Getty Images/Will NewtonEditor's Note: Baseball is at an important crossroads. There are rising strikeout numbers and unwritten-rules disputes, as well as the need to connect with new generations of fans and fight for workers. We are taking a season-long look into The State of Baseball to examine the issues and storylines that will shape the future of the game in 2021.The MLB trade deadline is over. While the excitement of a pennant race for baseball's contenders is approaching, fans of the teams at the bottom are left with little to look forward too until next season.Half of the participating teams are out of contention as a full schedule begins Friday. What if the August game between Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians had any meaning? The same applies to the Miami Marlins and the depleted Chicago Cubs.Could Major League Baseball help create a system to allow these 15 teams to be closer to the playoffs?Ask any major league player and you will often hear the same answer: Every season, all 30 teams.Andrew Miller, a St. Louis Cardinals pitcher who is also an executive board member of the MLBPA, said that "you're going to be hearing that a lot from me." I think that everyone will get sick of this phrase. We are required to compete as players every time we get between the lines. This is what we are expected to do. You as a player want your team to do the same.This is why "rebuild" is a word that has negative connotations in the sport. A teardown-style rebuild has become a common practice in baseball. It means that there are low payrolls and no chance of a team competing for a playoff spot for several years. Prospects who make it from Triple-A to the majors are able to win cheaply under the current system. This happens later, as does the higher salaries. They believe that an adjustment is necessary.Miller said that competition from all 30 teams would fix many of the problems in the markets. It will be better for players if everyone wants to win the free agent market. It addresses many issues instead of just saying, "Let's increase dollars here; let’s increase dollars there."ESPN asked players, agents, and front-office executives how they would encourage all 30 teams to win every season.Rethink the draftLen Kasper, White Sox announcer of play-by-play, said that it was possible to do a reverse-order draft. The No. 1 pick is given to the best team that fails to make it through the postseason. No. 1 pick. September baseball can be very boring. This is a major problem in the current industry. It is fascinating to see a series at year's end where teams can win two out of three games and receive the first draft pick.We received this popular response from our interviewers. It could keep teams competitive and fans interested for the whole season. If they could have had a chance at the No. 1 pick next summer, would the Cubs just trade all their stars? Play better now, and you could be the Cubs' No. 1 pickAugust and September will still be about prospects, but managers and front office staff would need to balance that with winning games in order to improve their draft position.One player appreciated the idea of using a tiered system of lottery for the non-playoff 20 teams."Under this scenario, the five best teams that have not played in the postseason will be eligible for the No. 1 pick. He said. "The next five picks are picks 6-10, and so forth."An ex-executive suggested that a five-year rolling standard be used to determine the draft order. In 2022, for example, the league would consider the combined records of all teams from 2017 to 21 to determine the order. This is in addition to the current season. The first pick is given to the team with the worst five-year record. They would be using records from 2018 to 2023. This would reduce the incentive to reach a bottom for at least a year to win the No. This would decrease the incentive to get the No. 1 pick for a year or two.Ian Happ, Cubs player representative said that "Exploring possible changes to the draft order is a great idea." "We are for any incentive that encourages winning."MLB and the union are still discussing the draft format. However, there is no indication that the draft will change from the current format which awards the No. The team with the worst record in the previous year will be the first overall pick.The problem of too many teams not participating in a season can also be solved by reimagining draft.Spending incentivesPlayers want the next CBA to address offseason spending and specifically the lack thereof by rebuilding teams. They want a strong free-agent process that allows more than one organization to be in on the top names and veterans looking for a team.Forbes estimates that the top 10 baseball teams spent $345 million last offseason on free agents. The top 10 most valued teams spent $900 millions.According to many, the salary floor is the best way to increase payrolls. To achieve this, teams would need to have minimum player salaries each season. One agent suggested that the average TV revenue per team could be divided by the 30 clubs, or some subset thereof, to calculate this yearly figure. Let's say it was $100 million. On Opening Day, 18 of the 30 teams had a total payroll exceeding $100 million. To meet this requirement, the 12 other teams would need to increase their payrolls.The State of Baseball Are baseball games too long? How can the new generation of baseball stars be maximized? We explore the issues that will impact the game beyond this season. The State of BaseballOwners won't accept any idea that makes them pay more.Miller stated that a salary floor is usually associated with a cap. It's something we can appreciate. The core of the system that we have is what we like. There are still some improvements that could be made. However, a salary cap, revenue sharing, or whatever other terms you use, doesn't make it easier."Salary cap" is a bad word for us.Many executives believe it is time to create a revenue sharing system between the league and players. They were struck by the flaws that the pandemic revealed when both sides weren't working together.Both the NBA's and NHL share revenue between players and owners. Everyone benefits when revenues rise. Everyone is affected when revenues fall, as was the case in 2020.One player stated, "We already have the cap." It's the CBT [competitive balanced tax].Another word that players should avoid is the CBT. Many believe it acts as a salary ceiling and keeps even big-market teams away from exceeding it. Only three teams exceeded the $206 million threshold in 2019Some teams have stated that they sometimes try to avoid the luxury taxes, particularly since baseball has increased penalties for those who exceed it consecutively.The Cubs have paid Anthony Rizzo, first baseman, his entire $5.6 million salary and traded him to the Yankees. New York cannot afford him, but wants to keep below the threshold. Joey Gallo was also dealt with by the Texas Rangers.One agent stated that there was no better example of CBT spending impacting spending than this. The Yankees were able trade Rizzo because they offered the Cubs and Rangers better prospects. If Rizzo was still available, would they have signed him if it had not been for the threshold? The salary is not available to anyone. Most likely not.MLB Trade Deadline: From the big winners to those who did nothing, this is how each team fared at a wild deadline for trades. PassanOthers in the industry disagree with the idea that the CBT is de facto a salary cap. A hard cap would make trades much more difficult. The current system allows players to move freely, regardless of tax.A change to the current system could make it easier for teams to spend more in offseasons without having to go to the free-agent marketplace.Miller stated that Miller was aiming to "get players paid sooner." Miller said that there are many ways to achieve this. "Service-time manipulation" will be discussed.Analytics has informed executives and owners that players in their 30s have entered a decline phase and that veteran-free agents are no longer available. ESPN Stats & Information reports that 181 players aged 30 or older were signed to multiyear contracts by teams in the five years between 2011 and 2015. From 2016 to 2020, that number was 154. This is at an age where many players reach free agency under the current system.One player from AL said that if the front offices think the game is getting younger, players should be paid at an earlier age. "If they think you're already over the hill, what's the point in making it to free agency?"Free agency would be a great thing for players. It would allow arbitration to start earlier or even disappear altogether. What would it do to encourage teams to spend more during the offseason?One agent noted that there are a variety of ways to go about it. Let's say that if a player is granted free agency after four years, then you might be more aggressive in locking him for a longer-term contract. It's hard to draft and develop a player who has developed so quickly. You might be more inclined to win if he is a star than you are to draft and develop him."If you have some players you don't want to resign, you might be more inclined than others to field a winning team while they are under your control."If a player is able to go free at a younger age and their team does not sign them to a long term deal, they will be more appealing to free-agent suitors as they are still in their prime.One NL player stated adamantly that "paying players earlier will affect all of this." "I am convinced that this is the answer. We'll only know when we actually see it in action.
