The Major League Baseball Players Association released a statement Sunday refuting a report that players have discussed a possible spring training boycott in response to the slow-moving free-agent market.
ESPN's Buster Olney reported earlier in the day that players "briefly discussed" boycotting spring training during a conference call last week, although Olney added that a boycott was not "under any serious consideration" at this time.
While the players' union did not directly deny such a conversation took place, it used its statement to clarify that it has not threatened baseball with a possible boycott.
"Recent press reports have erroneously suggested that the Players Association has threatened a 'boycott' of spring training. No such threat has been made, nor has the union recommended such a course of action."
Both players and agents have expressed frustration with this unusual offseason. The Winter Meetings in December were expected to be the busiest in recent years because of a deep free-agent market and stars such as Giancarlo Stanton available via trade.
While Stanton and Marcell Ozuna were traded, relief pitchers were the only position to move quickly in free agency. With pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training next week, the market is still flooded with talented players, such as J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer, Jake Arrieta and Yu Darvish.
Last week, agent Scott Boras made headlines by criticizing the Marlins and Pirates for trading away their star players, calling the strategy employed by both as "tanking." Additionally, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported that the players' union was actively investigating the two teams' use of revenue-sharing money.
In MLB’s revenue-sharing system, a percentage of local revenue for each club is taken from every team and paid back out. Big-market teams receive less and small-market teams receive more. However, small-market teams have been criticized for how that money is spent.
It’s not unusual for MLB to take a closer look at a team’s spending of revenue-sharing income. After all, each team submits its receipts to detail how it spends that money on its on-field product.
The commissioner's office released a statement stating it had no concerns with either club complying with the rules, and Pirates president Frank Coonelly released this statement in response to Passan's report:
“The Pirates are not being investigated by MLB and the commissioner has no concerns whatsoever with the manner in which the Pirates are investing its revenue-sharing receipts into building a winner. The Pirates have and will continue to invest its revenue-sharing receipts in an effort to put a winning team on the field. As required by the Basic Agreement, we share with MLB and the Union each year the detail as to how our revenue-sharing receipts are used to put a winning team on the field. What that detail shows is that while our revenue sharing receipts have decreased for seven consecutive seasons, our major league payroll more than doubled over that same period. Indeed, our revenue-sharing receipts are now just a fraction of what we spend on major league payroll, let alone all of the other dollars that we spend on scouting, player development and other baseball investments, several areas in which we are among the league leaders in spending. Thus, the commissioner is well-equipped to address whatever ‘concerns’ the Union now purportedly has over the Pirates’ efforts to win.”
But players are reportedly frustrated because revenue for teams reached an all-time high and franchise values continue to soar.
The Pirates saved a considerable amount of money in 2017 with the suspension of Starling Marte, as well as Jung Ho Kang being unable to enter the country after his third DUI conviction.
Additionally, they saved roughly $600,000 by losing Juan Nicasio on irrevocable waivers at the trade deadline, and Tony Watson was traded to the Dodgers in July.
There also is a considerable amount of revenue on the way, too. Each team is reportedly going to receive $50 million this spring for Disney’s purchase of BAMtech, the streaming media unit created by MLB.
While the Marlins traded Stanton, Ozuna and Christian Yelich, the Pirates dealt Gerrit Cole to the Astros and Andrew McCutchen to the Giants. Although the Pirates signed Felipe Rivero to a four-year, $22 million contract extension, they have yet to spend a dollar in free agency. Excluding Kang‘s salary, the Pirates’ payroll is roughly $77 million for 2018.
Josh Harrison, who will make $10.25 million in 2018, is also reportedly being shopped. According to Forbes, the club’s payroll was $95.8 million on opening day last season. The Brewers ranked last in MLB at $60.8 million.
Last week, Brodie Van Wagenen, the lead baseball agent at Creative Artists Agency, tweeted about the possibility of players boycotting spring training in response to the slow free-agent market and accused owners of colluding to suppress the free-agent market.
"Many club presidents and general managers with whom we negotiate with are frustrated with the lack of funds to sign the plethora of good players still available, raising further suspicion of institutional influence over the spending," Van Wagenen said in his tweet.
Here is his statement in its entirety:
A rising tide... @MLB_PLAYERS pic.twitter.com/jwkoiiI0yt
— Brodie Van Wagenen (@bvanwagenen) February 2, 2018
A boycott would violate federal labor laws, which would likely lead to an immediate injunction by the National Labor Relations Board. The sport has not had a work stoppage since 1994-95, and the current collective-bargaining agreement, which was ratified in December 2016, runs through 2021.
Van Wagenen's statement received national attention and led to a statement from MLBPa executive director Tony Clark:
Statement of #MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark... pic.twitter.com/4RwL1JpA5Q
— #MLBPA (@MLB_PLAYERS) February 2, 2018
Pitchers and catchers report for spring training at Pirate City on Feb. 14 with the first formal workout two days later. Position players arrive on Feb. 18 and the first full-squad workout is the following day. The Pirates' first game is Feb. 23 against the Rays.