Baseball’s problems with a Japanese-backed offer for...

Baseball’s problems with a Japanese-backed offer for the Seattle Mariners were not resolved when spring meetings ended in Rosemont, Ill., but owners passed a significant restriction on the bargaining power of high school players.

While the Mariner matter was put off, owners approved a change that will eliminate the ability of high school draft picks to use college baseball as a lever in negotiations.

Under the new rule, if a high school player is drafted, then enters college, teams will retain the player’s rights until he leaves college and for one additional year. Clubs have rights to their draft picks for one year.

Commissioner Fay Vincent said the change was made to ensure that players would not be pressured to sign out of high school and forgo college. However, the practical effect is to eliminate the threat of college as a bargaining chip.