Contracts are an obsession at MLB Trade Rumors, but have you ever seen an actual one? We got our hands on a real Uniform Player's Contract, with the identifying details removed. If you ever wanted to know which other sports a baseball player is banned from playing, how many uniforms the club must furnish, or the maximum amount of life insurance coverage allowed, this is for you. Click here to access the PDF file.
newest oldest
hey, tim? this is pretty awesome. thanks
Pretty cool. I didn’t see a section for the terms if a trade were to occur….am I missing something?
This would be under “assignment” on page 2. If a player has a “no trade clause,” it would be an addendum to the contract.
Very cool. Nothing is better then Sport jargon and Law jargon combined. I can’t wait to get into Law school
This is pretty cool. I’m totally going to print it out and pretend I got signed
-just kidding
This might be the coolest thing you guys have ever published, and that’s saying a lot considering the great stuff you guys put out.
This is great to read. I always figured a MLB athlete was restricted from most extracurricular sports/activities, but it’s crazy to see in writing. I’m surprised soccer is banned, but not basketball; maybe that will change after Greinke made this famous. The players truly are the “property” of their clubs, but with what they get paid, no one should really be complaining.
EDIT: It does say “professional league basketball”. Maybe they’re allowed to shoot around? I wonder where 1v1 or 3v3 falls into play.
EDIT #2: Weird that they receive 2 uniforms (1 home, 1 away I’m guessing?) and they have to turn them in when the contract is up or at the end of the season.
I assume they are allowed to shot around. I know the Padres play BB in Peoria and this spring they also had a quarterback throwing competition. Or maybe they need prior club approval.
greinke hurt himself shooting the ball around, so i suppose as long as not an actual league or clarified further within, youre good.
If Aaron Boone had never messed around playing basketball, who knows where his career would have gone and where A-Rod would be now. Interesting it isn’t in there, agreed.
I hate to burst my own bubble but I just learned that the UPC is already publicly available on page 210 of the Basic Agreement. I guess mine is slightly cooler because it’s from a real player, but this was already out there and I just didn’t know where to find it! Oh well.
link to mlbplayers.mlb.com
I have looked over that contract before. It is pretty interesting the stance on Marijuana in the contract. Minor league players get tested for it but Major league players don’t
Very cool stuff.
This might be my favorite part, Item 7 in ‘Regulations’:
“In case of assignment of this contract, the Player shall report promptly to the assignee Club from the date he receives written notice from the Club of such assignment, if the Player is then not more than 1,600 miles by most direct available railroad route from the assignee Club, plus an additional 24 hours for each additional 800 miles.”
When did Minor league player start making $67K regardless what league they are in?
I think that is because it’s a major league contract as opposed to a minor league contract. For example, top draft picks often ask for MLB contracts as opposed to MiLB ones.
This clause is my favorite: “4.(b) The Player represents that he has no mental defects.” Will the real Milton Bradley please stand up?
I liked the part where it says they’re not allowed to be professional wrestlers. Really critical to have that in there, I’m sure.
Well, like other disclaimers, I’m sure it was never included until an MLB player did, in fact, enter a professional wrestling match. Same reason McDonald’s coffee cups warn you on the side that coffee is hot – it was never an issue until they got sued for it.
Or they got worried by Pete Rose’ attention grabbing works with the WWF.
I would look at players like the Raven’s Tom Zbikowski who is a professional boxer in the offseason as inspiration.
I remember watching Rodman and Malone on WCW years ago.
The part of that which caught my attention is that it’s strictly prohibited, along with boxing, as opposed to most other sports, which are listed as permissible with the written consent of the Club. Apparently, even if both the player and their employer were in favor of it, the UPC as written would bar them from doing it.
Good stuff. I’m not even going to ask how you guys got it!
I see where the two words “professional league” were inserted before basketball in the Other Sports provision. That’s the issue that came up when Greinke was injured in a pick-up game. The players must have had that language added so they could play hoops on a recreational basis. Note however that they’re not allowed to engage in any form of American football, non-American football, or ice hockey.
I never understood how that was an issue with Greinke anyway. It’s not like the Brewers were going to void his contract if he HAD violated it.
It would be interesting to see how this compares to a typical contract that a lower-level minor leaguer (amateur draftee) signs.
Thanks Tim. OK, this players MLB salary is $414k and $67k for playing at any level of the minors. I guess this player is in his pre arb years with no MLB service time yet.
Red Sox Examples 2011 Salaries;
Mark Wagner $414,000
Luis Exposito $414,000
Stolmy Pimentel $414,000
Oscar Tejeda $414,000
$414,000 is likely the new ML minimum. It’s supposed to be $400,000 plus cost of living increase this year. The 67k is what they make sitting on the 40 man roster. So really, this could be any first year player.
Yes, it is a player on the a 40 man roster but with no service time on a MLB 25 man roster yet. If this player had MLB service time, he would be paid more than the league minimum for his services in 2011. This player could be one of about 100+/- players trying to get up to the show for the first time. This is an exciting time in this players career. So close to the bigs.
Could be paid more, not would be, I think. A team can continue to pay a player the MLB minimum until they are arbitration eligible, I believe. They can also pay the MLB minimum to a previously released player.
Agree. “Could’ be paid more.
Look at the list below of the last pre arb players that Boston signed. Kalish got enough service time in 2010 to lose his rookie eligibility but only received $3000 more than league minimum.
Clay Buchholz $555,000
Daniel Bard $505,000
Scott Atchison $470,000
Darnell McDonald $470,000
Jed Lowrie $450,000
Josh Reddick $417,500
Daniel Nava $417,500
Michael Bowden $417,500
Felix Doubront $417,000
Ryan Kalish $417,000
Yamaico Navarro $416,000
Lars Anderson $415,000
Mark Wagner $414,000
Luis Exposito $414,000
Stolmy Pimentel $414,000
Oscar Tejeda $414,000
The Mets should be allowed a Mulligan Clause, just to keep things fair.
Hey! I’m a Mulligan and a Mets fan!
This is one of the most interesting things I’ve seen on this site. Thanks MLBTR.
I skimmed through it but if a player fails to abide by the loyalty part and gets overweight or if he becomes a nuisance(for example Nyjer Morgan or Manny Ramirez at times) can the club void his contract?
I was wondering that too. It’s there; it’s written; it should be followed. Problem is, so much of that can be argued that it’s a gray area.
The problem is what is a nusance or overweight? The player will claim he isn’t either, but the club will. The club, in court, would have to prove that they are one of those, and not only in the club’s eyes, but prove it to the court. Easier said than done. Any one without much talent will just get released, but those with talent can be traded. Now the main problem isn’t when they are released, but rather if the team tries to get $ back from the contract. It only happens in extreme cases(IE Milton Bradley) because it is so hard to prove.
I don’t understand the exesive use of intitials and signatures towards the end. You would think one simple autograph would do the trick.
Ever filled out paperwork for a loan or a mortgage?
Nope. Not old enough. The most official document I’ve signed is the one that the school makes me sign every year that tells me not to search for “adult content” on the “administrations network.”
The league minimum for someone who is not on the 40 man is about the same as me. I wish I could play baseball for 3 months and make my salary. Too bad I’m too old.
3 months? More like 7. 8 if your lucky. And year round workouts. Not as easy as you make it sound.
The Low A season is mid-June to early September. Yes I know they have work outs and training and what not but it is still a good deal. Especially when you don’t have to pay for food or housing while the team travels.
The contract didn’t say what level it was. Just each levels pay.
I know and my comment was about playing Low A or Rookie Ball. $32,500, $60K+ if on the 40-Man.
I was surprised the contract didn’t specify the amount of meal money, though it did hold the players responsible for extra hotel charges. A merchant sailor’s contract for a ship voyage includes the specific types of food that he must be served unless the sailor files a waiver (which they all do), it’s funny, includes stuff like boiled mutton.
According to the link Dierkes provides later, the full day meal stipend is $85. Not too shabby.
Thanks, TheBarNone…. Not bad at all, though the players I occasionally see in S.F. restaurants look like they exceed it by a pretty fair margin.
So the part about professional wrestling is omitted from AJ Pierz. contract?
I guess this explains why Charles Manson never got signed.
Yeah, he had other people hit for him. That didn’t go well.