Does baseball need a salary cap?

Answer 1

Yes - I think it does. Even though there are small market teams that compete, like the Twins and in a small way the Cardinals, other teams barely stay afloat - like Pitts or KC. A salary cap will not fix all of the problems of Baseball, but it would make things a lot more even and a lot mote secure for teams in small markets.
But if it is to work, it needs to be done correctly, like it needs to not only have a cap, but also a minimum cap.
But I do not beleive it will happen in my lifetime, the Baseball union is too big and powerful, it will take shutting down for a year or two, like hockey did, only probably even more.

Answer 2

I think B Wags is missing the point though. Whether or not you win a championship does not determine if you need a salary cap. What determines it is that several small markets have trouble fielding a team that even has a chance of winning. Granted there needs to be better management on some of these teams such as where I live in Pittsburgh (the Pirates) but that does not mean that the discrepency needs to be fixed. Hockey has proven that you can fix the problems when the owners and players work together for the strength of the sport but the problem with baseball is the owners will not lockout the players and the fans will not stop going to games. In other words the sport is spoiled.

Answer 3

No not really. If there is one thing baseball has proved its that money doesn't buy a championship, just ask the Yankees. Baseball has had more different champions over the past twenty years then the other two big sports, NFL and NBA, both of which have salary caps. So as long as small market teams, like the marlins, twins, etc., can compete then why is there a need for one.

Answer 4

I like it the way it is with the luxury tax. If Steinbrenner wants to spend $500 million a year, then that is fine.....He'll just have tp spend a little more to share with the other teams.

A salary cap would make baseball worse. A salary cap is not necessary.

Answer 5

Salary caps are worthless. There is always a way around them. In the end it always comes back to haunt the teams that abuse it. Example is the San Fran 49ers in football. A few seasons of success in exchange for a generation of heartache.

Bottom line is, as long as the fans are willing to subsidize each franchise by paying ridiculous prices for tickets and merchandise the madness will continue.

I suppose I'm as guilty as the next person because I complain about ticket prices but I still go to the games. I love baseball, what can I say!!!

Answer 6

Yes but not the kind you are talking about. I'm not sure the correct term for it, but you need to have a way to make sure teams payrolls are higher than 15 million a year; a salary minimum, I guess. There are some teams that take advantage to their windfalls from the luxary taxes by reinvesting into their teams by signing players they might not have had the opportunity to do otherwise. Some teams (Marlins, Pirates) seem to line their pockets with the money, and still cry poor.

Answer 7

I think that if baseball doesn't get a cap eventually, the same thing will happen to them what happened to the NHL.

Answer 8

yes, ....absolutely! As talented as many of the MLB players are, 8 digit salaries over a few years are just ridiculous.
Money, as a resource, can be put to better use and to serve more needy purposes.

Answer 9

Probably, but it will never happen. The player's union is very powerful compared to the other player's unions in the other pro sports.

Answer 10

Does Ted Lilly (4 years - $40 million) answer your question?