Some of the key topics in collective bargaining between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association before negotiations resume, as obtained by the Associated Press. This is only a partial list of negotiation topics.
Free agency
MLB: Would retain existing system in which six seasons of major league service is required.
MLBPA: Would retain the existing system, subject to agreement on its proposed length of service.
Free agent selection compensation
MLB and MLBPA: Agree to eliminate compensation, which has existed since 1976 and existed for qualified free agents since 2012.
MLB proposed that a team losing a free agent would receive draft compensation based on revenue sharing status and whether the club exceeded the luxury tax threshold. For a free agent who spent the entire season with one team, there would be four salary levels based on:
$25 million guaranteed salary or $18 million average annual value (AAV)
$55 million or $23 million AAV
$100 million or $30 million AAV
$150 million or $40 million AAV
Salary arbitration
MLB: Would retain the current system for players with at least three years of service and less than six, plus the top 22% in terms of length of service with at least two years but less than three, the threshold since 2013. The Super class 2 started in 1991 at 17 years old. %.
MLBPA: Would reduce eligibility to two years of major league service, plus the top 80 percent in length of service with at least two years but less than three. The MLBPA estimates that 98 additional players would become eligible after 2021 with a time limit of 2 years and 27 days. MLB estimated 97 more.
Pre-Arbitrage Bonus Pool
MLBPA: Proposed new bonus pool for those not yet eligible for arbitration, who would share $115 million of central revenue, based on WAR, appearances on an all-MLB team and recognitions such as the best player, the best pitcher and the best rookie. Would be distributed among 150 players.
MLB: Would accept a new bonus pool, offering $15 million to be split among 30 players.
Service time
MLBPA: Saying this would address his allegations of improper manipulation of service time, it is proposed that rookie-eligible players be credited with an additional year of major league service for the top 20 at each position in each league by WAR , or the first seven, depending on position. , and for the top five rookies of the year, the top three Rivera/Hoffman awards or the first or second all-MLB team.
MLB: It is proposed that any rookie-eligible player with top-100 prospect status and who accumulates a full season of major league service would be eligible to earn his team up to two additional draft picks – one national and an international – if the MLBPA accepted an international draft. , which he opposed. The MLBPA would also accept its own proposal but with modifications.
Luxury tax
The threshold was $210 million in 2021, with tax rates of 20% for a first offender, 30% for exceeding in consecutive years, and 50% for exceeding for three or more consecutive years . Increases for exceeding $230 million and $250 million. The second threshold was $230 million last year, with tax rates of 32% for the first offender, 42% for the second and 62% for the third. The third threshold was $250 million, with tax rates of 62.5% for the first offender, 75% for the second, and 95% for the third.
MLB: The threshold is proposed to be raised to $214 million in 2022 and 2023, $216 million in 2024, $218 million in 2025 and $222 million in 2026, with the second threshold being $20 million above of the first and the third threshold of 40 million dollars above the first. MLB also proposed increasing the tax rate to 50% for exceeding the first threshold, 75% for exceeding the second, and 100% for exceeding the third, with no graduated rate for a team exceeding the years successive. A team would lose a second-round pick for passing the second threshold rather than losing 10 spots and would lose a first-round selection for passing the third threshold.
MLBPA: Proposed to increase the threshold from $245 million for the 2022 season. The threshold would increase to $273 million in 2026, maintain rates on expired deals and eliminate non-monetary penalties.
Amateur draft
MLB: Proposed NBA/NHL style draft lottery for top three selections.
MLBPA: Accepted the concept of a weighted lottery, but would increase the number of teams to eight and make adjustments intended to encourage competition.
The MLBPA proposed reducing the amateur draft from 40 rounds to 20, which MLB agreed to.
Minimum wage
MLB: It is proposed to increase from $570,500 to $630,000 in 2022 or, alternatively, a progressive minimum of $615,000 for initial major league players, $650,000 for players with one year of service and $725,000 for those with two years. The single tier would increase by $10,000 per year to $670,000 by 2026. Each tier would increase by $10,000 per year to reach $640,000, $690,000 and $740,000 in 2026.
MLBPA: It is proposed to increase from $570,500 to $775,000 in 2022 and gradually to $875,000 by 2026.
The parties proposed increases in the minor league minimum for players with major league contracts, which in 2021 was $46,600 for a player signing his initial major league contract and $93,000 for a player signing a second major league contract or higher.
Post-season
MLB: Would expand the playoffs from 10 to 14 teams, with wild cards increasing from two per league to four. The division winner with the best record in each league would advance directly to the division series, and the other two division winners and wild-card teams would start in a best-of-three round. The winner of the division with the second-best record would choose their opponent from the three lowest-ranked wild card teams. The division winner with the third best record could then choose from the two remaining wild cards. The top wild card would face the remaining team once the division winners make their choice.
MLBPA: Expanded playoffs to 12 teams and possible realignment to two divisions per league, subject to agreement on the MLBPA’s economic proposals. The three-division plan would result in 8 to 16 additional games and the two-division plan 10 to 18.
Designated hitter
MLB has offered to accept the MLBPA’s proposal to expand the designated hitter to the National League, subject to agreement on postseason expansion. The DH has been used in the American League since 1973 and was used in both leagues during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Uniform advertisements
MLB: Proposal to add advertising patches to uniforms and helmets.
MLBPA: Would agree, subject to agreement on MLBPA’s economic proposals.
Revenue sharing
MLBPA: The annual revenue sharing proposed by the teams be reduced by $30 million.
MLB: Disputes the math of the MLBPA’s proposal and says it won’t accept any changes to a system that has largely been in place since the 1997 agreement.
International draft
MLB proposed an international project, which the MLBPA has long opposed.
Optional Missions
MLB: Proposed a limit of five optional minor league assignments in a season for a player as part of a 28-item package that also includes the MLBPA, agreeing to grant MLB the flexibility to reduce the number of players with minor league contracts from 180 to 150 per major league team in future seasons.
MLBPA: Proposed a limit of four optional assignments, unrelated to the minor league reserve minimum.
Rule changes
MLB has proposed the creation of a joint committee, including at least four active players, to discuss possible changes to on-field rules.
Duration of the ACA
Five years.
