On Friday, it was revealed that four MLB owners strongly opposed the competitive balance tax (CBT) going up to $220 million in the league’s latest offer before the deadline to play the full season.
Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ken Kendrick, Cincinnati Reds’ Bob Castellini, and Tigers’ Chris Ilitch were the ones who didn’t want the CBT threshold to increase to that number.
Regarding the Angels’ situation, reporter Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic talked to Moreno in the past.
“Have asked Arte Moreno directly about the CBT in the past — he’s an owner who has dished out big contracts in the past, yet in recent seasons haven’t pushed to the CBT level to win around those big stars. But he’s never addressed CBT directly, even when asked,” he wrote.
Have asked Arte Moreno directly about the CBT in the past — he’s an owner who has dished out big contracts in the past, yet in recent seasons haven’t pushed to the CBT level to win around those big stars. But he’s never addressed CBT directly, even when asked. https://t.co/GQWjeJHD3r
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 4, 2022
Moreno did sign Albert Pujols, Anthony Rendon, and Mike Trout to mammoth contracts in recent years, and made an attempt for Gerrit Cole before securing Rendon.
But the fact he is adamantly opposed to the CBT threshold going up to $220 million doesn’t speak very well about his commitment to win and negotiate with players.
Players Likely Won’t Settle For $220 Million Anyway
And if the four owners are so reluctant to increase the threshold to $220 million, wait until they find out that players likely won’t commit to anything lower than $230 million.
Everybody who has followed the negotiations closely knew that the CBT was going to cause some trouble.
Fans now have the names of the owners who will likely be the reason a deal won’t take place soon.
Two series have already been cancelled by Commissioner Rob Manfred because of the lockout and the absence of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
Fans are hoping the owners’ stubbornness doesn’t cost them more games.
I have been a baseball fan since 1967…Angels
are my team with Cardinals as number 1 in the National League. I’m 62 years old
now and am a dentist and business owner and have also been an employee. I understand the need for both sides to get at least some of what they want and feel that they need. Purely as a fan of the game though, it is hard to find a lot of compassion for either side at this point. Maybe neither side appreciates who far things have come since Curt Flood and the days of the St Louis Browns. Maybe they really aren’t realizing that the fans are the ones that by the tickets and fill the stands, buy the overpriced concessions and souvenirs, pay ridiculously high parking fees, and somehow keep coming to the games even when their team isn’t going to be in the playoffs. I get the theory of taking care of the guys coming up and taking care of your business and Its future as well, but I don’t hear or SEE anyone taking care of the fans that are coming up! First, it has become very expensive to bing your family to a ballgame and neither side seems to have a clue. Secondly , I†’s gotten difficult to hear millionaires and billionaires arguing with each other like children. They are making themselves and the game look bad every time this happens, and the fans have other big time options now to choose from. One big contract will make more money in one year than I will make in my career, and I’m well paid. The major league minimum is more than most doctors make in a year and they actually work all year and make a difference in peoples’ lives. I know that the owners have huge investment in the organization and likely have other investors as well, but when is enough, enough? If they weren’t taking in a salary as part of their overhead, and what ever other tax breaks they are getting, they would have already sold and moved on. From the fan’s perspective both sides are doing really well and could have into the future with no tweaks to minor tweaks. It also could’ve been addressed months ago before they even got close to the deadline. All we hear on tv is the finger pointing at the other side. Sadly, it’s still the fans who are left on the outside looking in, and who are finding it harder and harder to believe that they are really being listened to or cared about. I love sports, especially baseball, and even sill play senior softball. However, I need farmers, I need doctors, I need a barber, I need gasoline, and I need a mechanic, etc. but I don’t need professional athletes or actors or their agents or owners. They are nice to have but in reality they aren’t necessary to have. As much as I love and appreciate them and what they can do, I don’t think that they realize that they are a luxury and not a necessity of life. I wish them well and hope that they get it figured out soon, and I hope that they don’t leave too many fans in the wake of their disagreements.