MidValleySports.Com

By Matt Khitikian

Deferred money and back-loaded contracts, the root of all MLB evil. The downfall of the game as we know it. Only the ultra-rich (cheaters?) teams would employ such underhanded tactics to exploit the system.

Yesterday, the Padres signed Nick Pivetta to a 4-year deal worth $55 million and player opt-outs after the 2nd and 3rd years but…he’s only earning $4 million this year ($3 million signing bonus and $1 million salary). The big money comes later with guarantees of $19 million, $14 million and $18 million. While not a deferral in the Ohtani, Bobby Bonilla or Goose Gossage-sense (yes, the Padres were signing players with deferred money-contracts back in 1984), the Padres back-loaded this deal in order to remain under MLB’s second-tier of the luxury tax in 2025. Currently, the Padres are projected to pay just over $3million in taxes for the upcoming season (and could lower that number or even drop a tier if other transactions take place, such as trading Michael King or Dylan Cease).

But if the Padres truly covet Pivetta, why not just give him $55 million up front, or at least the contract’s AAV of $13.75 million? Why backload the deal? Could the Padres be working within the CBA in order to maximize their dollars? Could they be doing what other teams, including the new Evil Empire (i.e. Los Angeles Dodgers) and every other MLB team is doing?

Shame, shame I say! How dare the Padres do what’s best for their franchise! The same MLB fans who are outraged at the Dodgers must be lining up in front of Petco park with picket signs and calling for owner John Seidler’s head.

But wait. What’s that noise?

Crickets? Yup.

The season over…Get  your football fix with Joe Torosian’s “Game Day in The RamCave.” (Click Pic)

Nobody’s complaining about this signing, the unfairness of pushing salary down the line, or any of the other nonsense spewed forth all offseason as the Dodgers signed player after player. But let’s remember, the Dodgers are cheating the system and none of the 31 other teams has a snowball’s chance of winning the World Series.

Right?

Surely, the only thing that can save MLB is a salary cap. Robust farm system? Who needs it? Savvy scouting? Meh. Player development? Just snort derisively and move on. A salary cap will fix all of MLB’s woes, level the playing field and ensure competitive balance year after year, with no team possibly able to dominate/create a dynasty.

Ahem. Anyone heard of the NFL? Perhaps, the New England Patriots from 2001-2019? Nine Super Bowl appearances, six Super Bowl wins, myriad records broken. Much love from the greater New England area and much angst across the rest of the country as the Patriots flat-out dominated the NFL for the better part of two decades.

Yeah, the salary cap sure did wonders there. Imagine what it’ll do for MLB.