http://baseballpastandpresent.com/2009/08/30/an-argument-in-favor-of-the-reserve-clause/ A Historical Look at the National Pastime Sat, 12 May 2012 20:33:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://baseballpastandpresent.com/2009/08/30/an-argument-in-favor-of-the-reserve-clause/#comment-3531 vinnie Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:07:04 +0000 http://baseballpastandpresent.com/?p=101#comment-3531 Baseball is already the most competitive and balanced of all the American pro sports. The difference between the best and the worse usually comes down to who wins six out of each ten games and who wins four of those ten. Just a swing on one game in ten, means you've got a contender or a team that'll end up 30 games out. Now, add the law of large numbers which tends to even out the bad breaks and bad calls over the course of a season and you have a true reading of talent and who deserves to win. Keep in mind that pro sports is about winning, not just competing. The fact that some teams are willing to spend more than others is more a philosophy of the ownership than one of money. We are after all talking about owners who are all multi-multi millionaires, if not billionaires. Salaries are mere chump change to the money the teams can and do bring in, plus all the the tax funded parks and rebates they get from the local governments to keep their operation in town. Don't blame the teams that are willing to pay so their fans can have winners. Let's blame the owners who don't invest in their product. They're the ones short changing the fan. The players deserve the same right as the rest of the public to be able to change their job and their situation to better themselves and provide for their families. Get rid of the reserve clause and let the players have a chance to get paid what they're worth each year based on their performance, or contract for a number of years if they so wish. And speaking of fans... Who is it that pays for the salaries? If it weren't for the demand by people who either attend games, watch games, subscribe to them or who buy the shirts, hats and other stuff the money wouldn't be there. It's pure supply and demand. Stop paying for sports and the prices and salaries will fall. It's one of those laws; just like gravity. Let's not forget too that this is all just entertainment. Baseball is already the most competitive and balanced of all the American pro sports. The difference between the best and the worse usually comes down to who wins six out of each ten games and who wins four of those ten. Just a swing on one game in ten, means you’ve got a contender or a team that’ll end up 30 games out. Now, add the law of large numbers which tends to even out the bad breaks and bad calls over the course of a season and you have a true reading of talent and who deserves to win.
Keep in mind that pro sports is about winning, not just competing. The fact that some teams are willing to spend more than others is more a philosophy of the ownership than one of money. We are after all talking about owners who are all multi-multi millionaires, if not billionaires. Salaries are mere chump change to the money the teams can and do bring in, plus all the the tax funded parks and rebates they get from the local governments to keep their operation in town. Don’t blame the teams that are willing to pay so their fans can have winners. Let’s blame the owners who don’t invest in their product. They’re the ones short changing the fan.
The players deserve the same right as the rest of the public to be able to change their job and their situation to better themselves and provide for their families. Get rid of the reserve clause and let the players have a chance to get paid what they’re worth each year based on their performance, or contract for a number of years if they so wish.
And speaking of fans… Who is it that pays for the salaries? If it weren’t for the demand by people who either attend games, watch games, subscribe to them or who buy the shirts, hats and other stuff the money wouldn’t be there. It’s pure supply and demand. Stop paying for sports and the prices and salaries will fall. It’s one of those laws; just like gravity.
Let’s not forget too that this is all just entertainment.

]]> http://baseballpastandpresent.com/2009/08/30/an-argument-in-favor-of-the-reserve-clause/#comment-229 The shame of Marvin Miller | Baseball: Past and Present Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:45:03 +0000 http://baseballpastandpresent.com/?p=101#comment-229 [...] athletic one, Miller probably did more to ensure the welfare of athletes than any other person.  I’ve written before that I don’t think the end of the Reserve Clause is necessarily a go....  I’m also not predisposed to electing baseball labor executives.  Donald Fehr will never [...] [...] athletic one, Miller probably did more to ensure the welfare of athletes than any other person.  I’ve written before that I don’t think the end of the Reserve Clause is necessarily a go….  I’m also not predisposed to electing baseball labor executives.  Donald Fehr will never [...]

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