Justin Verlander is the latest player to contribute towards the COVID-19 relief effort, as the Astros ace and his wife Kate Upton announced (via Twitter) that Verlander’s weekly paycheck will be donated to a different organization every week. “We’ll also be highlighting the organization that we choose so that that everyone can see the amazing work they’re doing right now,” Upton said. As per the terms of the recent agreement between the MLB Players Association and Major League Baseball, Verlander is part of the group of players (who have reached salary arbitration or are on guaranteed contracts) that will receive roughly $5K per day in both April and May. Now, all of the money Verlander receives from those payments will go to a variety of worthy causes.
Some more from around the baseball world…
- Major League scouts will soon be permitted to contact prospects for the 2020 draft and the 2020-21 international signing period (as well as the prospects’ families and advisers) beginning next week, CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson writes. MLB halted all scouting activities as part of the league-wide shutdown in March, and any sort of in-person workouts or meetings are still banned. ESPN.com’s Kiley McDaniel reports that teams are also not permitted to view any video footage of such workout sessions that took place after March 27. That said, teams can gather data and video on players (from third parties or from the prospects’ representatives) prior to that date, and also contact the prospects’ teams by phone, e-mail, or any other type of indirect method. With some rough plans now in place for a shortened 2020 draft, teams will now have some avenues to gain fresher information on players they might wish to select. The amateur draft will now take place in July, while the next international signing period (originally scheduled to open on July 2) could be pushed back as far as January.
- The 2020 season was already going to be a new experience for Matt Moore after the left-hander signed with Nippon Professional Baseball’s SoftBank Hawks, though the coronavirus pandemic has created an extra layer of unexpected adversity. Moore talks to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal about the differences and similarities between playing and living in Japan as opposed to the majors, his offseason courtship from SoftBank that included a private workout for the team, and how playing for the Hawks marks something of a return. Moore spent four years living in Japan as a child when his father was transferred to a U.S. Air Force base in Okinawa.
Verlander’s conscience is eating at him.
The Astro’s should donate all of their stadium’s trash cans to local hospitals. They could be useful.
Cornball
Is it too much to ask for commenters to be focused on the positives of an article during this very real crisis in our country. There will be plenty of time to hate Verlander and the Astros when the season starts, but regardless of who gives the money it’s nice to know people in need are getting help. SMH
This
This IS a wonderful story. However, the players’ first reactions were about hammering out a financial agreement with the owners. I guess you do need to cover your own greedy butt first, Verlander may be a good guy at heart, but will forever be remembered in infamy along with the Black Sox, Pete Rose and steroid users. All cheaters, therefore earning some hate.
The players union is who came to an agreement with owners. It is literally the union’s paid job to represent player’s interests and to negotiate something to protect them. There are tons of minor leaguers who don’t have money and are not rich that needed protections.
I wasn’t hating on Verlander (good for him for helping out) and I was not making light of the pandemic, people who are sick, or people dying. I was making a joke and a rather harmless one. It was not a hateful joke in any way. Just as it is important to appreciate the good things people do to help it is also important to maintain a sense of humor and enjoy a good (all though I am not claiming my “joke” was good, just making a point) laugh here and there.
At least be entertaining.
Nothing wrong with making a joke but there is something wrong with a trash joke.
OK, you win!!! That was pretty good.
Verlander is always been a generous individual. As is his wife. All you haters out there just shut up
You can be generous and a cheater, they are not mutually exclusive.
Poor Justin, stuck at home with Kate Upton.
Verlander is a hypocritical cheater. Trying to buy a reputation.
Verlander was a pillar in the community in Detroit and was in Houston (from what I read) as well, these facts have more to do with his character than a cheating scandal that was going on before he was even on the team. But don’t let a good story get in the way of the facts…
That is the type of risk people take when they choose to do the wrong thing. Everything that they have built comes into question. Don’t blame the people that are questioning his character or lack of character. He is the one that participated in the cheating scandal. He is the one that shows zero remorse nor takes responsibility for his or his teams actions. As long as they continue to stay quiet and hope it blows over they deserve to be called out.
Hypocrisy? Tell me. How much have you donated to help those affected by Covid-19
Cry more loser. How many teams do you think steal signs? There’s reasons players didn’t come out and the league didn’t care until it became public.
I don’t know? you tell us, with facts and reports please. How many teams have used video technology, had nerds decoding signs in real time, named their project “code breaker’, have mountain of damning evidence to show that they cheated?
We can wait while you roundup those reports. and if you don’t kindly shut your mouth.
McGurk, pay attention to the history of baseball and understand there have been various forms of cheating or gaining an edge since the 19th century. If you can’t believe other teams are doing what the Astros were caught doing then you are naive. But please feel free to tell us how and why the other 29 teams are “on the level” in every capacity.
Apparently you have experience working for an MLB team. Oh teach us wise one.
Lol, so someone makes a dumb accusation that all 29 teams are cheaters and now it’s up everyone else to prove their not. Boy these Astro fans are reaching lol.
Btw just because there is a history of cheating in the game doesn’t mean the league can’t start doing the right thing now. Instead of sweeping it under the rug.
You are the one placing us on a pedestal.
It is whatever. We will roll with it.
It is funny because people actually think they are somehow hurting the Astros by calling them cheaters and like I said separating them from the pack.
So you admit there is cheating? Perfect. Now use whatever baseball sense you probably have, and understand that teams are cheating. We can’t prove it. Just like we could not prove steroids over 15 years ago. Just like many teams could not prove other forms of gaining an edge. People and teams get away with it.
We’ll accept your apology for your first comment.
Yeah..but Kate Upton.
We know why but good on him. The people they help will be grateful.
The Astros can save 25 metropolitan areas, they can bang on trash cans when they see signs of the virus.
This was very funny great joke I laughed very hard
Ran into Justin Verlander at a grocery store in Beverlywood last week. I told him how cool it was to meet him in person, but I didn’t want to bother him and ask him about the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. He said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?” I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but he kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his hand shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard him chuckle as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw him trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen Milky Ways in his hands without paying. The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first he kept pretending to be tired and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter. When she took one of the Milky Ways and started scanning it multiple times, he stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each bar and put them in a bag and started to say the price, he kept interrupting her by yawning really loudly.
If it were a Butterfinger I’d understand. Definitely a cheater.
I can’t tell if this is true or not but man this story makes me laugh.
One time, at band camp..
I have zero idea what the conscious of each and every player is that gives to a charitable cause. But what I do know is this. Verlanders contract is roughly $30M a year. This charity donation is roughly $300k in total. I’m not sure what taxes are, if included to that sum that’s being donated. However, for the sake of taxes on his actual income, I’ll just say he makes $15M AAV post taxes and is still donating the $300k. That’s 2% of his total income of one year of his contract assuming its cut that much off.
The point I’m trying to make is I wish media (not just MLBTR) lessened the amount of praise they give super wealthy millionaires when they donate to charities. My equation above is obviously not a direct accurate number but the point was that though a large contribution to that charity, it should be about the cause. The minute I hear media statements, it really loses its “charitable” essence.
Plus it’s a beautiful tax right off come around this time of year.
Taxes will be less since he’s in Texas.
Plus, it’s obviously easier for him to donate when your have a supermodel wife also bringing in millions of dollars.
I’d give a Payday for a night with Kate.
I submit the following.
Greatest player of all time, Babe Ruth.
Greatest candy bar of all time, Baby Ruth.
Has Matt Moore even played a game in Japan yet? I’m a little confused as to how he can compare playing in Japan to here in the States.
Why does everyone trash Verlander over Astro’s hitters, he was there a month and isn’t a hitter.