Lots of baseball games to be played.

Lots of days left in the season for the two sides to sit and discuss a new CBA deal to prevent a lockout.

Here are the first proposals made by each side, and my reaction to them

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OWNERS

MLB Owners..Make 1st proposal to Union in CBA-talks

..Salary Cap (245M)…Considering the money pouring into baseball..a ridiculous low cap figure-considering how many teams are spending north of (275M) a year

..Salary Floor (171M)..A good starting point for all these mid-to-small market owners who refuse to spend.

…50-50 Revenue Share with Players..Big debate, is this all gross revenues-or revenues after expenses?  Is this baseball only revenue, or money from all the business entities clubs have around and outside their stadiums?

..Pool all local TV-Radio Revenue into Pot..A historical offer-convincing the big market teams (Dodgers-Yankees-Mets-Red Sox) to place all their TV revenue in the pot just like the small money teams (Padres-Twins-Pirates) who have been damaged by the death of the regional sports networks.  This will be an amazing amount of money to be shared.  Call it Pot-O-Gold TV Fund.

..Phase in Salary Cap..Doing the Calculus of how you handle all these deferred payments.  Might that also include a Cap of years in contracts?  Cap on how many deferred contracts you have?

..Larry Bird Right Retain FA Players outside Cap..Unique idea to help teams retain their stars outside of the hard cap.

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MLB Union..Made 1st proposal to Union in CBA-talks

..No Salary Cap…Never once mentioned in the talks

..Integrity Tax-Any team below (150M)…In essence a fine for all the owners who refuse to spend-but does not add big amounts of money to the pool for players.

..Increase Lux Tax Threshold start at (300M)…Love this idea, no tax up till the (300M) figure-so more money goes to players.

..Increase Minimum Salary (780,000) to (1.5M)…Way too big a jump (50%) for young players and would go up yearly.

..Increase Pre Arbitration Bonus Pool (50M-to-180M)..Cannot see that happening either.

..TV Tax on Big Market Franchises…So you tax LA-NY-Chi-Bost..but will you raise lots of money?

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So now we have a blueprint.

Let’s not hear any conversation about ‘Die on the Hill-No Cap’ and just get back to the table and start swapping the best ideas and putting dollars signs together.  The Money Pie is huge.  Don’t need a lockout.  Need a true partnership.  And it can be done without a Cap.

Let the real talks begin.

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