Service time manipulation: Difference between revisions

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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 [[Major_League_Baseball_transactions#Free_agency_and_salary_arbitrationFree 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 187-day season. Players may either be active, meaning that they are eligible to play in games, or on the [[injured list]]. If a player is on the major league roster for 171 or fewer days, they do not earn a year of service time, and partial years cannot be combined.<ref name="cbssports-2021-03">{{cite news |last1=Perry |first1=Dayn |title=MLB service-time manipulation: Why longstanding baseball practice is a major issue in 2021 |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-service-time-manipulation-why-longstanding-baseball-practice-is-a-major-issue-in-2021/ |access-date=May 11, 2022 |work=CBS Sports |date=March 2, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> According to the 2022–2026 [[collective bargaining agreement]] (CBA), an MLB player earns service time in one-day increments, up to 172 days, equaling one year, per season.<ref>{{cite web |title=2022–2026 Basic Agreement |url=https://www.mlbplayers.com/_files/ugd/4d23dc_d6dfc2344d2042de973e37de62484da5.pdf |website=Major League Baseball Players Association |page=114 |date=March 10, 2022}}</ref> Six years of service time is a key metric for eligibility for free agency. Commentators have noted that the rules of service time create a [[perverse incentive]] for teams to avoid putting their best players on the major league roster for the entire season to save money and to retain control over their players for an extra season.<ref name="azpbs-2021-05">{{cite news |last1=Johnston |first1=James |title=Service time manipulation: Why MLB teams wait to call up prospects |url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2021/05/17/service-time-manipulation-debate-rages-as-mlb-teams-hold-off-on-bringing-up-top-prospects/ |access-date=May 11, 2022 |work=Cronkite News |date=May 17, 2021}}</ref>

After several high profile examples of service time manipulation had been alleged in the 2010s and 2020s, MLB's new [[collective bargaining agreement]]CBA to end the [[2021–22 Major League Baseball lockout|2021–22 lockout]] included provisions to increase service time eligibility. The winnertop andtwo firstfinishers runner-up for each league's [[Major League Baseballin Rookie of the Year Award|Rookievoting ofin theeach Yearleague Award]]are willautomatically receiveawarded ana extrafull year of service, timeregardless 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’sA'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==

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[[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]]. The Astros then demoted Springer to the minors for the season's first 14 games. A writer for CBS Sports described the move as service time manipulation and as a reprisal for rejecting the contract offer.<ref name="cbssports-2021-03" />

[[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 thirdBryant’s basetypical position on Opening Day.<ref name="“espn-2019-04”">[https://es.pn/2UTLyOt{{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?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> Many players were inspired by Bryant’s unsuccessful grievance to advocate for reform.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-19 |title=The end of service time manipulation? How Kris Bryant paved the way for the next Kris Bryant |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33761266/the-end-mlb-service-manipulation-how-kris-bryant-paved-way-next-kris-bryant |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

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>

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[[Category:Major League Baseball labor relations]]

[[Category:Major League Baseball controversies]]