Quote:
Originally Posted by Amazin69
(How did the Mariners get Tartabull, anyway? All I can find is "compensation", but the Reds didn't sign any FAs from them. Huh.)
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In the 80s, the teams were trying out different ways to compensate for free agent signings (collectively bargaining with the union, of course). One of the things they tried was that every team would contribute players to a compensation pool, and teams would select from that pool if they lost a free agent. It didn't have to be from the team that signed the FA, it could have been anyone in the pool.
That idea died a premature death when Gussie Busch (I believe) realised he was losing players without even signing free agents. Pretty sure the fact that Steinbrenner was signing FAs and teams were selecting Cardinals as compensation made it even more galling.