BillCoby

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The agent asked how competitive balance is enhanced when teams: *Are not penalized for spending under a certain payroll threshold the way they are for spending above one. *Do not always reinvest revenue-sharing money in their own clubs (a concern echoed by some high-revenue owners). *Are incentivized to seek the highest possible draft positions and most pool money. *Gain draft picks for losing elite free agents, regardless of market size or revenues.

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Other ideas suggested by agents for changing draft-pick compensation include: *Allowing clubs that lose an elite free agent to gain a supplemental pick without the signing club losing a top selection. *Penalizing a club that signs such a player with the loss of a second- or third-round pick rather than a first rounder.

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One agency conducted a study of the 2016 Article XX(B) free agents -- players who qualify for free agency by attaining six or more years of major-league service. The study excluded 17 players who might have distorted the analysis - players who retired, who would be injured for all of '16, who signed in Japan or who were being paid under a previous contract. The study found that: *More than 50 percent of all free agents (54 percent) took a paycut in 2016 from their 2015 salaries. *Over half of the 2016 free agents signed for less than $3 million annually, which was the average salary seven years ago, in 2009 ($2,996,106). Additionally, 44 percent of last winter's free agents signed for less than $2 million. *As of Opening Day, 10 percent of the free agents were unsigned, as opposed to 5 percent last year.In addition, the study noted that the overall median salary decreased from $1.65 million to $1.5 million, as reported by The Associated Press.

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Any downward movement in the market also reflects a growing preference by teams for younger talent, as well as an increasing number of players who sign club-friendly contract extensions rather than wait for free agency.

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