Spring training is underway as big name free agents remain unsigned

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Keith Allison via Flickr, cc

OF Bryce Harper and 3B/SS Manny Machado

Following the Red Sox World Series victory, all eyes shifted to the loaded free agent market. Big names such as Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Craig Kimbrel, Dallas Keuchel headed the free agent class, and everyone wanted to know where they would go.

Now, spring training is underway in Florida and Arizona, but those big names have yet to find a home.

Why? There are multiple reasons.

Players know their value. They and their agents know what their worth is, and they will not accept anything less. At the beginning of the off-season, the Washington Nationals offered star outfielder Bryce Harper a 10-year, $300-million contract. With agent Scott Boras, that offer was declined. Harper and Boras believe that he can make more money over a longer period of time. Harper said that he wants to break the highest overall salary record set by Giancarlo Stanton, who signed a 13-year, $325-million contract.

Another reason is caution. Harper and Machado are both 26 years old and want long term contracts. MLB teams are cautious about this now following some major busts in the past. Players like Harper and Machado want contracts that are nine to 11 years long. By the end of that contract, they would be in their mid-to-late 30s and on the decline of their career. Teams want to give these players shorter contracts so that they do not have former stars eating their money at the end of their contracts.

The other major reason is tanking. Tanking is an ongoing issue for teams and something the MLB is trying to stop. There are multiple teams, such as the Orioles and Marlins, who have traded away their stars and are building for the future. As this could be a decent method, it is hurting the league in multiple ways. The players they trade are filling holes on competing teams which takes away from free agent opportunities. They also get poor attendance, which hurts major league baseball.

There are many problems to fix and little time to do it. Opening Day is March 28 and certain players will not sign unless they get what they want.