Former Arizona State baseball coach Pat Murphy has done the unthinkable: as the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, they slayed Goliath and swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, thus taking them to their first World Series appearance since 1982. That is a 44-year wait. As columnist Dan Bickley argued at Arizona Sports, the stakes reach far beyond Milwaukee.
His point is simple. A Brewers pennant would undercut the push for a hard salary cap, and the cap fight is what threatens a lockout. That matters in Arizona, where the Cactus League produced $495.8 million in GDP last spring, according to an ASU study.
The Cap Argument Gets Harder
Owners have pushed for a first-ever salary cap. Sportico reported a proposed ceiling of $245 million and a floor of $171 million. The core claim is that small markets cannot compete.
Yet Milwaukee won 103 games this season, and they beat the two-time defending champions in October. Moreover, between Cleveland and Tampa Bay a small-market team is going to make it to the World Series from the American League. It is hard to argue the system is beyond repair when a small market keeps winning.
Of course, one pennant does not settle a labor fight. Owners will call Milwaukee the exception. Still, the optics would be tough. Nobody wants to hear baseball must shut down so teams like the Brewers can reach the World Series.
Why Arizona Has So Much to Lose
The current collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, and many expect a lockout. The last one ran 99 days and ended in March 2022. A repeat could push into spring training.
In fact, Arizona is uniquely exposed. The Cactus League spreads across 15 teams and 10 Valley stadiums. Its record $806.9 million in total economic activity does not rest on a single corporation. Hotels, restaurants, vendors, and workers all feel a canceled March.
Meanwhile, Arizona is effectively a business partner of both MLB and the players union. As Bickley noted, the state deserves respect in these talks. Spring training should not become a bargaining chip.
The Murph Factor
Pat Murphy built a powerhouse at Arizona State. He was combative, controversial, and beloved by most of his players, and the NCAA hit him with sanctions. He became a full-time big-league manager at 65 and promptly won back-to-back NL Manager of the Year awards.
Now he is headed to the World Series. Arizona has its share of sports legends. Murphy may be about to add something bigger than another trophy. He may help protect a spring tradition, and the Valley economy that comes with it.
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