Agent Scott Boras last week pledged to pay the salaries of his released minor league clients, as first reported by MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). At the time, Boras called the releases “completely unanticipated” and expressed a desire to make sure those clients received the income they’d anticipated. However, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic now reports (subscription link) that the MLBPA nixed the gesture because it violates the union’s agent regulations, which stipulate:
Any gifts or promise of gifts, of money or of any other thing with an aggregate value exceeding $500 U.S. in any calendar year, by an Expert Agent Advisor to any single player, or any persons related to or associated with such player, are prohibited.
Other agents were understandably opposed, feeling it could set a precedent of paying to retain clients in other scenarios. It’s not hard to see the manner in which they could fear such a gesture snowballing — be it in the form of increased pressure to follow suit or in the form of released clients jumping ship to the Boras Corporation (or any other agency willing to cover unexpected salary losses in 2020). Boras won’t be disciplined by the MLBPA, Rosenthal adds.
The massive wave of minor league releases in late May and early June came as the agreed-upon window to pay minor leaguers a $400 weekly stipend expired. Many of those players might’ve been cut near the end of Spring Training — spring cuts didn’t happen due to the pandemic shutdown — or prior to the amateur draft in a normal season anyhow. But there were countless others who found themselves cut largely because of the likely cancellation of the minor league season. Between that likelihood and the looming specter of minor league contraction, which feels increasingly inevitable, most expect that there simply won’t be as many minor league jobs to go around once play resumes. A few clubs (e.g. Royals, Tigers, Twins) opted not to cut any minor leaguers, but we saw many other teams cut 30, 40 or even 50-plus minor leaguers apiece.
That Boras even attempted to step in underscores the manner in which minor league players are underrepresented. And on the surface, it’s a rather backwards sentiment to think that the MLB Players Association spoke out to prohibit a gesture that would’ve helped to protect the livelihood of several players. However, minor league players don’t pay union dues and aren’t protected by the MLBPA as a result. The union’s objection is sensible, but that shouldn’t overshadow the reality that we’re past due for a change to the overall minor league compensation structure. Notably, tonight’s MLBPA counter-proposal to MLB is reported to include the establishment of a joint $5MM fund which would, in part, support minor league players.
oh my Lord can they just for once try some PR?
This seems an appropriate time and place to share this… I lived in Orlando for decades, and Disney once threatened to sue an elementary school for painting Disney images on a classroom wall without permission…
Sounds, ridiculous, right? And yet true.
That is ridiculous. The nerve of that elementary school! Big elementary school just thinks it can do whatever it wants whenever it wants to do it. I applaud small businesses like Disney. Taking it to the man!
That happens everywhere with them. They are very protective of their copyrights.
They have to be. if they don’t constantly enforce their trademark they could lose it. that’s why companies are such asshats about, The law basically forces their hand
This is true. Though to be fair the law has nothing to do with non-business use, which is what a public school is. Disney wouldn’t even have a case. However you’re right that they like many others are just forced into the habit of antagonizing over copyrights as much as possible.
I love the legal analysis on here. Sounds like we have some fellow lawyers?
What a Mickey Mouse outfit. Oh wait can I say that?
.
Please don’t try to make Boras out as some savior. His net worth is almost half a billion dollars. This is like throwing a $20 bill at someone for him. Like usual he’s doing nothing but meddling. This is all about him and his rapidly growing bank account.
All professional agents know that rule, that’s likely why Boras made the offer to begin with. Knowing he wouldn’t be allowed to pay his clients like that it was a chance to get some good publicity without having to make any sacrifice..
You are correct he knows the rules and it’s a smart marketing play on his part
Well, he did just stay at a Holiday Inn Express, so…
Exactly
Haha wow. Baseball is dead. Won’t ever support this league again. Absolutely shameful.
Yep! Can’t agree more Dam shameful!!!
What do you think has been going on for years? You think owners obsession with the almighty dollar just started??
It’s not just the owners. Both sides disgust me. Pure greed on both ends. What’s sad is that Baseball could have recaptured its American Pastime mantra and had the whole nation rally around them. They would have been a symbol of America being back open and things returning to normal, they would have had the goodwill of the entire sports world. That can’t happen though because money. Screw both sides. Millionaires and Billionaires fighting….beyond pathetic. Pro sports are absolute garbage, just paid mercenaries who don’t give a crap about the communities they play in and owners who will move their teams if the taxpayers don’t fund their stadiums. I’ll stick to the college game from now on.
Yeah, pro sports are dead to me.
Are you joking? They’ve been paying many employees for months. They aren’t in business to lose money. Both sides need to compromise. PR disaster on both sides.
Let’s be honest, if the NBA or NFL was in the same situation as the MLB, things would look even worse for them. Baseball got unlucky that all this happened right before the start of their season and on the heels of a labor dispute. NBA was close to the end of its season, most of the players had received most of their money, and the NFL will have plenty of time to prepare and create a plan to start the season.
The owners in the NBA mad NFL will have acted similar to the MLB owners, they’d want to give as little money as possible to the players.
Exactly. The NBA and NHL were in the latter stages of their seasons. The NFL may get lucky and be on the downside of this.
Regardless of the situation, it has been handled badly by both sides, whichever way you look at it.
So will your screen name now represent the NY Giants?
Owners should put out wanted ads for scabs. Think the owners would mind paying the minimum prorated for however big the rosters end up being? The talent level would still be higher than the Korean league we are watching.
Yeah, THAT’S what they should do!!
Exactly. The game is bigger than the players. They should have done that in ‘96 and we’d all be looking forward to baseball in a couple weeks.
I’ll play! Back senior year, if the coach would’ve put me in the lineup, we would’ve won state. How much you wanna bet I can hit a baseball over them mountains
I don’t wanna lose, we all know those mountains are way to small to contain your power.
Correct me if I’m wrong. Aren’t minor leaguers not unionized? The MLBPA should have now say in whether of not he should pay minor leaguers. They can discourage it, but they can’t enforce anything.
This makes Boras look good to players and owners (take the financial burden off of them). Not only that it’s right around the draft. People may not like him, but Boras Is great at his job.
Nevermind I completely skipped that paragraph. Carry on
Is Boras the wealthiest man in baseball? Forget being a superstar become an agent.
Not really. Never was going to pay as a super agent with knowledge of the rules personally as well as staff that studies rule changes.
Should his offer be allowed under some exemption due to COVID-19, it would not be staggering as: 1) minor league salary (even star prospects get most of their initial earnings through bonuses such as signing bonus) and 2) number of minor leaguers as well as the ones Boras’ company represents. Even at 1200 minor leaguers, I doubt weekly benefit will total more than $400,000 a week. A lot of money, but I think his company won’t be in the red as a result. The marketing potential outweighs any potential issues for uncertain future due to COVID-19
MLB can’t stop a player from gaining willful employment outside of baseball. Scott can “hire” all of them as mail clerks for the Boras Corporation and set up advanced training(like teams modern pitching and hitting labs) and workout programs as an employee perk. He then could organize intra squad and independent scrimmages within and against other non MLB affiliated baseball squads to gain more reps for his players. Let’s say he has 50 minor league players he represents, salary them all at $20000/yr (more than they would have made) for a total cost of $1000000. All he needs is ONE player of the 50 to get an average contract and his 10% back with cover the whole pony show…..I would love to see Boras pull this off personally!!
Love it.
It is not MLB preventing Boras from paying the minor league players, it is the Union.
that sounds interesting but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some rule that prevents that
All of his players contracts w their MLB teams most likely prevent it quite well
Boras is lucky he’s in MLB because the NBA and NFL cap agent fees at 3%. In baseball, agent fees run between 4-10% but I’m sure the stars only agree to pay 4%; otherwise they’d change agencies.
Hire those minor league players as consultants, pay them.
I get the MLBPA’s position that Boras, is, in effect, buying possible clients. But, it’s also convenient, especially since they pay minor leaguers no attention whatsoever. Minor league players needs representation. They shouldn’t be exploited by owners and sold out by the MLBPA.
Here is how I know the owners are playing this whole situation poorly…
They are making Scott Boras look good. Like he’s the adult in the room.
If your actions are making Scott Boras seem like the reasonable and/or altruistic one, you have…messed up. Big time.
PS- I look forward to tomorrow’s headline “Scott Boras’ Wife to Hire 650 Gardeners”.
@forwhomjoshbelltolls
This situation is not on the owners. It is the MLB PLAYERS ASSOCIATION blocking him from being able to pay them.
So it is the players making him look like the adult in the room. Not the owners.
“…this whole situation…”
Talking forest. Not trees.
This was the part where you should have said, “Braves25, you are right and thank you for correcting my usual bad judgement”.
There, fixed it for you.
I’m actually glad the conversation has shifted to who’s the bigger arsholes – players or owners. What happened to all those lemmings who thought resuming the season would result in everyone dying of covid?
You think he didn’t know this rule? Showboating.
Seems like the released players can get the 600 a week extra unemployment benefit through the end of July so they are making the same money anyway that the 400 a week minor league player is.
Also this players or most of them would of been cut anyway either end of spring training or before the new draft which is today! Boras has to know that so it is a boras scam/pr move totally!
Mlb overcame the steroid era with controlled media. Every Mlb club have their own employees who work in their media department and part of their job description is to scope public opinion of league, players, owners and even agents.
Scott Boras is the best at what he does and it’s his job to rake owners; the employers of the controlled media. In return, that media makes Boras out to be the bad guy for being excellent at what he does. And it works as Everytime his name is mentioned the haters come out in droves
God what a scumbag
Some people want contradictory things. You want professional sports to thrive (aka be profitable), yet you want companies to have more charity at a time when they are losing money. So stop giving money to children with cancer to pay released players? Professional baseball teams are companies with shareholders. Yes, those people make some money. That’s the goal right? Are they evil for wanting to make the business profitable? I think you are evil for pretending you’re better than them. Unless you’re giving a large percent to charity, then shut up!
I’m just sick of seeing Scott Boras’ name plastered everywhere. This is someone who seems to crave more influence over the sport than he needs.
Not quite sure how the relationship between minor league players and their agents is the business of the MLBPA. Minor league players are not represented by them and those released never will be. The association has no standing here. Besides it would be fun to see Boras be forced to make good on his promises.
Honestly these guys are probably making more in unemployment benefits. But if they aren’t an exception should be made. An agent can take a lower percentage than another but can’t pay them money during a time their pay is frozen? You look at the cba and players don’t care about the minor leaguers once they are in the majors. MLB players could easily make the minor league system better but instead want as much of the pie for themselves as possible. Once they are no longer one of the guys struggling there it’s not their problem anymore