by Ben Burrows

Created on: June 17, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

I believe that there should be a salary cap instituted in Major League Baseball. Is it fair that larger market teams can spend millions upon millions of more dollars than the smaller market teams? I strongly think that each team should have the same financial playing field. Why should the New York Yankees be able to spend 200 million dollars on their team just because they bring in more revenue? This happens while small market teams like the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays can only spend 30 to 40 million. I do not think this is even remotely close to being fair.

Without having a salary cap baseball is no longer a game of talent, it is a game of money. The teams with the most money will obviously bring in more revenue to spend on the players for their team. If you are a player you would most likely want to go to the team that offers you the most money. That being said what keeps the best players from going to the richest teams? Nothing. Baseball has become a game of money simply because of the fact that the richest teams are able to acquire the best players who are looking for the most money.

If there is a salary cap instituted in not only Major League Baseball but all sports it will limit the spending of teams and therefore make the financial playing field even. Doing this would not only make the competition better between teams but I believe it will raise overall revenue for the sport. Teams will become better and people will want to come out and see their favorite team again. To be honest who wants to see a team that wins 60 games a year and lose 100 because they can only spend 40 million dollars? No one.

A salary cap could be the best thing for any sport if it is willing to embrace it. Teams will have roughly the same amount of money and therefore one team cannot stock up on the best players and will have to develop from their farm systems, the way it was meant to be. Teams are meant to build themselves from within with the use of drafting and developing players in the minor leagues. It is in no way fair that while small market teams spend 3 to 4 years developing a player while a financial power house simply finds the best free agents and reloads every year. Fans of New York, Boston and Chicago may not notice it but as a die hard fan of a small market team I feel the pain of most sport fans. I personally am tired of having my favorite teams being out spent every off season by the big guy while the little guy has to have several down years before one good one.

In conclusion I believe a salary cap will bring economic equality that all sports desperately need. Sports should be decided on the talent of your players not by the size of a teams pockets. I think a salary cap would not only bring both economic and talent equality needed for good competition but it would bring fans back out to the ball parks and stadiums to entertain them. Isn't that the idea of sports in the first place?

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