| Sunday, August 15th |
By Ellis Eyeland
RALEIGH – The local ballclub is out of cash. The superstars are locked into long-term deals, but a starter and a pair of role-players remain unsigned. It is a scene Raleigh has in common with many other BPLA cities this year. Too many minor leaguers are making over a million dollars annually. And, as anyone who watches the waiver wire knows, the teams are aware of this.
We are in the early stages of the backlash. The backlash that was bound to follow the bidding wars waged last off-season. Roll-players and top-skilled minor leaguers as well as some full time BPLA players are being placed on waivers as teams try to trim their payrolls. The free agent pool is getting bigger. But the backlash doesn’t stop there.
A glance at the ‘possible free agents’ list shows that many more quality players will be without contracts this off-season. Even if half the guys still unsigned reach agreements with their current clubs, a lot of talent will be dumped into the free agent pool. And, with management missing in Hartford, what will happen to the top SS in the east, Jose Furtado? One thing is for sure; teams with money will be able to make huge improvements through free agency this winter. And it won’t require Toe Nash-sized contracts.
Heck, even the teams that are border-line broke ought to be able to afford some key role-players. Players that would have been getting $2 million last year may be fetching only $500,000 this year. And I think the league will be better for it.