Where is Curt Flood? Is MLB’s new draft bonus system legal?

Baseball America has posted its 2012 list of Yankee draft picks, and – gosh darn it, you know me – I got confused.

I thought the top picks were signed, because they had amounts ascribed to their names. Usually, that’s how it works. A guy signs for $1 million, and they put that number beside his name.

Not anymore. This year, the numbers are already there. MLB – which is run by the richest, whitest and cheapest billionaires on this planet – has instituted a new system that requires teams not to compete when it comes to paying for talent.

For owners, it’s a dream come true. Long ago, MLB eliminated most of the bidding for young talent via the draft. That way, the worst – and poorest teams – had access to the best young players. If you came in last for a decade, like the Tampa Rays did, eventually you had a team of BJ Uptons and Evan Longorias. A true American success story!

Unfortunately, some teams were offering too much money for players, who dropped to the lower rounds, due to “signability” issues. So, gadammit, the owners just showed who’s boss. They’ll pay what they want to pay and no more – because now it’s illegal: It’s all capped.

What a cool system. This is like me wanting to hire a plumber. I call him up and say: Guess what, Curly, I drafted you, so you have to work for me, but I can only pay $5 an hour, because that’s the rule. And Curly says, “Shoot, Mr. Seely, I’m proud to have the chance to bend over under your sink.”

Where else in capitalism do people get to do this?

OK, I know what you’re thinking: The money these players get is a scandal. I’m glad it’s coming down. And you’re right. But unfortunately, instead of it going to the kids, it will now make the billionaires into trillionaires.

Is it legal? Can’t somebody sue? Who bargained on behalf of the high school athletes of America? Who decided there cannot be free market capitalism on MLB contracts?

Obviously, we know the answer: Baseball is exempted from trust law. It doesn't have to play by the rules. Also, the owners’ lawyers said it’s OK. (They always do.) The press doesn’t question it. Remember collusion? Remember arbitration? Remember how they backfired?

Somebody’s going to sue over this. They’ll probably get blackballed. Curt Flood did. But they’ll win in the end.