How The New CBA Proposals Could Help The Royals

Proposed changes to CBA by owners would benefit Kansas City and other small-market clubs

A great piece by FOX’s Ken Rosenthal on Tuesday states MLB owners would be willing to lock players out when the current collective-bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1. While the suggestion of a lockout made headlines across the internet, two changes proposed by the owners would be hugely beneficial for the Royals and small-market clubs in general.

Those changes are:

• Eliminating direct-draft pick compensation when teams sign free agents who turned down a qualifying offer.

AND

• An international draft.

So how does this affect Kansas City?

The compensation pick is a major irritant for all clubs but can be downright deadly for teams in smaller metro areas. Clubs like Kansas City simply can’t afford to forfeit top-30 draft picks. According to Rosenthal, the owners proposed eliminating the forfeiture of a draft pick for teams that sign free agents who turned down qualifying offers in exchange for an international draft.

More from Kings of Kauffman

• KC Royals Rumors: Is a monster move in the cards?
• KC Royals Free Agent Hunt: 3 Tampa Bay pitchers
• Grading the 2022 KC Royals: The $25 million man
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Expectations met
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Day 3 update

Which would also benefit the Royals.

Imagine a world where the top international players were dispersed to teams in the same manner the top U.S. high school and college players are. Yes, this would be a massive blow to free-market principles, but if you’re a Royals fan, all of sudden players like Yoenis Cespedes, Jose Abreu, Yasiel Puig and Yoan Moncada would be subjected to a draft instead of being made available only to the highest bidder.

Next: Cuthbert Playing Second in Winter Ball

So, what are the chances of this happening? Killing off the rule that makes teams’ forfeit a pick for signing certain free agents could be gone – free market! – but don’t get your hopes up on the international draft. The players’ union is in no hurry to give up the lucrative deals and freedom of choice its future international members enjoy.