Why is there salary arbitration in the MLB?

Question

IMO, the players make enough money as it is. Plus, it causes some teams to keep players in the minors for too long in order to prevent starting the "arbitration clock." I think it does more harm than good.

Answer 1

This is one of the many complicated issues that was hammered out in the early days of free agency. In the old days with the reserve clause, an owner could bind a player to a team for life and treat him like an indentured servant and pay him as little or as much as he pleased. Players were forced to play hurt and often had their careers ruined by greedy owners and G.M.'s. After free agency and salaries started to rise the owners got very nervous and it was they who insisted on some sort of arbitration system which in turn they blew up by offering huge contracts to players like Albert Belle who got millions of dollars and never panned out but his contract (and A-Rod's and others like it) throw the whole system out of whack. The owners get what they deserve.  

Answer 2

This is one of the Marvin Miller's strokes of genius. It was put in place during one of the strikes in the 70s. At the time the owners thought it was a good thing, but the players (and especially Miller) knew it was to their advantage, and has been one of the driving forces in the steady increase in baseball salaries. Similar effect to Miller getting the players to realize that they shouldn't all become free agents at once, because there would be too much competition between players for jobs...but if say 1/10 players became free agents each year, there would be more competition between the teams and they would offer more money.

Given the conditions the players had to put up with 100 years before Marvin Miller arrived, I don't begrudge them their money one bit. If you think they make too much - stop attending games, stop watching on tv, and stop buying merchandise. All the money comes from the fans, it's not the players fault for wanting their fair share. If less money goes in, less money gets paid...just ask the hockey players.