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{{short description|Major League Baseball executive tactics}}
In [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), '''service time manipulation''' refers to tactics that baseball team executives employ to prevent players from becoming eligible for [[Free agency (Major League Baseball)|free agency and salary arbitration]]. It typically takes the form of demoting a player from the major league to the [[Minor League Baseball|minor leagues]] for 16 days or more for reasons unrelated to their performance.
==Service time==
For purposes of salary arbitration and free agency, a player acquires a year of service time if the player remains on the major league roster for at least 172 days of a typical
After several high profile examples of service time manipulation had been alleged in the 2010s and 2020s, MLB's new CBA to end the [[2021–22 Major League Baseball lockout|2021–22 lockout]] included provisions to increase service time eligibility. The top two finishers in Rookie of the Year voting in each league are automatically awarded a full year of service, regardless of how much they actually accrued that year. Teams will receive [[Major_League_Baseball_draft#Compensatory_picks|extra draft picks as compensation]] for promoting young players to their Opening Day roster who later finish in the top 3 in the Rookie of the Year voting or in the top 5 in [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] or [[Cy Young Award]] voting.<ref name="athleticsnation-2022-03">{{cite news |title=The new CBA: Some small wins for the MLBPA and a big win for the A's |url=https://www.athleticsnation.com/2022/3/11/22972345/mlb-collective-bargaining-agreement-details-oakland-as-salary-payroll |access-date=May 11, 2022 |work=Athletics Nation |date=March 11, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
==Examples==
[[George Springer]], prior to his major-league debut in the [[2014 Major League Baseball season|2014 season]], had turned down a seven-year, $23 million contract offer from the [[Houston Astros]].
[[Kris Bryant]], prior to the [[2015 Chicago Cubs season]], was assigned to the Cubs' [[Triple-A (baseball)|AAA]] affiliate to work on his defense, despite putting up impressive offensive numbers in the minor leagues. The Cubs started [[Mike Olt]], who had a .159 career batting average, at Bryant’s typical position on Opening Day.<ref name="“espn-2019-04”">{{Cite web |date=2019-04-16 |title=What you need to know about service-time practices in MLB |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26514863/what-need-know-service-practices-mlb |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Seven games into the major league season, the Cubs promoted Bryant, who remained on the roster for the remaining 171 days of the season. This made Bryant ineligible to earn a year of service time.<ref name="cbssports-2021-03" /> Bryant filed a grievance against the Cubs, but an arbitrator ruled that the [[Major League Baseball Players Association]] (MLBPA) did not prove that the Cubs manipulated Bryant's service time.<ref name="ap-2020-02">{{cite news |last1=Blum |first1=Ronald |title=Arbitrator rules union didn't prove Bryant case vs Cubs |url=https://apnews.com/article/mlb-baseball-free-agency-sports-general-kris-bryant-6c03d827f90dbd48fc336e7f4f4eccbd
In a recorded address to a [[Rotary Club]] chapter in [[Bellevue, Washington]] on February 5, 2021, [[Seattle Mariners]] president [[Kevin Mather]] openly cited service time reasons for not calling up top prospects to the majors in the [[2020 Seattle Mariners season|previous season]]. After journalists criticized Mather’s statements, Mather apologized. The MLBPA called Mather's comments "offensive".<ref name="cbssports-2021-02">{{cite news |last1=Axisa |first1=Mike |last2=Anderson |first2=R. J. |title=Mariners president Kevin Mather admits team manipulates service time and criticizes player's English in video |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mariners-president-kevin-mather-admits-team-manipulates-service-time-and-criticizes-players-english-in-video/ |access-date=May 11, 2022 |work=CBS Sports |date=February 22, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Mather resigned as Mariners president the day after his remarks were criticized in the press.<ref name="espn-2021-02">{{cite news |title=Mariners president/CEO resigns after comments |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30946443/seattle-mariners-president-ceo-kevin-mather-resigns-comments |access-date=May 11, 2022 |work=ESPN.com |date=February 22, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://www.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/service-time Service time definition] at MLB.com
[[Category:Major League Baseball labor relations]]
▲[[Kris Bryant]], prior to the [[2015 Chicago Cubs season]], was assigned to the Cubs' [[Triple-A (baseball)|AAA]] affiliate to work on his defense, despite putting up impressive offensive numbers in the minor leagues. Seven games into the major league season, the Cubs promoted Bryant, who remained on the roster for the remaining 171 days of the season. This made Bryant ineligible to earn a year of service time.<ref name="cbssports-2021-03" /> Bryant filed a grievance against the Cubs, but an arbitrator ruled that the [[Major League Baseball Players Association]] (MLBPA) did not prove that the Cubs manipulated Bryant's service time.<ref name="ap-2020-02">{{cite news |last1=Blum |first1=Ronald |title=Arbitrator rules union didn't prove Bryant case vs Cubs |url=https://apnews.com/article/mlb-baseball-free-agency-sports-general-kris-bryant-6c03d827f90dbd48fc336e7f4f4eccbd?utm_medium=AP_Sports&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow |access-date=May 11, 2022 |work=Associated Press |date=February 4, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
[[Category:Major League Baseball controversies]]
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