Wouldn’t it be interesting if player had to pick the length of their next contract when they file for free agency?
They would have to pick the exact number of years and then stick to it.
It would reduce the free agency negotiations to just haggling over dollars, rather than the (sometimes) never-ending going back and forth over dollars AND years.
The mlbpa would never go for it but it is interesting to imagine.
So you might have someone like Snell designate that he is filing for a 5 year deal. Or JD Martinez files for a one year deal.
Heck, they could even have a freaking auction live on TV. “Next up, we have Blake Snell for five years. Opening bid is obviously mlb minimum. We have $70m, now $74m, we have $100m from the Mets, now $102 from the Yankees. . . .” That would be fun to watch.
What is the point of talking about things that would never happen? I don’t know, I’m bored.