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Post by Lunatic Fringe on Dec 3, 2013 13:40:33 GMT -5
Should we raise the salary cap for the upcoming season?
Currently our salary cap is $130 million.
Here's what it's been every year of our league's history:
2008 - $115 mil 2009 - $125 mil 2010 - $125 mil 2011 - $125 mil 2012 - $130 mil 2013 - $130 mil
The real MLB's average salary has increased from $3,095,183 to $3,972,838 since our last salary cap increase.
This change will take effect for the upcoming season.
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Post by Bobby Ayala - Matt on Dec 4, 2013 15:07:09 GMT -5
Come on, people!
In 3 years the average MLB salary has increased almost 33% and the minimum salary has increased 25%, and we haven't increased our salary cap to keep up. Every year the value of Sandlot cash goes up and the divide between the haves and have-nots gets wider. Every year more and more quality players don't get kept, drafted, or picked up solely because of their salary.
There were 22 players with salaries of $19mil or more in 2013, (only 10 in 2010) that's almost 1/6 of your total cap to carry one of those guys. Next year you can add Cano, Ellsbury, maybe a few more.
There are 66 players with salaries $13mil and up, (at least 1/10 of your total cap) twice as many as 3 years ago. 103 players at $10mil and up.
Player contracts started as an interesting added wrinkle in this league, but now it's becoming maybe the single most important factor when deciding who to keep and who to draft. For example, full disclosure, I've offered Joe Mauer to a couple teams in exchange for much less productive and more risky players simply because they were cost-controlled, and each time the response has been basically "I don't want to take on that contract." That's depressing, not because I can't trade the guy, but because his performance is secondary to his salary. Like real-world baseball, it's becoming nearly impossible to keep that guy you drafted as a minor leaguer a few years back, who's now finishing up his arbitration years and looking at a 6-figure deal. Hopefully instead you can trade him for a prospect who may or may not ever do anything.
That's it, I've said my peace. Please vote to increase the salary cap in this election. This message was paid for by Friends of the Increased Salary Cap.
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Post by Tecuala Juggernauts on Dec 5, 2013 12:27:34 GMT -5
I don't mind raising the cap, but I think if we do then we need to raise it a hefty amount and leave it for a while. I plan all season for the salary cap we have, and raising it a month before we draft kind of changes everything. I might be able to keep players I wouldn't otherwise keep.
In fact, I'd kind of like to discuss putting a standing rule in place that addresses an automatic rise in our salary cap to match the rising average MLB salary. Maybe we start with a $140M cap for 2014 and it goes up by the same percentage that the average MLB salary does every year. I don't know if that's the best way to do it - just kind of shooting from the hip here - but I think it's worth a discussion.
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Post by ripkensboys on Dec 6, 2013 16:49:19 GMT -5
I voted for the current rules to stay because I have been planning based on them.
A clear process for the salary cap going up our even down would be great. I trust that someone else can explain the best way to do it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2013 8:47:57 GMT -5
I changed my vote after reviewing the trends of the current free agent market. Cano signing for an average of $24MM per years over a decade means many other players are going to be overvalued. Beltran and Granderson are set to average $15MM and Ellsbury is set to average way more than he ought (forget the number). I'm worried that $140MM will have to become $150MM by 2015. But at least, for now, the $140MM gives us a start and guarantees that we can comfortably afford another ~3 WAR player on our roster without tinkering like a Ruxin thereafter.
I endorse increasing our salary cap.
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Post by Bobby Ayala - Matt on Dec 16, 2013 7:44:37 GMT -5
Results: Salary cap raised to $140mil.
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