MLB has an absolute blowup strike. The MLBPA demands a new commissioner to overhaul just about everything. What league changes do you make to “fix” the current league, tradition be damned?

  • Reduction of arbitration and pre-arbitration by three years in total, creation of restricted free agency akin to NHL. Signing an RFA outside of your organization results in handing over a draft pick to the player's previous team, based on salary for which round; original organization has right of first refusal to match. Still lets teams retain their young talent, while also giving players a chance to get paid.

  • Increase minimum salaries across all levels of minor pro ball to a living standard

  • Increase playoffs to 6 teams, with 3 v 6 and 4 v 5 in a first-round play-in before LDS. Play-in is two game set: upper seed needs one win to advance, lower seed needs two.

  • Phase out regional and national blackout rules, concurrent with different price options for MLB.TV fees (one team, one division, all teams, SD, HD, etc.). If you want to save the game, you have to be able to SEE the games.

  • And corollary to the above, an immediate and permanent 25% cut in ticket and concession prices. The game has gotten too expensive for fans.

/r/OOTP Thread