1
2011
New CBA Could Minimize Free Agent Compensation and Hurt The Mets
An article by Craig Lerner
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports shares some details about the new Collective bargaining Agreement which is expected to be announced very shortly and possibly before the official start of free agency on Thursday.
Unlike past negotiations between the owners and the Players Union, things have been going quite smoothly under the circumstances and both sides seem committed to getting this done so that many new elements can go into effect this offseason.
Free Agent Compensation
In any case, the more significant modification in the new agreement — at least from the fans’ perspective — will be the change in draft-pick compensation. The union is concerned that all but the elite Type A free agents — players such as left-hander CC Sabathia and first basemen Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder — are devalued by the current system.
Draft-pick compensation was designed to reward teams that lost free agents, not inhibit the movement of such players. But clubs now value draft picks to a greater extent than they did when the system was created, making them less willing to sacrifice picks for certain free agents.
While the players who suffered the most harm in recent years were middle-inning relievers who achieved Type A status, sources say that the union also wants to protect certain others in this year’s free-agent class, including designated hitter David Ortiz, who is about to turn 36, and shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who is about to turn 33.
One obvious solution is to make the compensation for Type A picks similar to the compensation for Type B picks. Teams that lose such players receive a supplementary choice between the first and second rounds, but the signing teams do not forfeit picks.
My Thoughts – This would be a big blow to the Mets this season if suddenly they were to get just one sandwich pick for Jose Reyes instead of also obtaining the signing team’s first round pick or second round if their first round is protected.
Another change that is being discussed is that to receive a pick under the new plan, one source said, “a team might be required to make its free agent a qualifying offer — perhaps a set amount, perhaps a certain percentage more than his previous salary”.
That would mean making a competitive offer which is far more substantial and financially taxing than simply offering the free agent arbitration as is currently the case. Usually the free agent rejects the arbitration which allowed the team to get the draft pick compensation.
Now, there’s a chance that if you want the compensation, you must first make a competitive offer to re-sign him and for more money than his last contract. That sounds pretty extreme to me and exactly the kind of change the Players Union would lobby hard for. It changes everything.
I’m not sure how much of this will actually come to fruition, but Rosenthal writes that a new labor agreement is expected by the time the free-agent market opens at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, enabling certain new rules governing free agency to take effect. If that’s the case, we’ll all get the final details soon enough.
About the Author: Craig Lerner
I'm a data analyst and researcher for a leading news agency who loves life and is hooked on the Mets. I love following the Amateur Draft and have a particular fondness for the Mets Minor Leagues who I follow each day. Give me a cold beer, a summer day, and a Mets game, and I'm good to go.
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Well, it actually could be a blessing in disguise for the Sign-Reyes crew. If the compensation for losing him drops like that, it may make Reyes more valuable to re-sign than to let go. Still not very hopeful he’ll be signed one way or the other, but when it becomes that less attractive to just let him walk, Sandy may change his stance on how to maximize value from the position he’s in with Reyes.
The Value of the picks returned even in the current system depends on who signs him so there is not much change if lets say Boston signs him.
They will pick in the bottom 5 of the first round which is not much better than a sandwich pick when it comes right down to it!
But the change would allow more teams who would not bid to bid more because they lose less in compensation.
Truth is our picks are protected under the new system and that makes it the IDEAL time to sign a Type A FA since it doesn’t cost us anything in picks!
Anyone think the SMART ASSet MANAGING Alderson has any plans to take advantage of that?
“Truth is our picks are protected under the new system and that makes it the IDEAL time to sign a Type A FA since it doesn’t cost us anything in picks!”
Despite the fact that aren’t really that many attractive Type A FAs out there. The best pitcher is off the market and the 2 best hitters play a position we’re already set at.
Define attractive!
I know you think attractive means great player who make league minimum but no one esle subscribes to that!
My ATTRACTIVE list might include:
Brandon Phillips
C.J. Wilson
Ryan Madson
Heath Bell
Carlos Beltran
Jonathan Papelbon
Ramón Hernández
Roy Oswalt
Michael Cuddyer
Kelly Johnson
Just to name a FEW!
BP’s option was picked up by the Reds, but since when do facts get in the way of your rants?
I don’t like closers and besides, what is the point of paying a guy with a nifty theme song to preserve a lead when you’re not sure your team will have many leads?
Oswalt is 34 and has back problems.
Kelly Johnson is a 33 year old utility guy who plays 2 positions we don’t need to look outside to fill
CJ Wilson is a #2 on his best day, but is going to get a #1 deal
Cuddyer is a right handed Duda.
Beltran is going to get way more than the Mets will get out of him.
which leaves us with Ramon Hernandez. Ya, let’s pay top dollar for a platoon guy.
1 down 9 to go and I can easily add 5 or 6 more!
You don’t like ANYTHING other than guys on BA’s list of prospects so who the hell do you think your fooling?
You said there was no Type A’s that were desirab;le and I stopped listing them when I hit the 10th one…Could have added more and your only response is you don’t like closers which is a position of need as are ALL the guys I listed!
So one had his option picked up…You have made no point that usurps my list in any way!
You found ONE guy on a limited (incomplete) list of 10 guys I thought were worth going after!
Is that the best you could do?
I shot down everything you’ve listed. You won’t list the rest because even you can’t lie to yourself enough to sell them.
You go right on thinking you shot down all 10 guys…
You go right on thinking you know what your talking about too!
We will all get a chuckle out of that notion!
Thinking how cute, the little kid thinks he is smart!
Got caught saying there was no one and then 10 got listed!
For your info most people think Duda is pretty good!
Beltran and Hernandez too!
And isn’t Hernandez a PERFECT FIT to platoon with the LH hitting Thole?
Hey better hurry I think Bison tickets go on sale soon!
I said there was no one attractive. You listed 10 guys, one of whom wasn’t even available. The problem is, I pointed out why they weren’t attractive.
“For your info most people think Duda is pretty good!”
I know, that’s why I don’t want Cuddyer. Why pay more for less?
“Beltran and Hernandez too!
And isn’t Hernandez a PERFECT FIT to platoon with the LH hitting Thole?”
Yes, Beltran is damn good, just not the right fit here for what he’ll make.
And no, I don’t want a type A FA just to platoon him.
Right because you don’t feel any TYPE A EVER is attractive!
With you it’s league minimum or it ain’t worth it!
I want the right FA. If Matt Kemp stays healthy, I think he’d be a great signing next year.
Beltran was great for the Mets.
Pujols, Fielder and Wilson are not right for us at this point.
I understand you can’t wrap your head around the fact that success is not bought. So many here have that problem.
Right and the rest of us understand you can’t wrap your head around the fact the Yankees have done JUST THAT you say can’t be done!
But we all know how dense you are!
Oh and CJ Wilson is #2? Not on the Ny Mets!
If Wilson is only a #2 what does that make capuano? a #8 pitcher?
So what? Even if he was a legit #1, what good does he do a team that can’t make the best of it? Ask Santana how that works out.
Well Chicken Little you and Jessup (and he isn’t as bad as you) are the few who believe things are that bad!
One good Ace (even if just an ACE for us!) would win about 10 more games which if we make a minor improvment to win 7 more puts us into Wildcard contention!
But I forget you didn’t really watch the mets you were too busy watching the Bisons, who is who you REALLY want to see rebuilt not the Mets!
I love your optimism. I don’t share it completly but I do like to see it. I see the bullpen, an ace,a Leadoff hitter, and healthy ready Ike to be a big upgrade over last year. Maybe they could contend for the WC with those things taken care of. With Santana and Ike question marks the team will be a question going into the season. We have two #3 starters three #5 starters no leadoff guy no #3 batter or a #4 batter IMO and no bullpen. That is alot of holes to fill.
Don’t forget Duda. He’s going to be legit in the middle.
They said yesterday it looks like Ike will be ready to go come Spring Training
I’m not exactly taking to the bank any injury reports we get from the Mets, but if Ike is 100% with Duda, Wright should see a boost in numbers and the middle of the order is will be 2006-like.
And if the pitching is the same as last year then hitting like 2006 won’t matter will it?
If we hit the way we hit last year and pitched the way we did in 2010 we would have made the playoffs!
People can choose to elieve that or not but it’s pretty good bet since the numbers they GAVE UP on pitching in 2010 was far fewer than we scored in 2011!
You just want the Mets to pick their nose and do nothing?
Of course not. There are holes to fill, but these particular players are not what we need right now.
There is no need for a false dichotomy. You can choose a happy medium between doing nothing and spending for the sake of spending
I’m not sure what to think of this, since it seems like the draft has brought CBA negotiations to a halt.
Selig wants an international draft (horrible), hard slotting (terrible) and to move up the signing deadline to July 15 (actually, pretty good idea).
All the stuff about realignment and playoff structure seems set, though.
Poor Boras lost Beltran. Warms my heart…
I don’t think Boras is crying over it. When he first floated the 5 years/$70 million demand out there and got crickets in response, both parties probably thought Boras has already done as much as he can possibly do for Beltran. Let someone else take the commission on the “measly” $25-$30 million Beltran will get, someone who’s more agreeable and would be better engaged by teams for the benefit of Beltran.
$5-$6 a year million for Beltran? Really?
Think he can still play center?
Sorry, I wasn’t clear. Boras floated 5/70, and I’m pretty sure both the length and dollars were laughed at. $25-$30 mil over three years is my guess. And yes. Just not gold-glove caliber. But he can play circles around Pagan with one leg.
I’d be shocked if Beltran got 3 years unless it’s an AL team.Teams still have reservations about his knees. 25 million for 2 years should be enough to ink him.