The Possible End of Deferred Contracts

[I’m sure some greedy owners will find something new and dumb to amuse us.] Today is once again Bobby Bonilla Day, the day when retired Major Leaguer Bobby Bonilla gets $1.19 million dollars from the New York Mets. That happens despite Bonilla last playing for the team in 1999, and retiring from baseball altogether in 2001. Such is the ridiculousness of deferred contracts, which will also see the Dodgers paying Shohei Ohtani $68 million a year from 2034 to 2043. It appears the tactic may not be long for this world, though, as team owners are now seeking to ban it. [I]f owners get this into the next labor deal, all new pacts beginning in 2027 would not allow deferred money. Management sees this bid, fundamentally tied to its push for a salary cap, as another tool to help level the sport’s economic playing field. Even if they do successfully ban future contracts from having deferred money, it won’t impact existing deals. That means we’ve still got nine more Bobby Bonilla Days to enjoy…