The Dreaded Baseball Cap

Yes, I went for a tired old pun to start the article. The Bronx Bombers, the Evil Empire to those that are not supporters, are the dreaded baseball cap. But really, they and a few other teams are the ones who dread the cap, because it will infringe upon their ability to buy the players that other teams' farm systems have sculpted for years.

Here's how I came up with my cap concept:

Benfry.com has been graphing out the performance of the MLB teams versus their salaries for the last few years. I took an average of the 30 teams' salaries and came up with the mean, first of all.

This year's mean average is $88.5 million. Eighteen of 30 Major League teams are already under this line. It is really only the top seven payrolls that are nowhere close to this mean.

I look at what the salary cap has done for the NFL, which, although there have still been a couple of dynasties, has seen a plethora of different teams appear in the Super Bowl this decade.

I also believe that the NHL has seen a similar pattern emerge since its inception of a cap. The anomaly of having back-to-back repeat matchups in the Cup Final is a testament to building around talent, and not relying on buying the best players because you are in a large market.

I also think that, clearly, having the largest payroll by a 6-to-1 margin over the team with the smallest (Yankees-Marlins) has not consistently produced a champion, which disproves their way of thinking. The last time they even made it to the Fall Classic, they were surprised by (gasp!) the Marlins.

I think that it is reasonable to install a payroll ceiling of $100 million at the outset, with a a floor of $50 million for the first season. As of 2009, 20 out of 30 teams appear to be in that range already, so it is not unreasonable.

After the first year under this system, the cap should be tied to the overall earnings of the Major Leagues on a percentage base (55-60 percent or so).

I understand that there is strong union support against a cap. I am not in this to break the will of the players' union, but really, I think that the major pro sports of the world support their players unbelievably well.

Acting with a little restraint on their potential earnings does not prevent them from putting food on the table.

To sum up:

Beginning season's ceiling: $100 million
Beginning season's floor: $50 million
Second season ceiling: 55-60 percent of league-wide revenues, divided by 30
Second season floor: 45-50 percent of league-wide revenues, divided by 30

Comment away, fervent masses.