Chipper Jones

Major League Baseball’s players and owners announced a new labor agreement at a press conference Tuesday.

Some of the changes are rather drastic. For instance, teams that spend over slot in the Amateur Draft by more than five percent will now be hit with a 75 percent tax. Teams that go over slot by 5-10 percent will face a 75 percent tax and the loss of a first-round pick. Teams that go over slot by 10-15 percent face a 100 percent and the loss of a first- and second-round pick. And teams that spend over slot by 15 percent or more will face a 100 percent tax and the loss of two first rounders. Also, drafted players can no longer sign major league deals and there will be a cap on the amount that organizations can spend on the international market. HGH testing will go through a trial phase this spring and the Elias rankings system for free agents has been eliminated. The Astros will move to the AL West in 2013 and a new playoff structure that includes two more Wild Card teams could be implemented in 2012. Instant replay now includes fair or foul calls and “trapped ball” plays.

Mark Cuban isn’t interested in buying the Braves should they be put for sale, he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an email Saturday.

“I like franchises that need a lot of help,” Cuban wrote. “The Braves have a great franchise.” There’s been much speculation that Liberty Media will put the Braves up for sale at some point within the next year or two, and Cuban is obviously interested in buying a baseball team. Still, there’s no reason to doubt his word here.

According to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, a new labor agreement has been officially agreed upon.

Full details of the new CBA will be announced Monday. The expectation is that hard slotting for the amateur draft will not be implemented, but that some form of an overall draft spending cap might be enforced on teams beginning next June. There will also be significant changes to free agent compensation, with some reports saying that Type B statuses could be completely thrown out. We’ll have to wait until Monday to sort it all out.