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Read The Christian Colón Chat Transcript

By Tim Dierkes | December 9, 2021 at 1:03pm CDT

Former MLB infielder Christian Colón joined MLBTR readers in a live chat today.  Click here to read the transcript.

Christian is a big fan of this website and he had a good time chatting!  MLBTR congratulates him on his retirement.  If you’re a current or former MLB player and you’d be interested in holding a one-hour live chat with our readers, please send us a message through our contact form.

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Kansas City Royals MLBTR Player Chats Christian Colon

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MLBTR Seeking Fantasy Baseball Writer

By Tim Dierkes | December 6, 2021 at 10:25am CDT

MLB Trade Rumors is seeking a fantasy baseball writer.  This is a paid part-time position that will include a weekly article and live chat running at least January through March.  We’re looking for expertise in rotisserie and head-to-head fantasy baseball, but the position won’t involve daily fantasy sports writing.  The ideal candidate will have experience that includes writing paid fantasy baseball articles online.  Applicants should send an email to mlbtrhelp@gmail.com with the following:

  • Explanation of why you might be considered a fantasy baseball expert
  • Samples of online fantasy baseball writing
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Check Out Our 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker

By Tim Dierkes | December 5, 2021 at 10:16pm CDT

Need to catch up on the busiest November MLBTR has ever seen?  Our 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker is currently available here.  This mobile-friendly tracker allows you to filter by signing status, team, position, years, total contract amount, qualifying offer status, and more.  You can also click on the column headers, such as the word “Amount,” to sort by that.

If you’d prefer a simple blog post list of the remaining available free agents at each position, we have that here.  And if you’re wondering who is on track for free agency after the 2022 season, check out the 2022-23 MLB Free Agent list.

I’d also like to remind you that MLBTR has a new free newsletter that goes out Monday through Friday.   Cliff Corcoran does a great job summing up the hot stove highlights of the previous day.  Sign up for that by simply clicking this link.

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How The MLB Luxury Tax Thresholds Have Changed By Year

By Tim Dierkes | December 2, 2021 at 10:01am CDT

There was a time when the MLB players’ union felt that a luxury tax is just a salary cap in another form, with is why they rejected such proposals back in 1994.  Nonetheless, in the first post-strike collective bargaining agreement, executive director Don Fehr “finally said yes to the luxury tax – the first time the union agreed to any form of payroll restraint since free agency changed everything in 1976,” to quote Jon Pessah’s book The Game.

Though Pessah called that CBA a “huge victory for Fehr and the union” for other reasons, the owners did get their foot in the door on the matter of a luxury tax.  The luxury tax wound up snowballing into a major problem for the players in recent years.

In that CBA, the tax thresholds were set like this:

  • 1996: no luxury tax
  • 1997: $51MM
  • 1998: $55MM, a 7.8% increase
  • 1999: $58.9MM, a 7.1% increase
  • 2000: no luxury tax
  • 2001: if MLBPA exercises its option for ’01, no luxury tax

Mechanisms were also put in place that could allow the 1997-99 thresholds to be higher, depending on where the fifth and sixth-highest payrolls in the game landed.  Tax rates were set at 35% on the overage for ’97-98 and 34% for ’99.

While that CBA technically ended with two years sans luxury tax, it became part of all future agreements.  The agreement that began in 2003 saw the luxury tax rebranded as the “competitive balance tax.”  The MLBPA was able to achieve an initial major increase in the thresholds from where they left off in ’99:

  • 2003: $117MM, a 98.6% increase from ’99
  • 2004: $120.5MM, a 3% increase
  • 2005: $128MM, a 6.2% increase
  • 2006: $136.5MM, a 6.6% increase

For this CBA, a concept was introduced to penalize second, third, or fourth-time offenders with a higher tax rate.  The first-time offender rates were set at 17.5% in ’03 and 22.5% in 2004-05, yet was removed entirely for ’06.  30-40% tax rates were set for teams that exceeded the threshold multiple times during that CBA.

For the CBA beginning in 2007, the tax thresholds were set as follows:

  • 2007: $148MM, an 8.4% increase
  • 2008: $155MM, a 4.7% increase
  • 2009: $162MM, a 4.5% increase
  • 2010: $170MM, a 4.9% increase
  • 2011: $178MM, a 4.7% increase

Here after an initial “new CBA” leap, we start to see the tax thresholds moving up more slowly.  The tax rates were set at 22.5%, 30%, and 40% and began penalizing teams for exceeding the thresholds in consecutive years, introducing the concept of teams “resetting” its rate by getting under the threshold for one season.

For the CBA beginning in 2012, these were the tax thresholds:

  • 2012: $178MM, no increase
  • 2013: $178MM, no increase
  • 2014: $189MM, a 6.2% increase
  • 2015: $189MM, no increase
  • 2016: $189MM, no increase

Here, the players’ union made large concessions that had a compounding effect they’re still feeling today.  If the MLBPA had achieved simply a repeat of the increases from the previous CBA, the 2016 tax threshold would have sat at about $232MM.

The next agreement introduced the concept of luxury tax tiers, adding first and second surcharge thresholds after the base tax one.  For example, 2021 included thresholds at $210MM, $230MM, and $250MM.  This CBA also introduced penalties involving the draft.

  • 2017: $195MM base tax threshold, a 3.2% increase
  • 2018: $197MM, a 1.0% increase
  • 2019: $206MM, a 4.6% increase
  • 2020: $208MM, a 1.0% increase
  • 2021: $210MM, a 1.0% increase

While better than the previous CBA, the MLBPA again agreed to tiny increases in the base tax threshold.  A simple 5% increase per year beginning in 2012 would have put the 2021 base tax threshold around $290MM, yet it sat only at $210MM.  Not coincidentally, only the Dodgers and Padres exceeded a $210MM payroll this year.  You can see the restraint this put on a club like the Yankees, which had a lower 2019 Opening Day payroll than it had in 2005.

In the current negotiations, MLB made an initial proposal that included lowering the base tax threshold to $180MM.  According to Gabe Lacques and Bob Nightengale of USA Today, “In final proposals exchanged Wednesday, players requested a $245 million luxury tax threshold, with no progressive penalties for offenders; owners are offering a $214 million threshold, rising to $220 million in the final year of a five-year agreement.”

With a request to jump to $245MM, the MLBPA is proposing a 16.7% jump over the ’21 threshold, which would only begin to make up the ground they lost due to the non-existent or miniscule increases from 2012 onward.  MLB, meanwhile, would like to increase the base tax threshold by 1.9% for 2022 and is proposing average annual increases of less than 1%.

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How The MLB Minimum Salary Has Changed With Each New CBA

By Tim Dierkes | December 2, 2021 at 9:02am CDT

collectAs we enter Day 1 of the MLB lockout, one key issue in the current labor negotiations is where the players’ minimum salary will land.  Given the union’s stated goal to get players paid more when they’re younger and more productive, it stands to reason that they’re seeking a more significant increase than usual.  The minimum salary was set at $570,500 in 2021.  It’s not known how much MLB proposed raising it in their most recent offer.  Here’s a look at how the minimum salary has changed with each new CBA.

  • 1968: Minimum salary went from $6K to $10K, a 66.7% increase
  • 1970: $10K to $12K, a 20% increase
  • 1973: $13.5K to $15K, an 11.1% increase
  • 1976: $16K to $19K, an 18.8% increase
  • 1980: $21K to $30K, a 42.9% increase
  • 1985: $40K to $60K, a 50% increase
  • 1990: $68K to $100K, a 47.1% increase
  • 1997: $109K to $150K, a 37.6% increase
  • 2003: $200K to $300K, a 50% increase
  • 2007: $327K to $380K, a 16.2% increase
  • 2012: $414K to $480K, a 15.9% increase
  • 2017: $507.5K to $535K, a 5.4% increase

In the free agency era, the minimum salary had always increased by at least 15.9% until the just-expired CBA.  There is historical precedent for a leap as high as 50%, which would mean $855,750 for 2022.  An increase of 16% would be more in line with the ’07 and ’12 CBAs, which would set the minimum at $661,780.  It should also be noted that the minimum salary typically increases each year within a CBA, with the ’20 and ’21 rates involving cost of living adjustments.

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Why Subscribe To Trade Rumors Front Office?

By Tim Dierkes | December 1, 2021 at 7:10pm CDT

Many regular MLBTR readers have decided to support the website with a subscription. Sign up or just check out all the benefits here! Benefits include an ad-free browsing experience on the website and in the app, a weekly mailbag from me, exclusive articles and chats from Steve Adams and Anthony Franco, a subscriber-only discussion forum, and weekly autographed baseball card giveaways. The cost is $29.89 per year, or you can sign up for $2.99 per month to give it a trial run. Here are a bunch of real, recent quotes from current subscribers:

Front Office is great! On top of the frequent subscriber mailbags and chats, there are tons of emails with some of the best analysis I’ve seen online. From deep dives into individual players to tracking market trends to analyzing team needs, I’m always excited when an email comes through from the MLBTR team. – Ben V.

Trade Rumors Front Office is about the best value possible if you live and breathe baseball. I’ve had several questions appear in the weekly chats and always get a charge out of seeing them answered by the MLBTR guys. It will be the best two and a half dollars per month that you can spend especially during the hot stove season. – Sandy

Front Office is more than I’ve ever expected it would be. The private chats (where you WILL get your question answered), the Q&As with Mr. Dierkes and quite a lot more. Worth every penny. And it is pennies. – Michael C.

With my Trade Rumors Front Office subscription I’m able to support the high-quality product provided by MLBTR. The exclusive mailbag and chat features offered through membership only enhance the die-hard baseball fan’s experience in staying up-to-date with the news of baseball. There is no better place and no better approach to being part of the MLB-information-pipeline than with a Front Office subscription. – Dave M.

As a lifelong baseball fan and thirty year fantasy player, keeping up with the day to day transactions and rumors is essential. MLB Trade Rumors is my go to site. The subscription service only adds to the value with their well thought out analysis and commentary. Could not live without it! – Michael W.

For the cost of a pizza and a 12-pack of beer, an expenditure you probably make weekly, how can you hesitate to join? MLBTR is there for me, ad-free (makes a big f-ing difference), every morning over breakfast, and I think I’ve had all my questions addressed in their special members-only chats. And how about the EXCELLENT writing and analysis! That alone deserves some $ love. – Joe

The Front Office subscription service has been great. The members only mailbag and chats have been great, with my questions being answered nearly every time. Dierkes and company give some of the most insightful responses and analysis you’ll find on baseball; they are my go to resource for anything baseball now. – Joshua P.

MLBTR offers great insight, and Front Office takes it even further, with exclusive articles and chats from the website’s esteemed writers. At a very affordable price, especially compared to other online subscriptions, Front Office is a must have for any diehard baseball fan. – Jim P.

As a lifelong baseball fan, I discovered MLBTR is the go-to site for the latest (and best) news about the game. The only thing better? Subscribing to get even more insider info and to avoid the painful ads. I’m grateful for the site AND for the option to optimize it. – Bob G.

Thank you for the Front Office experience. The mailbags and chats are really informative. I semi-regularly pose questions, and every question I have posed has received a response. And, while the mailbags and chats tend to focus on the “who might get traded for whom?” and the “who might sign whom and for how much?” questions, many of the questions also round out thinking about the overall business and competitive balance aspects of the game. All very valuable and fun. – Paul K.

I love my Front Office Subscription because it’s easier to get your questions answered in the private chats and the answers are longer and more detailed! And you are automatically entered in free stuff giveaways! – Jorge P.

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Sign Up For The Free MLBTR Newsletter

By Tim Dierkes | November 29, 2021 at 11:00am CDT

If you’re having a hard time keeping up with the hot stove, sign up for the free MLB Trade Rumors newsletter!  The newsletter is written by Cliff Corcoran, who has an extensive resume contributing to Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, Baseball Prospectus, and other outlets.  Cliff will take you through the hot stove highlights of the previous day, boiling down MLBTR’s many posts into the essential stories.

 

This free newsletter comes out Monday through Friday in the morning.  Be sure to check your inbox and click the link in the confirmation email.  If you’re not seeing the box to input your email, you can simply click this link to sign up.

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Free Agent Prediction Contest Leaderboard Update

By Tim Dierkes | November 28, 2021 at 7:54pm CDT

Our free agent prediction contest closed for entries on November 15th.  To date, 17 of our top 50 free agents have signed.  Of the 6,233 people who entered our contest, only three people have as many as eight predictions correct so far.

To follow along with the contest results, check out the leaderboard here.  You can also check out how 11 participating MLBTR staff members are doing here.  You can search for your own name in the contest results, and you can also click on anyone’s name to see their individual picks.

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Enter The MLBTR Free Agent Prediction Contest

By Tim Dierkes | November 15, 2021 at 7:30pm CDT

UPDATE: The contest is now closed.  More than 6,200 people entered!  The leaderboard will be available soon.

It’s time for the MLB Trade Rumors Free Agent Prediction Contest!  Click here to enter your picks for the destinations for our top 50 free agents.  The deadline for entry is TONIGHT at 11pm central time!  You can edit your picks until then.  Further contest info:

  • After the window to make picks has closed, we’ll post a public leaderboard page so you can see who’s winning the contest as players sign with teams.  We’re going to use entrants’ full names on it.  So, if that concerns you, please do not enter the contest.  Entries with inappropriate names will be deleted.
  • We are also collecting email addresses, which I will use to notify winners.
  • If a player signs between now and the close of the contest, that’s a freebie, but you still need to go in and make the correct pick.
  • After you submit your picks, you’ll receive an email from Google Forms.  In that email, you’ll see a button that allows you to edit your picks.
  • We will announce the winners on MLBTR once all 50 free agents have signed.  We will award $500 to first place, $300 to second place, and $100 to third place.  We will also be giving  one-year memberships to Trade Rumors Front Office for everyone who finishes in the top 15.  Winners must respond to an email within one week.
  • MLB owners are expected to lock out the players this winter, putting a freeze on transactions.  The winners of this contest will be declared on May 1st, 2022, and any unsigned players will be excluded from the competition.  If fewer than 30 players are signed at that point, the contest will be canceled.
  • Ties in the correct number of picks will be broken by summing up the rankings of the free agents of the correct picks and taking the lower total.  For example: Tim and Steve each get two picks correct.  Tim gets Carlos Correa (#1 ranking) and Anthony Rizzo (#21 ranking) for a total of 22 points.  Steve gets Marcus Semien (#6) and Eduardo Rodriguez (#14) for a total of 20 points.  Steve’s total is lower and he’s ahead of Tim for tiebreaker purposes.
  • I mistakenly forgot to change the Indians to the Guardians in the contest form.  I’m going to leave that mistake to make sure I don’t break anything by trying to change it.  Sorry about that.

If you have any further questions, ask us in the comment section of this post!  Otherwise, make your picks now!

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Love MLBTR? Support Us With An Ad-Free Subscription

By Tim Dierkes | November 11, 2021 at 8:23am CDT

With no collective bargaining agreement in place, MLB Trade Rumors may be headed toward a much quieter December and January than usual in terms of traffic and ad revenue.  If you’re a long-haul MLBTR regular, we’d love your consideration for an ad-free subscription.  It’s the best way to offer direct support for the hard work that goes into things like our Top 50 Free Agents list, arbitration projections, and offseason outlooks.

While we’d love your support, we’re not looking for charity, and we work hard to provide extra value to subscribers.  The benefits include:

  • Ad-free viewing experience
  • Exclusive member-only online chats with our MLB writers every week
  • MLBTR owner Tim Dierkes answers mailbag questions
  • Exclusive weekly hot stove articles from Steve Adams and Anthony Franco
  • Subscriber-only discussion forum

Subscribe to Trade Rumors Front Office today!

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