I was thinking about this. How players can go throught arbitration to get a higher salary based on other in the league with similar numbers. Why cant owners do this to lower salary, make it work both ways. Maybe make a rule that once a player tried arbitration the owners can arbitrate them later. There needs to be something to keep players from going through arbitration with just nothing to loose at all.

They do. Burnett had to accept a 12.5% cut in pay. It doesn't happen often. The idea is that as long as the player is having a decent year you reward them, even if they may be living off a breakout 25-HR campaign from years ago. It's stupid, but without other bidders to confirm the paycut, it would look like the club is not negotiating in good faith.