SABR All-Time Eras Teams:
Free Agency Era (1973-2000)
Throughout the 2026 season, SABR members will have a chance to vote on SABR’s All-Time Eras Teams as we celebrate the 150 years of baseball and American history since the founding of the National League in 1876.
The All-Time Eras Teams project is an interactive opportunity for all SABR members to participate in, debate with one another, and learn more about the iconic players and figures from different eras.
- Voting period: August 21–September 7, 2026
- Zoom webinar: Wednesday, September 16, with a presentation by Daniel A. Gilbert of the University of Illinois
Each of the six All-Time Eras Team ballots will be released throughout the baseball season. SABR members will be able to vote for players at every position on the diamond, as well as the top manager and executive from that era.
Each ballot period will culminate with a virtual Zoom webinar which includes a presentation covering that era of American history prior to the unveiling of the team chosen by our members. Zoom links will be sent out to all SABR members on the morning of each webinar.
Get an All-Time Eras Teams baseball card set!
Sign up as a new annual member during SABR’s All-Time Eras Teams membership drive using the code AllEras15 and you’ll receive an exclusive baseball card set of players across our All-Time Eras Teams, as well as a one-year membership discount! Join between April 7 and May 13 to qualify and save $15 off the cost of a one-year membership. Click here to learn more.
Current SABR members who refer two new members by May 13 will also receive an exclusive baseball card set featuring players selected to our All-Time Eras Teams! New members must use the discount code AllEras15 to qualify for this promotion.
If you have any questions about signing up for a new SABR membership, please email Jessica Smyth.
More about the Free Agency Era (1973-2000)
In 1973, after four years of experimentation in the minor leagues, the American League agreed to a three-year trial of the designated hitter. After the experiment increased offense and attendance, the AL decided to make the rule permanent. For the next fifty years, the two leagues played by a different set of rules, including in the postseason. The National League adopted the DH rule beginning in the 2022 season.
But the game’s biggest change occurred off the field two years later, when pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally played the 1975 season without signing their contracts. The MLB Players Association filed a grievance with baseball’s arbitrator, Peter Seitz, claiming that the standard reserve clause no longer bound the two players to their previous clubs. In December, Seitz upheld their grievances, making them free agents. The next collective bargaining agreement between players and owners codified a procedure for free agency for the first time, up-ending a century of total team control over player contracts.
Performance-enhancing drugs became a hot topic during this era, affecting the legacies of stars such as Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, and Roger Clemens, and leading to Congressional hearings and mandatory drug testing for players in the twenty-first century.
The 1990s ushered in a new generation of ballparks for major league teams. After several decades of multi-purpose stadiums, many of them suburban, with artificial surfaces and enclosed roofs, the opening of Baltimore’s Camden Yards in 1992 brought forth a new era in ballpark design. The park was designed by HOK, with key contributions by Janet Marie Smith, then the Orioles’ Vice President of Planning and Development. Many retro parks have followed, but few have matched the timeless brilliance of Camden Yards.
Further Reading
