$100 million not enough?

[excessive]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb...198080479.html

‘A fight is brewing:’ Spring training boycott hinted at by one prominent MLB agent

BY RUSTIN DODD

rdodd@kcstar.com

February 02, 2018 01:08 PM

Updated 1 hour 17 minutes ago

One of baseball’s most prominent agents has suggested a possible spring training boycott in response to an offseason free-agent market beset by gridlock and depressed wages.

Brodie Van Wagenen, co-head of the baseball division at CAA Sports, released a lengthy and pointed statement on Friday morning, stating that “there is a rising tide among players for radical change. A fight is brewing.”

The statement, perhaps the most highly charged to date in an environment of growing player discontent, comes as dozens of top free agents remain unsigned just weeks before the start of spring training. The list of available free agents includes Royals stars Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, in addition to slugger J.D. Martinez, starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Jake Arrieta and closer Greg Holland.

Van Wagenen offered a harsh critique of Major League Baseball owners and warned of a potential backlash among players. He hinted at potential labor unrest not seen in the decades since the sport’s last work stoppage, a players’ strike that canceled the World Series in 1994.


“Bottom line, the players are upset,” said Van Wagenen, whose agency represents such stars as Robinson Cano, Yoenis Cespedes and Buster Posey. “No, they are outraged. Players in the midst of long-term contracts are as frustrated as those still seeking employment. Their voices are getting louder and they are uniting in a way not seen since 1994.”

Later Friday, MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark weighed in with his own statement.

“For decades free agency has been the cornerstone of baseball’s economic system and has benefited Players and the game alike,” Clark said. “Each time it has been attacked, Players, their representatives and the Association have united to defend it. That will never change.”

Players across baseball have become increasingly frustrated in recent weeks as the market has remained sluggish. Former Royals outfielder Lorenzo Cain signed a five-year, $80 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in late January, representing the largest expenditure of the offseason. First baseman Carlos Santana signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in December. Those deals have proven to be the exception.

“A boycott of Spring Training may be a starting point, if behavior doesn’t change,” Van Wagenen continued. “Players don’t receive their paychecks until the second week of April. Fine them? OK, for how much? Sue them? OK, they’ll see you in court two years from now. At what expense?”

The statement comes just a week after Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen told reporters in Los Angeles that “maybe we have to go on strike, to be honest with you.”

“That’s how I feel about it,” Jansen said, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Earlier this week, former Royal Brandon Moss appeared on MLB Network and said that players “have to be willing to dig your heels in a little bit, fight for the things that the guys in the past have fought for.”

For now, the voices of angered players have been simmering mostly below the surface, out of public view. Yet the debates over what has caused this winter’s slow market have continued. Some have pointed to baseball’s front offices, which are now largely run by data-driven executives who see the game through a cold, calculated lens. Others have pointed out that many of baseball’s largest spenders, such as the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox, have mostly sat out this offseason; the Dodgers and Yankees have stated their desire stay under a luxury tax kept in place in the latest collective-bargaining agreement.

In the process, the collective-bargaining agreement, negotiated last offseason, has become a lightning rod. In negotiations, players lobbied for such luxuries as extra meals and chefs in the clubhouse and additional days off. But caps on amateur spending, both in the draft and international, remained in place, as did the luxury tax system.

“We have incentivized owners and we have incentivized teams to say: ‘We don’t want to meet that price, it costs us too much,’” Moss said. “‘It costs us draft picks. It costs us international signing money. It costs us, all these different things. We’re going to have to pay a tax if we go over a certain threshold that (players) have set ourselves.’”

The market has also been affected by a league structure that has increasingly incentivized losing. The last three World Series champions — the Royals, Cubs and Astros — were built on the backs of losing seasons, high draft picks and systematic rebuilding plans. As the 2018 season approaches, nearly a third of the teams in baseball are emulating that approach and rebuilding, a process that generally includes shedding salary and selling off assets.

“I have six free agents with MLB service time whom are seeking (minor-league) deals,” agent Joshua Kusnick said Friday in a statement also released on Twitter. “These guys are not getting calls at all because everything at the top of the market is frozen. It really does trickle down to A-ball, and I have never dealt with anything like this in 15 years.”

For now, the gridlock continues, the staredown between labor and management threatening spring training and perhaps eventually the sport’s labor peace. Hosmer, a 28-year-old first baseman, is believed to have multiple offers worth more than $100 million, including one from the Royals, while Martinez, the consensus best hitter on the market, reportedly had a five-year, $100 million offer from the Boston Red Sox. In addition, Darvish has reportedly had heavy interest from multiple suitors. Yet all three have declined to accept those offers to this point.

In recent weeks, the evidence of discontent from players has continued to mount. The questions is whether a unified front can make a difference.

“I would suggest that testing the will of 1,200 alpha males at the pinnacle of their profession is not a good strategy for 30 men who are bound by a much smaller fraternity,” Van Wagenen wrote. “These 1,200 players have learned first-hand that battles are won through teamwork, and they understand that championships can’t be achieved by individuals. They are won by a group united by a singular focus. Victory at all costs. They are willing to sweat for it; they are willing to sacrifice for it; they are willing to cry for it; and most importantly, they are willing to bleed for it.”

Rustin Dodd: 816-234-4937, @rustindodd. Download True Blue, The Star’s free Royals app.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Huh? Allowing it? When wasn't it allowed?

There was a cry that defensive shifts were leading to boring baseball and that the MLB should step in and put a stop to it. They didn't. They could have easily done the same with expanding the strike zone. Unlike football, baseball isn't going to make a rule change just to appease the casual fan who only cares about offense.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

The nfl has parity? That's news to me.

It does....just because some teams are smarter with their money than others doesn't mean there isn't parity.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

MLB has way more parity if you actually pay attention.

Actually...I do pay attention. But your version of parity and mine must be different.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Do you have any idea what you're talking about?

Yes I do....the question is, do you?

Evidently not when you ask that question.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by tk13

The Chiefs play in a conference where 29 of the last 33 AFC titles have been won by a group of six teams. Six. The Patriots alone have been to almost half of the Super Bowls this century.

The other 10 teams have 4 conference titles in almost three and a half decades. If you're under 50 years old, you barely have any recollection of anything else except the Pats, Broncos, Steelers, etc.

Meanwhile, even with the financial limitations of baseball, 10 of the 15 American League teams have won a pennant since the year 2000. Baseball has way more parity.

I understand what you are saying....and I love it when the smaller market teams with more limited budgets blow away all the "spend as much money as you can" teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Braves, Rangers....etc

But let's not pretend that the best free agents ever consider anyone outside the large market teams.

Parity is everyone playing on the same level....same salary limits....same opportunities. To me that is parity.

What you illustrate above in the NFL really plays out to better coaching....

[Best22]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

I will never understand why there's so much resentment for players who make millions, knowing that when each player makes millions less, there are billionaire owners who make tens of millions more.

I'd rather pay the player.

He could be a trilliionaire for all I care. As long as I get my multi-million dollar contract, I'd be a fool to feel in any way ungrateful

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

It does....just because some teams are smarter with their money than others doesn't mean there isn't parity.

In the past 5 years, only 5 teams have been in the Super Bowl. Because NE, Seattle, Denver have been there multiple times.

Meanwhile in MLB, in the past 5 World Series, 9 teams have made it (only repeat was the Royals). That includes the Indians, Royals, Cubs, Astros, and Mets - 5 teams who were notoriously terrible for many years prior.

The problem I have with the salary cap is that it rewards mediocrity. The higher the cap, the more a QB becomes a liability. Same shit is happening in basketball. The max deal thing is a total ****ing joke because it's led to teams stockpiling superstars.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Best22

He could be a trilliionaire for all I care. As long as I get my multi-million dollar contract, I'd be a fool to feel in any way ungrateful

And the owners would be fools to think they can replace professional players with amateurs. It's the players who make the game, not the owners. Hell, many owners have no idea what the **** they're doing and they're still making a shitload of money. The players know how important they are. They are not getting paid market value and everyone knows it. As long as they're being undercut, they have a right to demand more. There has to be a balance where payrolls stay out of control. But think we've seen pretty consistently that the main reason most teams don't spend is because owners don't want to, not because they can't.

[tmax63]

Maybe the baseball owners are starting to figure out that signing good, not great, players to 7-8-10 year contracts for grotesque amounts of money expecting salary and cap inflation to make it a better deal in the long run is not good economics.
Agents always point to the worst deal a MLB club anywhere has signed and says "so and so got 8yr/150 so my guy is worth...".
Then they're pizzed when an owner says "that owner/gm was an idiot".
I'm thinking there was a lot of "they were idiots" being said this year.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

In the past 5 years, only 5 teams have been in the Super Bowl. Because NE, Seattle, Denver have been there multiple times.

Meanwhile in MLB, in the past 5 World Series, 9 teams have made it (only repeat was the Royals). That includes the Indians, Royals, Cubs, Astros, and Mets - 5 teams who were notoriously terrible for many years prior.

The problem I have with the salary cap is that it rewards mediocrity. The higher the cap, the more a QB becomes a liability. Same shit is happening in basketball. The max deal thing is a total ****ing joke because it's led to teams stockpiling superstars.

The NFL has parity at least on the NFC side while the AFC side has been dominated by the Pats because of Brady\Belichick.

I agree MLB has probably the best parity at least as far as different teams winning championships.

I don't know how you fix the NBA though because money doesn't really matter in the league. The only thing that matters is if you have one of the Top 5 players and if you don't you really don't have any chance. It has been that way forever though.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

Parity is everyone playing on the same level....same salary limits....same opportunities. To me that is parity.

Baseball doesn't have parity like football but its better than it was 20 years ago, Every team has money but as it always was, some teams still have a lot more money than most. It allows them to pay big contracts and just write them off if they go bad. Go sign someone else.

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

But let's not pretend that the best free agents ever consider anyone outside the large market teams.

Yep.

We have a great and long history of success. Attendance is over 3 million every year. We dont have LA or NY money but, we have a top ten payroll to get us close enough. We usually play the max on ESPN's Sunday night baseball. Yet, they end up going somewhere else. And its always a bigger market for relativity the same money.

there is a consensus forming among Cardinal fans that free agent players only want to play in big markets and build a "brand".

[GloucesterChief]

Verlander went to Houston and Houston is not considered a big market.

In baseball scouting and a GM that runs a really good farm system are the keys to winning.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

And the Hunts/ Chiefs did that in what? 3 ?

Days in baseball that are important to me. Opening day, Start of playoffs. If MLB only played 30 regular season games, I wouldn't care.

No clue what your point is. I simply pointed out Glass has pulled in 800M from his franchise. Why shouldn't his employees share some of the profits?

[nychief]

Originally Posted by GloucesterChief

Verlander went to Houston and Houston is not considered a big market.

In baseball scouting and a GM that runs a really good farm system are the keys to winning.

Houston is the 4th largest city in the US.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

The NFL has parity at least on the NFC side while the AFC side has been dominated by the Pats because of Brady\Belichick.

I agree MLB has probably the best parity at least as far as different teams winning championships.

I don't know how you fix the NBA though because money doesn't really matter in the league. The only thing that matters is if you have one of the Top 5 players and if you don't you really don't have any chance. It has been that way forever though.

It starts first by recognizing that if you have a really, really critical player like any NBA superstar or any QB, a team should be "punished" for having them. If you increase the salary cap, Tom Brady would be worth a hell of a lot more money in the open market which means other teams could decide that for one Tom Brady, you could get multiple superstars at other positions for the same price. That's what's totally broken about the NBA. If you sign Lebron or Curry, that should mean you struggle to sign any other superstar. The max contract and "Bird rights" shit is out of control.

Granted... a lot of this goes away if the NFL stops creating rules to coddle QBs and offense. But I don't think the salary cap creates as much parity as people think it does. It only makes QBs more important, which is bad for parity. You need some controls, but ultimately I think a strong spending floor and a luxury tax... maybe still some kind of cap does that for you.