Manfred Warns Salary Cap Risks MLB Strike

Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed concern that the owners' first salary cap proposal since 1994 could trigger another work stoppage, recalling the 7 1/2-month strike that canceled the World Series. Manfred, who was a junior lawyer on the owners' bargaining team in those negotiations, acknowledged the risk while emphasizing that the luxury tax system since 2003 has failed to maintain competitive balance. raccoongame.org

Players have vowed to fight the cap indefinitely. With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire December 1, management might impose a lockout that would halt free-agent signings and trades. Manfred noted that the luxury tax system was never intended as a revenue-generating device, and record payments in recent years show it's no longer effective as a competitive balance tool.