The new CBA

I actually really like the concept behind the compensation overhaul, even if it’ll take time to see how it plays out in practice. $12.5M is not a prohibitive cost for an exceptional player, even for smaller market teams. I think we can all agree that the current system with the myriad compensation picks all over the place, players being exchanged primarily for the pick(s) they can return after being offered arbitration, etc. wasn’t satisfactory. Not bad, not bad at all.

I’m less pleased with the alterations regarding draft bonuses, which are about as prohibitive as one can imagine without actually having a hard cap. Still, at least organizations will have some flexibility in how they want to use their pool of money. Not great, but considering the alternatives, I can deal.

Overall, there’s a lot of creativity in here, which is admirable in its own right - as anyone who has ever been involved in meetings with more than two attendees knows, it’s darn hard to implement anything risky or creative. Nevertheless, I have to question the following items that I found buried in the fine print:

VIII. a. “The concealed carry clause”: Players, coaches, and managers must conceal tobacco products, and not carry them in their uniforms or on their bodies, but may, instead, have these products transported by batboys as long as said batboys are over 23, have been tested for HGH and are, naturally, Cuban. To me, this is all just one cleverly designed loophole to get Jose Canseco back in the game.

II. b. The “What can we do with the Houston Astros?” clause: Beginning in 2013, the Houston Astros shall move to Montenegro, but play in the PCL. Any major league team caught playing the Astros on the North American continent shall forfeit their next two first-round draft picks. Exception: major league teams composed entirely of rehabbing players, or players suspended from substance abuse violations (see above), may play the Astros, but the mercy rule will be in effect and cameras shall not be allowed at the game.

II. f. The “We need to make the Padres fantasy relevant again” clause: all Padres home innings will begin with a pinch runner on second base.

III. c. 2. The “Competitive balance solution” clause: All teams finishing last in their division will be awarded one Cellar Dwellar credit. Prior to the next amateur draft, these credits shall be pooled and one winning entry will drawn to represent an additional pick added at the end of the first round. The player selected with this choice shall be bid on by the team and by the Yankees and by the Red Sox.

I think restrictions on maple bats is well overdue. But with the existing players grandfathered in, it will not be a level playing field.