we fans continue to point out SUPER WEALTHY BILLIONARE owners who cry poormouth while wanting we fans to shoulder the financial burden and weep for them.

The simple fact is virtually every MLB owner or ownership group has the revenues from their teams to easily spend much more than they're willing to spend.

Given his revenues there's little argument BDWJr etal could easily afford a $180-200M payroll w/o touching a dime of their personal fortune.

It's the same for the majority of MLB team sans a very small handful.

Even the lowly Pirates reported a 2025 Operating Income (Profit before ITDA) of $47 million!

Yet this season we're getting a 26 man payroll under what K. Tucker will make this season w/the Dodgers.

You can keep repeating that, but none of it changes reality - there aren't 30 Steve Cohens who want to own and operate MLB franchises like you claim they could afford to.

We've seen it across almost all MLB teams for decades - owners will operate their teams to generally make at least some annual profit. That's not going to change.

If you are going to find a solution to improve the quality of the MLB product, you have to start from that reality.

Repeating nothing it's the first time I posted that, you're the one who keeps repeating the same stuff month after month after month.

And my "claim" is backed up by FACTS (re: the lowly Pirates I intentionally picked out to show how they could afford a higher payroll).

You're reality (salary cap/floor) has ZERO chance of happen, just as he hasn't happened since the days of Marvin Miller.

The MLBPA will never accept a salary cap, the lowly franchise owners will (likely) never accept a payroll floor.

But keep posting it if it makes you feel better.

Ultimately, as I think every other professional sport has shown, some salary cap/floor has to happen in MLB.

And the players, overall, can win even if the structure means that superstar players and their agents have to lose somewhat.

It should be the rank and file of the MLBPA, who can't afford to lose the money they would stand to make from multiple years of their short playing careers who should decide this in favor of a salary cap/floor system - with the owners guaranteeing that total player salaries increase by X% per year over the period of the CBA - which ends up benefitting them directly.

You can post that till you're blue in the face matt, people have been saying the same thing for decades.

One of the main things M. Miller installed in players was they should "NEVER, EVER" accept a salary cap.

This mantra has been passed down from veterans to rookies the day they join the union.

That resolve has NEVER been broken.

I'd like it to happen, so you you..............but it won't.

Best I can see is a cap on deferred money plus some smaller issues.

And while you mention players missing out on some earning potential let's not forget the billions (National TV, Tickets sales, local TV, concessions, parking, ect...) owners will be losing out on too.

Both sides have too much to lose, I've been of the opinion the "lockout" won't last too long....I hope I'm right.

The players shouldn't agree to a cap until the owners prove a need for one. They aren't willing to do that. I wonder why?

If, in addition to a salary cap and floor, the owners guarantee that total player salaries will increase by X% per year over the period of the CBA, why would the players need to know more than that?

Total player salaries were $5.28 billion in 2025 (per Cot's).

If we start from that number and the owners agree to guaranteed, let's say, a 4% increase per year for 5 years:

2027 - $5.49 billion ($260 million cap/$130 million floor)
2028 - $5.71 billion ($270 million cap/$135 million floor)
2029 - $5.94 billion ($280 million cap/$140 million floor)
2030 - $6.18 billion ($290 million cap/$145 million floor)
2031 - $6.42 billion ($300 million cap/$150 million floor)

Why would any more information be necessary?

Because owners are crying poor and want to limit what the players can make but they aren't willing to prove how poor they are, the players are just supposed to take their word for it. How are you supposed to negotiate in good faith when one side isn't willing to be honest?

In my proposal, the players are guaranteed that they are going to get a defined increase in pay going to the players. That's what should matter to them.

Even if the owners "opened their books" the players wouldn't believe them unless they told them what the players wanted to hear. So that whole idea is just a dead end.

Theres no reason for the players to agree to that. The owners need to be better at running their business.

Why should/would the players NOT agree to a framework that guarantees them more money - and in particular more money likely going to the majority of players who are not superstars?

The owners could include a significant increase in the ML minimum, a framework that enables more money to go to players earlier in their careers, etc.

If the owners are going to get a cap/floor system, they are going to have to win over the majority of the MLBPA to it, and to do so they need to target their proposal to benefit those players who aren't at the top of the pyramid now.

The players don't need a cap, agreeing to one is bailing out the owners. The owners should have done some due diligence before making such a bad investment. Caveat emptor.

Baseball is dying. Of the 4 sports, it is arguably the sport that is hurting the most.
The 3 other major sports have a cap/floor system and baseball doesn't.
If you can't see a correlation then I can't help you.

lordoffatness wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 10:38 am

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 20:31 pm

govman wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 19:23 pm

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 17:03 pm

govman wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 14:00 pm

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 06:40 am

cardstatman wrote: ↑20 Feb 2026 22:52 pm I don't understand how a salary cap fixes anything for Cleveland.

Their revenue remains the same and they say they can only spend $100M on payroll now.

The answer is more revenue sharing. If the revenue was more equal, then the salary cap would not be necessary.

A salary cap just forces the Yankees/Dodgers/Cubs owners to pocket a lot of money or invest huge dollars in something other than payroll. The Yankees and Cubs owners are already voluntarily doing just that.

Kansas City won the super bowl 3 times in 5 years. They win the world series once every 40 years. That's what a payroll cap does for a sport.

no they were in the WS, but have only won 2 in their lifetime

Correct. The won 3 super bowls in 5 years.

WRONG--please Google see below

Kansas City Royals, American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals have won four American League (AL) pennants and two World Series championships (1985 and 2015).

The super bowl is football.

How many super bowls has the salary cap helped the Browns, Bills, Dolphins and Jets win?

The NFL is largely a QB league. More teams have won world series over the past 10 years (7) than Super Bowls (6). And of the last 10 super bowls, 6 were won by Mahomes or Brady (2 with Pats, 1 with Bucs),

There is definitely payroll inequity in MLB, but you could argue MLB has more parity than the NFL. The Dodgers have kind of broken things for the moment, but spending crazy money hasn't helped the Mets, Phillies, Yankees, etc.

How you run your franchise matters in the NFL, NHL and NBA. Blues never won the cup until the lockout in 2004 which brought about the payroll cap. Browns, Bills, Dolphins and Jets are not getting it done. The disparity in MLB is worse due to the tv situation which has the big market teams making their own lucrative deals. Dodgers estimated annual tv revenue is over $300 million. Cardinals new MLB.tv deal is estimated at $20 million.