Enigmatic hurler Trevor Bauer has left the Wasserman Media Group to become the first client of Luba Sports, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Luba Sports is a new sports agency started by Rachel Luba, who officially became certified as an MLB agent on November 1st. Luba Sports will make up just one part of Bauer’s new representation, however. Bauer hired another certified MLB agent, Jon Fetterolf, a litigator from Zuckerman Spaeder who has a history of assisting agents in arbitration proceedings.
Bauer had no qualms with his previous agency, who did, after all, help him win consecutive arbitration cases against the Cleveland Indians, but at this stage in his career, he’s looking not only at his own upcoming arbitration case, but at the system as a whole. Surprise surprise, but the innovative and free-thinking Bauer has eyes towards making a difference for the betterment of players. Still, Bauer makes a point not to disparage the Wasserman Media Group or the current system. Rather, he aims to give players another option of representation moving forward
As such, the structure of representation set up between Bauer, Luba, and Fetterolf differs from the standard practice in baseball, in which players typically pay 5% of their salaries to their agents upon reaching the majors. Instead, Fetterolf will make a lower commission (1.5 to 2.5%) that differs depending on the player’s career status, plus an hourly rate. Still, the overall fee caps at 5% for an arbitration-eligible player and 4% for a free agent. Depending on the hourly workload, then, players have the potential to pay a good deal less under this structure.
The goal of this system would be to allow players to pay strictly for services rendered, thereby allowing a more personalized agency experience. Rather than being locked into the commission model, an “a la carte” system gives players the option of paying less for fewer services (or paying more for more). This would not wholly upend the player-agent relationship, though it does provide an interesting opportunity for players to reconsider the current structure and explore a system that might work more in their favor. It’s certainly on brand for Bauer to push for this type of innovation, and it will be interesting to follow the extent to which Luba Sports or similar agencies can make inroads with the MLB player community.
Bauer and Luba’s relationship dates back to their days as undergraduates at UCLA when they met in a communication studies class. Luba would go on to become an attorney and work for the players’ union during the 2018 arbitration season. She would be offered a position as an agent with another agency, but chose to forge her own path instead.
The timing here, of course, is not coincidental as Bauer prepares for his final time through arbitration this winter. MLB Contributor Matt Swartz projects Bauer to earn $18.6MM with the Reds this season.
Interesting approach, will be fascinating to see how it plays out. And how Bauer responds on Twitter.
This system seems to make sense, and Buaer is smart guy with a lot of new ideas. I think he mentioned he wants to sign only one year contracts when he becomes a free agent.
I hope this whole comment was sarcasm.
Yeah he wants to only sign one year deals because he lost a bet with a friend
I’d argue that’s not particularly smart for a pitcher… It may work out in his favor, but there is a ton of risk.
Penny wise, pound foolish
Thanks for your thoughts Mr. Boras.
^
Bauer Career Earnings $250 Mil Over/Under. ?
So far he’s made $29.748 million per baseballreference.
2020 is a pivotal year for him. Needs to prove that 2019 was the exception and not the rule.
All but one of bauers years looks just like 2019
Totally baseless. His ERA was lower in every other year but 2012 and 2013/ In 2018 it was 1.9 runs lower, Don’t bother commenting lies.
Are you kidding me?? None of his previous years are even CLOSE to 2018 lol. His 2019 fit right in with his performance from 2014-2017. He’s hardly bad but you’re overrating him big time
@Mo4ever @hzt502
What are you guys talking about? He had a 4.48 ERA in 2019. There’s only 1 year in his career where his ERA was under 4.18 and that was the spectacular year he had in 2018 with the 2.21 ERA. He may have good stuff but he’s consistently been more like a #3 or #4 level pitcher..
I can’t believe what the Indians got for him.
I’m taking the UNDER $250m.
I’ll take the under all day long, especially if he only signs one year deals. He basically has to be completely healthy every year to have a shot at 250.
Great idea! I also think we’ll see more QO’s replacing one-year deals. Say like 3 different levels of QO.
Three different levels? The players Union is trying to get rid of the QO, they’re not going to agree to three levels.
Something has to be done about thirty-something players not being picked up. I don’t think the past 3 years are an anomaly.
A big part of that is the QO system though. The vast majority of the guys who are struggling to get signed have draft pick compensation attached from rejecting a QO. Take out the QO and that goes away
Correct, but taking it away is not fair to owners.
The idea is to replace one year deals. Right now, we have a fixed QO system which is often too high if the player accepts for keeping a draft pick. A level-one QO could raise this amount further, while lower levels reflect lower round compensation. It leads to more options and speculation.
@Rallyshirt
30 something players are still being signed they just aren’t getting longer termed deals. I can’t argue against not wanting to overpay a guy for what he’s done in the past for the declining years that are inevitable.
@southbeach
Precisely,
Perhaps I’m not explaining this well, but you guys probably get my drift. The problem IMO is partly “worth the mean salary of MLB’s 125 highest-paid players”.
To those who think this is just odd, let’s use an example, 3 players all in their 30’s:
Player A – a total beast – gets Tier 1 QO say (+25% mean) w/higher penaly for pick
Player B – really good asset anyone could use – Tier 2 (same mean) w/lower than current penalty for pick
Player C – really good, situational asset – Tier 3 (-25% mean) w/even lower penalty for pick.
This is just a generally speaking, I don’t have exact numbers or anything. The problem, to me, seems the current model is completely rigid.
To amplify, this means beast player is more likely to stay with original team, anyone could use guy is likely to stay on, and the situational use guy is easier to get.
Of course, players may still opt out, but this is better for everyone I think.
You could even have the Union rule each year on which Tier is assigned to player, maybe?
Not fair to owners? They get away with robbery for the first few years of a player’s career. Fix that, and then you can worry about what’s “fair” on the backend.
That’s a tough one…
Force call up date to count as full season of control, none of this partial crap. Apply some standard ascending scale to league minimum based on seasons, even with minor options?
I don’t know. Have to think about that for a while.
Great article. Thanks, TC
Keith Law hates Trevor Bauer and cries daily… teardrops falling on his Elizabeth Warren 8×10 while he sips his kale smoothie and rants about vaccines.
DJT Jr has burner accounts everywhere!!
Comments like these make me miss downvotes. Keeps idiots like you from commenting junk like this.
I thought it was funny, you gotta lighten up.
Yeah Baseball 1600 relax and enjoy these good times.
And here you are crying and ranting about Keith Law, Elizabeth Warren, kale smoothies, and vaccines on an article about Trevor Bauer. You seem like a snowflake boomer.
@rct if you don’t get it just don’t respond at all. I thought the comment was funny but then again I don’t surf comment sections looking to be offended. I guess you’re a big fan of ol’ Pocahontas.
Like you’re a fan of CHEETOS???
Crawl back into your safe space Mary.
Only the puffs. Can’t stand the crunchy variety.
If you think a joke is terrible it doesn’t mean you didn’t get it. Leave the politics on your boomer fb wall
@Mystery Team
Who says he didn’t get it? Maybe he just thought it wasn’t funny.
I’m definitely not the one who’s offended here, old man. It’s the people like OP who bring up Elizabeth Warren (note: not the pathetic Pocahontas nickname) on articles that have nothing to do with her. Maybe stop being so triggered by people who don’t have the same juvenile opinions as you.
More like a cornflake, crusty, bland and dated.
Ruining another comment thread by dropping a political turd in the pool. Great move bonehead.
I’ll forever remember Bauer as the only player in MLB history to throw a ball over the fence during a pitching change.
He wasn’t
Young fans don’t know there was baseball before 2004.
Do you still get your diabetes testing supplies from Liberty Medical?
Does your memaw charge you rent?
Dave Righetti says hi.
Last pitch in a Tribe uni, which sealed his fate there.
Rob dibble did it like thirty years ago. Someone did it in 2017 or 2018 as well.
Dibbles throw was after the game had just ended iirc. Not trying to be a stickler, just saying…
“Instead, Fetterolf will make a flat percentage (1.5 to 2.5%) that differs depending on the player’s career status, plus an hourly rate.”
Am I misreading this? It’s not a ‘flat’ percentage if it is differing depending on factors and then including an hourly rate. ‘Flat’ would be the other system, where the agents get 5% no matter what and there’s no hourly rate.
I can see how that’s a little confusing. It’s a set rate for each player, plus the hourly. The rate can be different for different players.
As I understand it, it’s a flat percentage with a lower baseline level of service, and the player pays on an hourly basis for whatever additional services he wants. Like the Spirit Airlines of player representation.
Haha, that’s nicely put. I’m gonna steal that later.
Spirit Airlines? Now that’s scary.
Good analogy.. does anyone really want to take Spirit? Lol
This guy always has to be different…
surprised he didnt hire a drone as his agent.
This is a guy that bets on himself. Who cares if he’s different, it’s his money on the line?
I think he’s just doing this to try and prove again he’s the smartest man in the room. Even if he’s the only one it that room.
google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitne…
This isn’t really a new idea at all. A slight modification to Proformances model but the idea is the same. You pick and choose your agency services rather than getting it all in one bundle.
If you take a look at proformances website; it’s….uhhh….not very visually appealing.and the growth in that business has stagnated.
But the idea itself is a sound one. Not one that established agents would want to hear because it cuts margins for them. But this is certainly a model that has the potential for growth.
Do you not try to get the best deal for yourself when buying insurance or other services? Are you just trying to be the smartest man in the room when you do?
Dumb comment.
I don’t need to try and be the smartest man in the room. I walk in and instantly become that man. Bam
A structure that is unsurprising for an inexperienced agent such as Lupa.. 92% of all players drafted don’t reach the MLB.. then the player that DOES make it has to get 3 straight years in MLB to pay their agent.. having good buddies in the industry.. they typically advise and work for players for 9 years before just 8% of their clients might pay them.. clearly Lupa will find out that this structure will not work for her to stay in business more than 5 years.. Creativity is great, Bauer a great athlete, Lupa is smart & accomplished, but this “agent model” will fail..
Do you think these agencies operate in the world of razor thin margins? Or that they don’t get money off of the signing bonus of the rookie contract they negotiate? This could easily be a highly profitable career for her. She’ll obviously have to scale the business but if she’s able to do so there’s plenty of opportunity to make money. She’s never going to build the Boras Corp. on this model but there’s absolutely no reason to think that this framework is not possible.
Please don’t delude yourself into thinking that Bauer is making this choice “towards making a difference for the betterment of players.” Everyone knows he does nothing for anyone other than himself.
Personally I hope he ends up with a poor contract because he tried to save a few thousand dollars on agent commission. The guy is selfish and cheap. Sad thing is he would probably happily agree with that statement and see nothing wrong with it.
Can you please share your personal financial deals with us? I assume you pay as much as possible for insurance, rent, etc rather than “being cheap”
If he marries Luba he can keep it all – lol!
Unless they get divorced and she takes half… Seems like a lot of risk.
honestly surprised he wont represent himself
I have this sneaking suspicion that many of the anti-Bauers posters here are still peeved by his comments about Houston pitching, specifically Verlander and Cole.
Another “creative” effort by a new agent. Wasn’t their some agent a few years ago who said they were going to only charge 1% and flip the industry on its head? That went nowhere fast. You get what you pay for, just like everything else in life. I think the fees agents charge are tied more to a lifetime (career-wise) commitment than anything else. As someone said earlier, the vast majority of players don’t make it to arbitration and/or free agency so the fees are an offset of the risk.
It wouldn’t surprise me one bit that Bauer is Luba’s partner in this enterprise,just like he is probably a major investor in Driveline.
He promotes himself and Driveline every where he goes and he’s in a perfect position to acquire clients for the new sports agency venture.
It all dovetails too nicely.
Bauer is a really smart guy and these are smart moves by a budding entrepreneur.
If he was a “really smart guy”, he wouldn’t have left his established agency for a neophyte agent. Not smart when you’re in arbitration and then FA. These teams are savvy as heck and he put himself in a bad spot. Time will tell….
Hope the Reds deal this unimpressive flake over the winter. Come Spring Training the focus should be on getting ready to win, not listening to his sales pitch.