Quibbles about expanded playoffs and the universal DH aside, the union has made three significant asks of the owners as the MLB lockout has dragged on: (1) they want better compensation for the young players whose labor makes up the bulk of the sport; (2) an end to service-time manipulation so players can get their ever-shortening MLB careers started sooner and compensated accordingly; and (3) for the competitive balance tax (CBT), which players believe has functioned as a salary cap over the past few years, to be raised, encouraging team owners to spend more to field a competitive product without incurring penalties.
Why MLB owners are threatening the league’s life to save their luxury tax
