Agent Scott Boras says the number of major league teams rebuilding with younger, lower-cost rosters has become a cancer to the sport, attributing behavior to the strengthened luxury tax combining with restraints on draft-pick salaries.
Boras attributes baseball’s attendance drop to an increase in non-competitive teams, predicts fans from perennial losers will increasingly stay away from ballparks until ticket prices are cut and says regional sports networks will negotiate lower rights fees with teams going into rebuild cycles.
J.D. Martinez, Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and Jake Arrieta, all Boras clients, remain unsigned 10 days before spring training in a historically slow market. He says the luxury tax, envisioned by Commissioner Bud Selig to increase competitive balance, is having the opposite effect. He claims incentives are needed to winning, such as increasing draft-pick money based on victories.
“They decided we’re going to have the 12 teams a-tanking, if you will, and therefore you’re got a noncompetitive cancer and this is completely opposite of what Commissioner Selig in good faith sought in bargaining,” Boras said Monday.
Competitors watched a pair of successful rebuilds in the past two seasons. The Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series four years after losing 101 games, and Houston took last year’s title four years after losing 111. Since 2012, baseball’s collective bargaining deal has limited the amount teams can spend on signing bonuses for amateur draft picks, making their cost predictable. Teams draft in reverse order of record, and clubs with higher selections are given larger amounts in their signing-bonus pools.
“There is a number of teams, let’s call it 10 or 12 in baseball, that are tearing down and rebuilding,” Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto said . “You could argue that you’re going to compete with more clubs to try to get the first pick in the draft than you would to win the World Series.”
Under the labor contract covering 2017-21, the highest luxury tax rate was raised from 50 percent to 95 percent, and penalties were added that could push back a high-spending team’s top draft pick or cause a loss of selections.
The New York Yankees are intent of getting under the tax threshold for the first time after paying $341 million since the tax started in 2003. The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have led the major leagues in spending for the last four years, also are on track to get under this year’s $197 million threshold for what is formally known as the competitive balance tax.
Boras questioned why fans would want to pay the same price to attend games involving non-competitive teams as they would to watch clubs trying to win.
Frazier going to Mets • A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that free agent third baseman Todd Frazier and the New York Mets have agreed on a two-year contract for $17 million.
Frazier turns 32 next week. He hit a combined .213 with 27 home runs and 76 RBIs last season for the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.
Springer, Astros agree to contract • World Series MVP George Springer and the Houston Astros avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $24 million, two-year contract.
Springer will be eligible for arbitration again after the 2019 season. The hearing had been scheduled for Tuesday.
Rangers sign Barney • Veteran infielder Darwin Barney has signed a minor league contract with Texas that includes an invitation to major league spring training.
Barney won a Gold Glove with the Chicago Cubs in 2012, when he had only two errors in 155 games at second base. The Los Angeles Dodgers traded him to Toronto on Sept. 13, 2015, and he hit .232 with six home runs and 25 RBIs in 129 games for the Blue Jays last season.