Fehr Factor

Fehr Leaving MLBPA Amid A Mixed Legacy

MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr throws a curveball to the baseball establishment yesterday, announcing that he plans to leave one of the most powerful unions in the country by the end of March next year. Columnists reflect on Fehr's tenure, during which he "served his membership well, fought the good fight against the baseball establishment and was as responsible as anyone for the spirit of cooperation that exists today between the owners and players." Fehr did an "amazing job keeping his membership united as owners tried time and again to break them apart." But despite his accomplishments at the bargaining table, the rise of performance-enhancing drugs under Fehr's watch tarnishes his legacy, as he "missed about as badly as a person of his intellect could miss" on the topic of steroids. MLBPA General Counsel Michael Weiner is being tapped as Fehr’s likely successor, and all signs point to a smooth transition, as Weiner has "gained credibility across the board."

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