| ST. LOUIS -- Bud Selig and Donald Fehr sat in | | | | large-market teams to their competitors. The |
| the center of a dais, flanked by players and | | | | payroll threshold for the luxury tax |
| owners. For the second time in four years, | | | | increases from $136.5 million this year to |
| they were proclaiming labor peace. | | | | $148 million next year, then goes up each |
| | | | year until it reaches $178 million in 2011. |
| "The last agreement produced stunning growth | | | | |
| and revenue," Selig said. "I believe that | | | | Under the current contract, the luxury tax |
| five years from now people will be stunned | | | | mainly has affected the New York Yankees, who |
| how well we grew the sport." | | | | paid $11.8 million in 2003, $26 million in |
| | | | 2004 and $34.1 million in 2005. Boston paid |
| The five-year collective bargaining | | | | $3.15 million in 2004 and $4.1 million last |
| agreement, which runs through the 2011 | | | | year, and the Angels paid about $900,000 in |
| season, is subject to ratification by both | | | | 2004. |
| sides. The deal makes relatively minor | | | | |
| changes to the previous agreement and doesn't | | | | The minimum salary increases, from $327,000 |
| alter baseball's drug rules. | | | | this year to $380,000 next season, and |
| | | | amateur draft pick compensation for some free |
| "This is the golden era in every way," Selig | | | | agents who sign with new teams will be |
| said. | | | | eliminated. Players selected in the June |
| | | | amateur draft who aren't college seniors must |
| The current contract, reached in August 2002, | | | | sign by Aug. 15, taking away the leverage of |
| was set to expire Dec. 19. After eight work | | | | any threats to remain in school. |
| stoppages between 1972 and 1995, baseball | | | | |
| will be assured of 16 years of labor peace. | | | | In addition, the Dec. 7 and Jan. 8 deadlines |
| | | | for free agents to re-sign with their former |
| The deal continues, with some tinkering, | | | | teams were eliminated, and management agreed |
| existing luxury tax and revenue-sharing | | | | there would be no contraction under the term |
| rules, provisions that funneled money from | | | | of the agreement. |