Junior Caminero Shines for the Tampa Bay Rays in MLB Playoffs

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Junior Cabanero’s Star Power Fuels Debate Over Baseball’s Future

Junior Cabanero should win AL MVP, although Jordan Alvarez is likely to take the honor after essentially producing a Triple Crown season. Even so, Cabanero is one of the most electric players in baseball.

His home run in Game 6 of the ALCS, which essentially clinched the series, showed the energy fans want to see. He threw the bat, pounded his chest, yelled and celebrated with teammates as they stormed out of the dugout. Reaching the World Series and playing on national television gives more viewers an opportunity to discover him and helps build his stardom.

The concern is whether Cabanero will remain with the Rays. The organization has had All-Star players scattered across baseball after previously wearing its jersey, largely because it does not want to spend enough to retain them. The same issue could affect current players when they become free agents.

This creates a broader problem for baseball. The best two teams may meet in the World Series, but they might not be able to keep their players and return for another championship matchup. When teams cannot retain stars, it becomes harder to keep fans invested in those organizations.

A lockout and a salary floor were raised as possible parts of addressing the problem. Rather than preventing a lockout, the success of teams such as the Brewers and Rays could make one more likely by highlighting the financial divide and the difficulty some clubs face in keeping their players.