Two days ago, the Major League Baseball Players Association named former big league first baseman Tony Clark its new executive director following the tragic passing of former executive director Michael Weiner. Today, the MLBPA announced, in a second press release, that Hall of Famer Dave Winfield has been hired as a special assistant to Clark. Clark offered the following statement on his new colleague:
"It is an honor to welcome Dave Winfield to the MLBPA staff. Dave’s passion and dedication to the game and the cause of players is legendary among the brotherhood of players. His prominence and reputation inside and outside the game will serve all players – past, present and future – well."
Winfield himself offered his own thoughts on his new role:
"As a former union leader, I’m thrilled to be joining the ranks of the most accomplished and respected sports union in the country to help provide a generational link and historical perspective to today’s players. I have participated in nearly every aspect of the game, and I look forward to putting that experience to good use in support of Tony Clark and various MLBPA activities and initiatives."
During his playing days, Winfield spent 15 years as a player representative for the union. He then went on to serve as a founding member of the adivsory board of the Major League Baseball Players Trust following his retirement from the game. He's also served as a senior advisor in the Padres' front office. Winfield was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2001 after a career that saw him post a .283/.353/.475 batting line with 465 home runs, 223 stolen bases, 1833 RBIs and 1669 runs scored in a 22-year Major League career.
