Union behind Yanks in Sabathia pursuit?

[TheNamelessPoet]

CC Sabathia | Brewers
The New York Daily News is reporting that the MLB Players Association may be pressuring free agent lefty CC Sabathia to take the reportedly record-setting deal offered to him by the Yankees. As one of the most sought-after free agents on the market, Sabathia's contract would help set that market. There is speculation that he is being pressured to take the Yankees' offer because New York has made the largest bid.

big supprise... this is why i hate the MLBPA. and this is from a guy who is Pro-union... the MLBPA union is a JOKE!!!

[Pavelb1]

My reasoning is for their anti-drug testing approach.

[TheNamelessPoet]

My reasoning is for their anti-drug testing approach.

I see them backing off that in 3-4 years... I think they want to get everyone who is/was on the juice off it. I mean they HAVE to know it makes them look bad NOT having testing

[kenny1234]

big supprise... this is why i hate the MLBPA. and this is from a guy who is Pro-union... the MLBPA union is a JOKE!!!

Why is the MLBPA a joke? The contract that Sabathia signs will affect a whole bunch of other contracts - so it is in the best interests of the membership as a group if Sabathia signs for maximum dollars. And the best interests of the group should be the goal of the MLBPA. Anyway, the MLBPA doesn't have any way to actually force Sabathia to sign any contract - so what they want is somewhat irrelevant.

People seem to hate people/organizations that are just doing their job (ie. all the threads about Boras). The MLBPA has a mandate to try to make all the players better off - if getting Sabathia to sign with the Yankees has that effect then they wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't encourage him to do that.

[Mike67]

I remember when Greg Maddux took a lower contract from Atlanta compared to what the Yankees offered, the MLBPA got upset with Maddux.. Basically because he didn't just take the money..

[HoustonGM]

Read this article.

[ohms_law]

Why is the MLBPA a joke? The contract that Sabathia signs will affect a whole bunch of other contracts - so it is in the best interests of the membership as a group if Sabathia signs for maximum dollars. And the best interests of the group should be the goal of the MLBPA. Anyway, the MLBPA doesn't have any way to actually force Sabathia to sign any contract - so what they want is somewhat irrelevant.

People seem to hate people/organizations that are just doing their job (ie. all the threads about Boras). The MLBPA has a mandate to try to make all the players better off - if getting Sabathia to sign with the Yankees has that effect then they wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't encourage him to do that.

Yea, agreed.

I remember when Greg Maddux took a lower contract from Atlanta compared to what the Yankees offered, the MLBPA got upset with Maddux.. Basically because he didn't just take the money..

So what?

[TheNamelessPoet]

excelet piece Houston

Their job is to protect the players and their freedom and not the salary bar. The organization has forgotten this, and it’s the players who will pay (and are paying) the price. It’s time for the MLBPA to get back to protecting the players. If the game is enjoying high revenues, the player marketplace is free and open and the union is solidly united, then salaries will continue to enjoy healthy increase.

and as all unions do... they got to powerfull and too gready

[kenny1234]

and as all unions do... they got to powerfull and too gready

What makes the MLBPA powerful? What possible tool do they have for getting Sabathia to do anything? If Sabathia comes out and signs with the Brewers for a lot less than the Yankees offered - nothing bad will happen to him.

And too greedy? Do you mean that the players are greedy? Or that the union is too focused on getting top dollar for the players? I don't really understand what you mean by greedy in this context.

I am not hugely pro-union myself - but the MLBPA is barely a union. I wouldn't call them powerful in any sense of the word. All they have done is point out that the contract that Sabathia signs affects the rest of the membership - in particular the dollar amount affects the bargaining position of other players. That is barely news - and not a sign of an all-powerful union.

[flapper]

Read this article.

Good article.

Here is the thing. If the player is all about the money, then by all means lets the Yankees overbid. Most players after getting the big bucks from the yankees lately seem like they tank.

If CC is not about the money he most likely go back to the Brewers. If the Brewers offered 5 yr 100 mill what does the MLBPA have to be upset about?

[TheNamelessPoet]

The union is gready because they are trying to push players to take cash over anyhitng... ALWAYS take the top offer.

and how can you say they are not too powerful when they flat out saod NO we are not allowing PED's testing until the government stepped in???

[kenny1234]

The union is gready because they are trying to push players to take cash over anyhitng... ALWAYS take the top offer.

and how can you say they are not too powerful when they flat out saod NO we are not allowing PED's testing until the government stepped in???

As long as the dollar amounts are all that affects the other players - then the union should encourage players to sign larger contracts. That doesn't mean the player has to listen.

And for PED testing - the PA acts on behalf of the players. My guess is that the PA saw little to no benefits for the players of enacting a drug testing regime. I personally disagree with that stance - but it isn't entirely unreasonable. Also, the PA may have seen the PED testing issue as a bargaining chip that wasn't worth giving up without getting something in return.

[dickay]

Why is the MLBPA a joke? The contract that Sabathia signs will affect a whole bunch of other contracts - so it is in the best interests of the membership as a group if Sabathia signs for maximum dollars. And the best interests of the group should be the goal of the MLBPA. Anyway, the MLBPA doesn't have any way to actually force Sabathia to sign any contract - so what they want is somewhat irrelevant.

People seem to hate people/organizations that are just doing their job (ie. all the threads about Boras). The MLBPA has a mandate to try to make all the players better off - if getting Sabathia to sign with the Yankees has that effect then they wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't encourage him to do that.

very well said...

however I too think they are a joke because of their lax approach towards drug testing for years.

[filihok]

In regards to player contracts, the union should stay out of it unless a player approaches the union...

[kenny1234]

In regards to player contracts, the union should stay out of it unless a player approaches the union...

Again, why? The PA doesn't work for Sabathia alone - they work for all the players. The theory is that if Sabathia signs for huge money that puts pressure on other players' salaries to increase. Since most people want more money - that means that Sabathia's decision affects the rest of the players, which makes it the job of the PA to speak up.