Law Commons^™

Arbitration And Salary Inflation In Major League Baseball, Deborah R. Swank

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Major league baseball has undergone significant changes since its inception over a century ago.2 While the game itself remains basically the same, the system governing management and player relations is hardly the same as it was even twenty years ago.' In years past, team owners exercised absolute authority over terms of players' employment including player mobility and salary levels. 4 Under this system, players essentially had no voice in salary determinations and players were contractually restricted from signing with another team.5 Players were forced either to accept the terms as offered by management or to quit the game altogether.6