| Baseball history, like all history, certainly | | | | price.Still, as it had always been, players |
| is ever changing, but some aspects of the | | | | had to have the skills a team needed to get |
| game have remained unchanged for well over a | | | | their price. The one major difference was |
| half-century. There are a few reasons for | | | | that players were now able to sign guaranteed |
| this - over time the basic rules of the game | | | | contracts, which stated that they would be |
| have for the most part remained unaltered; | | | | paid their salary no matter how they |
| the development of essential skills continues | | | | performed and even if they were |
| to involve an investment of time and | | | | injured.Seventy-three years before free |
| personnel by ball clubs; and fans have always | | | | agency, professional baseball underwent a |
| flocked to see money players and exciting | | | | change that would influence the way in which |
| teams.In 1976, Major League Baseball (MLB) | | | | the Majors conducted business and found |
| was changed forever with the birth of free | | | | players. In 1903 the National Association of |
| agency. Since its inception, the owners had | | | | Professional Base Ball Leagues, better known |
| held power over all players. They could trade | | | | as the Minor Leagues, was formed in order to |
| anyone at anytime and control, with relative | | | | create some order in which Major League teams |
| ease, what individuals would be paid. Great | | | | acquired players from small market clubs. In |
| players, like Babe Ruth, usually commanded | | | | the 1930s the great Branch Rickey developed |
| solid salaries but with free agency players | | | | the structure for what we know today as the |
| were able to negotiate their contracts and to | | | | "Minor Leagues. |
| go to a team willing to pay their | | | | |