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