Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner may support a salary cap proposal tied to payroll minimum

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner may support a salary cap proposal as long as it contains a provision mandating minimum payrolls.

“I have been on the record already saying that I would consider supporting a cap depending on what the cap is and contingent on the fact that there’s also a floor so the clubs that I feel aren’t spending enough money on payroll to improve their team would have to spend more,” Steinbrenner said.

The Yankees had Major League Baseball’s highest payroll for 15 straight years through 2013 but have not been the biggest spender since then.

MLB is the only one of the four major U.S. professional leagues without a salary cap but has had a luxury tax in place since 2003.

New Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein said in January he would support a cap. Bargaining will begin in about a year for an agreement to replace the five-year collective bargaining agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association that expires in December 2026.

“In the last round of bargaining, we presented ways to address the concern being represented now and we were stonewalled at each turn — and all without further restrictions on the system,” players’ association head Tony Clark said in a statement.

A cap proposal led to a 7 1/2-month strike that caused cancellation of the 1994 World Series and lost games in two seasons.

“I have owners who have really strongly held views that I need to coalesce into a position that we ultimately will take to the MLBPA,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said this week. “I don’t think starting that debate publicly is a good start. Whatever we settle on, we’re going to present at the collective bargaining process and try to handle it privately with the MLBPA.”

The Yankees have paid luxury tax in 20 of 22 seasons since the current tax was put in place, a total of $452 million. The Dodgers are second at $350 million, including $200 million in the last four years.

The Mets have paid $229 million in the last three years under Steve Cohen after never reaching the threshold under the Wilpon and Katz families.

Steinbrenner defended the Yankees’ spending, saying the team projects its payroll at about $307 million, about the same as at this point last year.

Spending by the Dodgers and Mets in recent years had led to renewed discussion of payroll disparity and a possible cap proposal.

“The dollars are obviously bigger,” Manfred said. “The Dodgers whatever they spend are probably more profitable on a percentage basis than the old Yankees were, meaning it could be more sustainable, so it is more of a problem. But look, it is the core of the issues in our economic system is that disparity-driven difference in terms of the ability to compete.”

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