Reserve clause

[bosunmate]

I play mainly Historical from 1977 to present do i use reserve clause and what does it mean exactly...Thanks in advance

[Carplos]

Reserve clause ended in 1976, so starting in 77 you're good without it.

[ashantewarrier]

Originally Posted by bosunmate

I play mainly Historical from 1977 to present do i use reserve clause and what does it mean exactly...Thanks in advance

The reserve clause was basically when a players contract expired (usually one-year deals), that player was retained or "reserved" by the team in which he had been signed. Basically this meant that after a player fulfilled his obligation to his team he was not allowed to enter into a contract with another. The only option a player had was asked to be traded or released from his team.

The Reserve Clause was created in 1879 by National League owners to prevent escalation of player salaries, benefiting the owners. At first teams "reserved" the five best players from their respective teams but eventually the reserve list expanded to all players in the league. The Reserve Clause ended in 1975 after MLB & Curt Flood fought for years in the legal system and after Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith played through the 1975 season without a signed contract. Once they went to binding arbitration that ruled the clause extended for only one season and not into perpetuity as what happened before , the Reserve Clause ended.

For more on the Reserve Clause:
Reserve clause - BR Bullpen


Note: OOTP12 Reserve Clause system is not exactly how it worked in reality, but it's a start! I'm ecstatic that it finally has been added to the financials model. Great for us historical

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by ashantewarrier

The Reserve Clause ended in 1975 after MLB & Curt Flood fought for years in the legal system and after Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith played through the 1975 season without a signed contract.

Well, technically the reserve clause is still around. But it's limited to those players with less than six years of major league service. Once a player has reached six years of MLS, he can opt for free agency when his contract expires. (And arbitration applies to players with three or more years of MLS so their salaries are not entirely at the whim of the club from that point on. The reserve clause also applies to minor league players for the first seven seasons with the organization which originally signed them.)

[ashantewarrier]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Well, technically the reserve clause is still around. But it's limited to those players with less than six years of major league service. Once a player has reached six years of MLS, he can opt for free agency when his contract expires. (And arbitration applies to players with three or more years of MLS so their salaries are not entirely at the whim of the club from that point on. The reserve clause also applies to minor league players for the first seven seasons with the organization which originally signed them.)

Yes, you're on point as always LGO. I failed to mention that the "Reserve Clause" is still around as it pertains to players with less than six years of major league service and minor league players.

[PyroFalkon]

This is totally off-topic, but ashantewarrier, this is the first post I've seen of yours, and I've got to say that I love that Jackie Robinson quote. That's got to be one of my newest favorite lines of all time.

[David Ball]

What really gives the baseball labor market its special quality is the combination of a talent pool the vast majority of whose members are bound by the reserve rule, together with the presence of a relative handful of generally high-profile free agents.

Everybody needs talent constantly; a little of it is always available, but only a little; and the pressure to acquire it is intense.

[Biggio509]

Originally Posted by ashantewarrier

Yes, you're on point as always LGO. I failed to mention that the "Reserve Clause" is still around as it pertains to players with less than six years of major league service and minor league players.

The other part of the reserve clause that is still around is that teams can't negotiate with players while they are under contract. In the days of the NA and early NL players could jump ship and go to the highest bidder in the middle of the season. I believe it was Davey Force who did this with Chicago (modern day Cubs). It is my understanding this part of the reason the NL began the reserve clause. The reserve clause still applies to the entire roster during the season and even to potential free agents before their contract is up. Hence you still have short period of time between contract expiration and before other teams can negotiate with a new free agent.

Could you imagine the circus around Pujols this off season if teams could have approached him with pre-contract deals and competed with the Cardinals for his next deal in the last year of his current one like European football clubs can? In some ways I am not sure if it would not have helped the Cards if Pujols knew his real market value. It could helped them a lot if no team is willing to pay what Pujols was demanding.