Page 10 - Sports Illustrated Kids (April 2019)
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catchers reported to spring training batting .287 with 29 home
in mid-February, Harper remained runs. He heard the Royals
unsigned. Other top free agents, like were interested in signing
San Diego’s Manny Machado, found him as a free agent. But
themselves waiting a long time to after Kansas City’s interest
ink deals. suddenly evaporated, he
What happened? Last season was forced to re-sign with
league revenues exceeded $10 billion. Detroit. Andre Dawson
Player salaries, however, went down won MVP with the
for the first time since 2004. These Cubs in 1987 after telling
contradictory trends have led many— Chicago he’d sign with
including Rodriguez himself—to allege them for whatever
collusion. In other words, they believe salary they wanted.
RIGGED GAME
that the owners of all 30 teams are Is a similar conspiracy MLB commissioner spend past a certain level.
working together to keep player to blame for Harper, Peter Ueberroth Last season, only the
salaries down. Machado, and Craig urged owners to Nationals and the Red Sox
If that sounds far-fetched, bear Kimbrel having such a collude in the ’80s paid the luxury tax. They
to drive payroll
in mind it’s happened before. When tough time finding costs down. combined for a total bill of
Peter Ueberroth took over as MLB homes? Maybe not. just $14.3 million—the
commissioner in 1984, he encouraged Multiple factors may be curbing lowest total since the current system
teams to begin valuing profits over teams’ appetites for megadeals. The began. If even the Yankees won’t pay
pennants. He set up a system in which progress of advanced statistics has the tax, why should anyone else?
the owners would not bid against each given teams more exact valuations on Even if players think teams are
other for top free agents, thus lowering players. When general managers have colluding, it’ll be hard to prove. More
salaries for players across the board. precise numbers for what they believe likely is that the issue will be resolved
Sure, teams would miss out on the a player is worth, they’re going to be in 2021, when the current collective
opportunity to poach their rivals’ best less likely to go very far over that bargaining agreement expires. Still,
players. But overall, everyone stood dollar value. the days of the A-Rod free agency
to make much more money. Then there’s the luxury tax. While may be over. We may never see a
Collusion worked. Kirk Gibson had baseball doesn’t have a salary cap, it player request his face on every
a career year for the Tigers in 1985, does have a penalty for teams that billboard in town ever again.
UNBOXED
Taking the lid off the
coolest sports gear.
When he was growing anything,” he
up, Donovan Mitchell’s said of the
love of dunking—and his message in
seemingly superhuman the shoe’s name. STEVE GREEN/GETTY IMAGES (UEBERROTH); COURTESY OF ADIDAS (SHOE)
year with the Jazz, Mitchell recently a Peter Parker–inspired outfit to a even have to be a basketball player.
unveiled his new signature Adidas game. So it’s no surprise that the I just want this to send a positive
shoe, called D.O.N. Issue #1. (D.O.N. shoes have a red-and-blue color message to make kids feel inspired
stands for Determination Over scheme and a web logo on the that they can be what they want
Negativity.) Mitchell is a big fan of tongue. Mitchell unveiled the shoe to be.”
10 / SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS
