Some agents for this year's MLB free agents "suspect
that the clubs are colluding, in violation" of the CBA,
according to Murray Chass of the N.Y. TIMES. But Chass
wrote that management reps "vehemently and angrily deny"
that the teams "are acting together either to limit free
agents' movement or to control the contracts available to
them." Chass examines the impact this may have on the next
round of CBA negotiations: "The labor agreement expires at
the end of next season, and some people on the players' side
see another nasty fight approaching as a group of hard-line
owners prepares to lead the effort to bring salaries under
control." One agent said, "There was a movement to get an
extension done last summer, but all you hear now is militant
talk" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/19). Rockies Chair Jerry McMorris
dismissed speculation of a work stoppage: "I don't think
there's much of an appetite among this generation of owners
or players for another work stoppage. We about killed the
game last time. Anything is possible, but the overall
relationship between [MLB] and the [MLBPA] is the best it's
been since I've been in the game" (DENVER POST, 11/19).
GOING WHERE WATER TASTE LIKE DEWINE: U.S. Senate
Subcommittee on Antitrust, Business Rights and Competition
Chair Mike DeWine (R-OH), on tomorrow's hearing on economic
disparity in MLB (see THE DAILY, 11/15): "We're not looking
to write or pass legislation. We do hope to push baseball
to make some reforms. There is a serious competition and
income disparity issue out there right now, and something
needs to be done. ... We're going to stay on this. We
clearly have jurisdiction" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/19).
A-ROD SAYS PERKS NOT PART OF THE DEAL: Free agent SS
Alex Rodriguez told ESPN.com's Peter Gammons that he
"doesn't want or need any perks" with a new contract.
Rodriguez: "If I'm making $18 million or $23 million or
whatever I turn out to get I can buy anything I want. It
would be ridiculous to ask for some of the things that I've
supposedly been demanding. ... As far as my supposedly
demanding a plane -- I already have a deal with a charter
jet company out of Boston as spokesman for their company, so
not only do I have one if I need it, which I really don't,
but I couldn't have any other deal" (ESPN.com, 11/17). In a
separate piece, Gammons wrote, "Baseball is unfair, but
don't start knocking on Alex Rodriguez's door. The
inequities are between owners, not players, and the fact is
that as a group, owners in the last decade have been far
greedier than players" (ESPN.com, 11/18). D'Backs Managing
General Partner Jerry Colangelo: "Those who are being too
greedy need to be very careful. This is a very sensitive
time and a very sensitive issue. It's like a time bomb. ...
How high is too high? Maybe we're going to find that out"
(ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/19). Rodriguez' agent Scott Boras:
"Many baseball officials believe Alex Rodriguez pays for
himself, increases the value of the franchise. In Seattle,
the Mariners went from a $6 million TV deal to a $26 million
regional contract, and that was after [Ken] Griffey [Jr.]
left. The radio contract went up fivefold as well. They
also sold out every day. We fully understand this is a
player who has an economic impact" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/18).
But in Denver, Tracy Ringolsby noted that the Mariners
ranked ninth in the AL in road attendance (ROCKY MOUNTAIN
NEWS, 11/19). White Sox Chair Jerry Reinsdorf: "I don't
know if people say, 'I've got to go to the ballgame because
A-Rod is in town.' The difference he'd make is that he'd
make a team better, therefore people will be more inclined
to see a game. But to have an impact of Michael [Jordan]?
No way" (DENVER POST, 11/19). In Philadelphia, Jim
Salisbury wrote that Rodriguez' "likability is one of his
strongest attributes, but over the last few days that
likability has taken a hit. Not a fatal hit, but a hit
nonetheless" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 11/19).
