The MLB Players Association has ended their relationship with long-time executive Rick Shapiro, per ESPN’s Buster Olney (via Twitter). Shapiro had seen his role and influence with the Players Union increasingly diminished in recent months.
Parting ways with one of their lawyers feels like a significant move, especially as we get closer to defining the real meat of the 2021 labor negotiations. Of Shapiro’s particular influence, Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter) writes:
“Shapiro was a fierce union advocate, but also someone MLB viewed as knowing the history of CBA negotiations and capable of getting to a deal, so his exit is another sign of war drums by the union with the end of the CBA coming following 2021. Haven spoken to multiple agents tonight who feel this is a big loss for union, in part because Shapiro also was a key figure in the arbitration process and this loss of his institutional knowledge and advocacy will not be easily replaced. Since the death of Mike Weiner and naming of Tony Clark to lead the union, Rick’s influence had internally waned. Still agents were shocked that the end came this morning rather than waiting until the next CBA was completed. The union did not want to comment on this matter.”
Given the shifting tenor of contract negotiators in general between players and owners, departing a well-regarded litigator is a notable move for the union. Without comment or knowledge of corresponding moves, however, it’s presumptuous to assume this move speaks to a willingness (or even eagerness) on the players’ part to “lean in” to the coming conflict (as it seems on the surface).
That said, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that there are many in the industry who feel this is a sign of the growing momentum of a potential strike. Regardless, Shapiro’s exit can be added to the catalog of happenings to keep near-at-hand as we sift through narratives in advance of the 2021 collecting bargaining negotiation.
War drums? No, I think just the opposite. Tony Clark and The Players Union will bend over and take whatever the owners offer. Shapiro probably doesn’t want to be associated with that.
Nope—Tony Clark is a pro-labor zealot. No more, no less. He will ultimately get his players some things (eg, elimination of qualifying offers, among others) but it will come at a steep cost to his players, both by way of owners (who are using facts and logic of the current marketplace to discredit the players’ insistence on their great and irreplaceable value) and many fans who see the players’ demands as quite flawed in their premise, and who will have little patience for a union-based work stoppage.
“using facts and logic”
Thanks. Really needed a laugh today.
Yes. Correct. Owners and upper management have ushered in a new era whereby facts and logic—SEE data—are used to more accurately project and assess a player’s value, near- and long-term. Car salesmen like Scott Boras have therefore had a tough go of it, as has the union, which has relied too much on this outmoded method of doing business.
The data also says the players they’re refusing to pay are, from a business sense, indeed worth the investment
Don’t deluded yourself that the owners aren’t making a conscious decision to artificially suppress salaries and pocketing the savings. Especially if you’re going to champion facts and logic
I don’t think the owners are artificially suppressing salaries. The data is capping salaries that have, countless times, proven themselves gross overpays. Management knows all too well what it’s like to be ripped off and hamstrung by overhyped players who all too consistently fall way short of expectations at the time of signing, and whom ownership is then obligated to pay long-term. Better value lies elsewhere now, and so that’s where management is going. I’d need little to no convincing on this front if I were running a club. Sounds perfectly reasonable actually.
I’m just going to point out there’s a bit of flawed logic here, mostly with the term ‘ripped off’
The contracts that everybody assumes are so bad are, from a business perspective, rarely as harmful as is often assumed. Everyone laments these deals as so bad, but even as owners were giving out 9 figure deals like candy, actual revenues exploded across the league.
The owners may not have gotten the production they hoped, but they certainly got the profits. So for ownership now to say ‘it’s not worth it’, when historically it totally has from a business stand point, is misleading at best.
If ownership wants to devote more resources to younger players, it can’t expect to be able to monopolize those players they way the current system allows them too. They have to be willing to pay out to these players at younger ages, otherwise it’s just grossly unfair. Something has to give
Exactly this. Players for years dealt with the service time issues. Why? Because they were getting rewarded with big contracts at the back end even though they were about to enter their decline phase. They “got theirs” at the end of their careers. So in other words, cost controlled players subsidized the eight and nine figure deals for veterans. Everyone was happy. But lately the owners want their cake and eat it too. They want to stiff young guys by manipulating their service time and getting cheap production for seven years. Then they wanna stiff the players again when they’re in their 30’s by citing the age related decline data as if they only just found out that age 36-40 seasons are generally worse than 26-30. The war is coming.
I think it’s so strange that anyone would side with ownership over the players. I pay to watch the players. So I would always hope the players get the best deal possible and not make some billionaires more and more $. Always.
I think it’s because some people still desperately cling to the fantasy that player salaries are why they can no longer get into a ballpark for 50 cents
So your conclusion is Shapiro fired himself to get away from the Union who plans to cave for… reasons…
ooookay….
The players have it pretty good. Record salaries, great working conditions, fans love them… they don’t want to strike. The things they are fighting for are for players that haven’t made it yet. They don’t care about them. They got theirs, they are happy.
Players had it a lot better in the recent past, and the owners don’t look to have any incentive to end the increasing disparity in profits
So yeah, your assumptions are based on what you wish was true rather than what is. Most current players see a system designed to keep them from making what the players they grew up watching, and I highly doubt they as a group are happy with the status quo
This last comment (petrie) is very solid.
I think when this contract is up there is going to be a lot of changes coming to the game.
The DH will finally be brought to the NL
International draft
Arbitration will be reworked
Less years til free agency
Service time calculations
None will wind up working in favor of the players
Owners will give the players a bone and increase the roster size and probably increase minor league salaries. Those are two huge wins for players. It’s extra money to the mediocre players and not just letting the best players make more $.
Maybe expansion of 2 more teams? That’s 50 more jobs, more money for each owner etc……
MLB can’t fill the parks of the teams they currently have. Attendance is going down league wide. Please don’t use an example of one or two teams attendance numbers.
Not until the stadium situations for the A’s and Rays are fixed unfortunately. Would love to see two new franchises.
Owners have made up for attendance dips through streaming and regional sports networks.
Montreal and Las Vegas.
Streaming doesn’t even come close to the revenue brought in by attendance, which also generates food, Alcohol, merchandise, and parking sales. Why do you think the Marlins and Rays for example are always in a financial crush.
Streaming also doesn’t come close from the revenues teams make from cable deals, and network deals.
while that’s true, most new stadiums will not be as big. look at the plans for the A’s new stadium. Its only 25,000 people. SunTrust park holds 10,000 less than Turner Field did. The money is in the TV contracts.
The A’s will never get a new stadium, especially in the shape California is in. They’ll end up moving to a different city like the Raiders.
I very much find that hard to believe. California is on much more sound fiscal footing now than it was 10 years ago. Plus, I have to believe that the city of Oakland will be more willing to work with them after both the raiders and warriors are leaving the city. Not to mention the A’s have rolled out a campaign to market themselves as Oakland’s team.
they are in good shape. it’s just people like steven wanting to make digs at california, despite the fact they cover all the poor states.
like his dear leader likes to say: “SAD!”
“like his dear leader likes to say: “SAD!” What in the world and who in the world are you babbling about?
If California couldn’t swing a funded stadium to keep the Raiders they’re certainly not gonna do it for the A’s.
Finally how does California cover “all the poor states”? Your apparent lack of education is the truly sad thing here. wtf
How many new stadium proposals have failed?
Yea 138,000 homeless people the most in the US. When people shoot up drugs, defecate, and camp on the streets “they are in good shape”. Not to mention the Rats bringing back the bubonic plague. lol
This has nothing to do with the state of California,but rather the city of Oakland and Alameda County.With both the Raiders and Warriors leaving,both government entities have loosened their previous hardline stance towards using public funds to help build the A’s a stadium.The site has already been picked out,and renderings of the proposed stadium have been made public.It will happen.
An agreement is already in place concerning roster sizes. Beginning in 2020, teams will be allowed to have a maximum of 26 players instead of 25 active from the beginning of the regular season through August 31st. From September 1st through the end of the regular season, teams may increase their active rosters to a maximum of 28 players.
Gone will be the days when as many as 40 players may be active during the period between September 1st through the end of the regular season.
Minor league players are not union members, as such the salaries of minor league players will not be collectively bargained.
Ironically they’re not members but their salary is indeed bargained by the union they’re now legally not allowed to join
Which is why they always get the proverbial short end
MILB baseball players are paid by the owners, and the MLB Players Union doesn’t bargain their salaries. The owners in 2018 pushed a bill through Congress to claim exemptions in having to pay the minor league players the Federal Minimum Wage.
They could insist it’s in the next agreement.
Can’t be written into an agreement when the union doesn’t govern them. Like Steven and Petrie already stated.
Respectfully, the DH to the NL and less years till free agency are definitely things that work in the players favor.
Unqualified leaders tend to get rid of people who know more than them.
Unions need lawyers, not switch hitters.
Most unions simply need credibility.
They don’t need unions that screw over most of the players in favor of 5 percent of the players.
Strike coming..
Totally agree, time to start up another baseball league.
The problem I see the players have is the free agency market which rightnow is not a players market. That I am afraid is not going to change as there is an influx of talent young players and more coming notwithstanding that many of these big contracts have not paned well at all. I think Harper and Machado will add to that decline seeing if neither one of their teams get in the playoffs let alone win their divisions. Other issues are the shifts and juiced balls although the Homeruns are exciting the level of batting has decrease as a result no one seems to hit to opposite field anymore and strikeouts are up. As far as increasing pay or less time to free agency heck Baseball went through a period where young players were rarely called up and am sure they do not want to revisit that trend. Agents and players need to make adjustments in what they are asking as it all boils down to supply and demand which is true in every business not just sports.
Now of they want to strike and damage baseball go ahead but they will be hard pressed to gain support with the hard working fans that would not go over well
It isn’t a problem for the players if owners stop handing out quarter of a million dollar contracts.
Players should stop fighting for those contracts and focus on minimum player and team salary floors.
To much money for there to be a strike
The players will cave
As much as I wish the union is strong it really isn’t
Except the owners are getting a disproportionate chunk of these new revenues and the players aren’t seeing a change in actual salaries, so why would that deter them from striking?
If you cant see a strike coming from a mile away you need new glasses.
I don’t wear glasses
If you think these mlb superstar players are willing to sacrifice the money & lifestyle they have at this present moment to help the guys lower than them or coming up after them then you need glasses.
agreed they are more concerned about money and making more in free agency which I do not believe is in their favor at all. The young players coming out of college HS and abroad are more talented it seems these days and there is such and influx and quantity of them. Already we see teams reluctant to part with prospects as a result. The game has changed and the players need to get aboard and lower their salary expectations and they will get signed in free agency etc.
Except the decision to strike will be made by the entire union, the majority of which aren’t the small percentage of superstars who are getting paid. Most of them are the players who haven’t been paid yet and see how increasing hard it’s getting to get paid once your done with the arbitration process
doubt it. the major issues are pretty simple to fix. Toronto has already said “your move” to the rest of the teams on minors salery, and the qo will probably be easily removed. (teams dont want to give up picks and players dont like how it affects their markets) i think all players and owners realize more radical changes that they care majorly about will be longer term issues. In reality, things like the DH, for example are not big issues for either party.
Why would one want to take a pay cut on salary? Cost of living does not decrease! Players make what they ought to make, period!
They still miss Don Fehr
Dear MLBPA,
Do not go on strike, I understand your reasons and support your cause, but 2021 will not be a good time to go on strike. With that said, if you go on strike to eliminate the blasting of music during a game at stadiums, then by all means necessary!
Sincerely,
Get off my lawn old man.
P.S. I like having a conversation with the people I am sitting next to at a game and not having to yell at them because the music is so loud.
The real change will be in Revenue Sharing, which per previous CBA-s, need player agreement on. The “Golden Age” is over; few see franchise values tripling as they have in the past 10 years. And too many ownerships have gouged the system to ridiculous extremes.
They’ll be other stuff; minimum wage increase, arbitration tied to contract-signing date rather than the somewhat nefarious “service time” manipulations; shorter free agency (again, based on signing dates). Nobody really cares about pitch clocks, etc. And a real commitment to expansion/realignment, which will lessen the degree of revenue disparity.
I doubt they’ll be a strike. These are millionaires fighting with billionaires, and nobody wins during a strike.
Yup, especially that last thing, though like wars, strikes happen not because anybody wins but because the sides won’t negotiate in good faith.
Bringing the DH to the NL seems like a kill two birds with one stone kinda thing. No longer would NL fan have to suffer through pitchers that don’t even know how to bunt these days, and open up more options for players in free agency
Exactly as a fan of an NL team I always enjoyed the NL style but nowadays even the leagues that they come up in thru the minors the pitchers don’t hit
They just don’t have the experience doing it anymore. High School even has a DH.
Plus it gets some of the older superstars the ability the stay around a couple more years on the teams they came up with.
I changed my mind on the DH in the NL when Chipper retired. I said damn if the Braves had a DH he could play another year or 2. Just glad he didn’t swim ch over to the AL at the end.
Also I think the Cards woulda put a lot more effort into keeping Pujols if they had access to the DH.
It is what it is and it’s time.
This NL fan is perfectly fine without some outdated 1970s marketing gimmick spoiling his fun, thank you. I like a bit of actual strategy,
Got news for you the NL is whsts outdated
Every pro league in the world uses a DH except the NL so how exactly is the DH outdated
Please explain
And what exactly is the strategy???
Does the AL not have strategy with using a bullpen ??? With an extra hitter in the lineup that’s the kids of strategy you are going to be looking at
Or you must just like watching a team scramble in the late/extra innings trying to find somebody to hit for a RP who might get 1 AB every 5 years.
Or maybe watching a SP go in to pinch run and praying he doesn’t get hurt doing something he hasn’t been trained to do.
I think the DH in the NL will actually start to produce more 2 way players. Which I find intriguing. Ohtani/McCay types
The Pitcher batting is archaic and needs to fade away
If you don’t like the nl rules nobody has a gun to your head making you watch it
Just don’t pretend forcing changes for your own selfish reasons is doing anyone else a favor
I like pitching changes to have consequences, I like managers having to make hard choices. I have an attention span that allows me to enjoy close games and have no desire to see game scores artificially inflated to appease those who do not
I’m not going to pretend you have to like all that too
You know, Strategy… like filling out your lineup and automatically putting the pitcher in the 9 spot. Whoops, except for Joe Maddon, he uses numbers in a hat or Tommy Tutone #… real strategy there. Or the opposing team sees the pitcher on the ondeck circle… do I pitch to the .200 hitter or walk him to pitch to the .150 hitter?
there will always be bad hitters, even among position players. Unless you instituted unlimited dhing, so the poor fans don’t ever have to suffer through a player who is good at something besides hitting…
The ‘cult of offense’ killed football. I’m in no hurry to see it kill baseball as well. It’s already destroying AAA…
you clearly must not be truely intuned with the opinions of the arevage NL fan.
The DH is not something that is collectively bargained (not part of the CBA). It’s part of the Official Rules (#5.11 if memory serves). For the NL to adopt it the NL owners would have to vote on it just as the AL owners did on that sad day in 1972.
Manfred has already said the DH won’t bee addressed until after the next CBA if at all.
If the union members want to make things better for those that come after, as they claim, how about you actually take care of your body (not PEDs) and earn your salary after signing a contract. The weight room works. It seems like for every Max Scherzer, there’s 10 Joey Vottos, and they blame the owners for playing the odds.
What’s the Joey Votto reference ?
He produced for 2/3 of the deal that’s what happens with a player past his prime … the Reds aren’t complaining .
He produced 3 years, slowed down last year, fell even further this year. There are still 4 years left on that contract. The reds should be complaining. He’s making Pujols look like a bargain. Anyway, he’s not alone. As I said, there’s 10 of him for every 1 guy that actually works to improve their body and produce when they sign a contract. Barring a turnaround, Votto will be one of the prime examples cited by MLB when the PA starts talking about free agency.
MLBTR isn’t going to wish Rick Shapiro and his family their condolences and a happily ever after ???
The fact agents are unhappy is an excellent sign as the agents have controlled the union instead of the players.
The idea that any lawers experience in baseball negotiations is difficult to replace is funny at best.
Unless the players can get a massively overhauled deal, I don’t blame them, particularly the younger ones who make up the majority. Reality is, only a small handful of guys ever get paid the big bucks, and with a league average age of under 26, ageism is in full swing in MLB. Nearly every single FA contract longer than 3 seasons has been a bust to some degree, and most guys are washed by 32 these days, replaced by a 23 year old kid who is ready to step in and provide similar performance value at a fraction of the cost. Players need to get paid more when they are younger and producing… many teams (sans the Phillies and Padres this past offseason) have realized there is not a good enough reason to pay for a guys past performance when what they are really buying is mostly decline years. I know it’ll never happen, but performance/commission-based contracts would be the ultimate solution. Then break-out guys like Alonso and Acuna would get paid properly for their contributions, while players with nothing left like Chris Davis, Pujols & Cabrera would be making close to the league minimum (they’d all be cut, rightfully so, if that was the case, only their bloated contracts are tying them to the league at this point, but they’d have all made even more money during their prime years).
Manfred and Clark deserve each other
Anyone talking about creating the DH in the NL doesn’t understand baseball strategy at all… the DH is a travesty to the original design of the game. When the pitcher must bat, it creates a whole new dynamic in many situations… the opposing pitcher can be far more aggressive against the 8 hitter knowing the pitcher bats next, the batting pitcher could be forced out of the game earlier than desired for a PH if there’s a critical offensive opportunity, so many other fantastic aspects of pitchers batting that many baseball simpletons take for granted and for some reason would rather see some out of shape guy who can barely run who’s going to pop 25 homers and strike out 160 times bat instead. Baseball has plenty of HR’s, it needs more strategy. I’d like see the DH eliminated in the AL, although that would never happen because it would take away several high paying jobs. If you can’t field a position, which is half of the game, you shouldn’t be playing in the major leagues.