Cubs 3B Kris Bryant and Phillies 3B Maikel Franco "have filed grievances against their teams alleging they were kept in the minor leagues unnecessarily and had their service time manipulated to delay future free agency," according to sources cited by Jeff Passan of YAHOO SPORTS. Potential service-time manipulation "looms as a significant issue" with MLB and the MLBPA "ramping up discussions" on a new CBA after the current one expires Dec. 1, 2016. Sources said that while neither case "has yet to reach an arbitration panel," the grievances "indicate that players believe teams have not abided by the intention of service-time rules and operated in bad faith." Bryant "debuted April 17 and finished the year with 171 days of service time." A full year of service "comprises 172 days." The Cubs "sent Bryant to Triple-A to start the season, and by calling him up when they did, they positioned themselves to stave off his free agency" until '21. Franco debuted in September '14 but started '15 in Triple-A before returning to the big leagues on May 15, where he "finished the season with 170 days of service." Sources said that Bryant "filed his grievance in April," while Franco "submitted his later." Either grievance ever reaching an arbitration panel "is in question" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 12/7).
KRIS CROSS: Cubs GM Jed Hoyer said, "We've known about this since May. We have a great relationship with Kris. We feel like we were in the right." He added, "This is something that will be handled through due process. It was filed in May, and to the best of my knowledge, it sits in the same place that it has been." ESPN CHICAGO's Jesse Rogers noted it is "unknown what Bryant is seeking in damages, as there is no precedent for a service-time dispute going to a hearing" (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 12/7). In Chicago, Gordon Wittenmyer cites sources as saying that Bryant's success in particular among the two players -- from the moment he debuted as the Cubs’ cleanup hitter -- "lends credibility to an intent-based, spirit-of-the-rules argument by the union in a grievance hearing." If anything, the grievance "figures to help shape the discussion on changes in a system that allowed the Cubs to potentially suppress Bryant’s career earning power" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/8).
