The MLBPA is scouting sites in Florida and Arizona and making "preliminary arrangements to conduct its own spring training for as many as 100 unsigned free agents," according to sources cited by Tim Brown of YAHOO SPORTS. The IMG baseball academy in Bradenton, Fla., was "believed to be among at least three options." The MLBPA also is "identifying coaches and other personnel to staff the facility." The arrangement is likely to "draw comparisons" to a spring camp held in Homestead, Fla., 22 years ago "during the last work stoppage" in MLB (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/7). In Boston, Jason Mastrodonato writes while MLB owners and players are "setting the stage for a showdown" in '21 when the CBA is up, they are also "brewing a conflict that should concern fans who want to see the best players on the field" for Opening Day '18 (BOSTON HERALD, 2/8).
Frazier said free agency is what players look forward to most, besides winning a titleINSTAGRAM
PLAYERS' PERSPECTIVE: New Mets 3B Todd Frazier, who signed a two-year contract worth $17M on Monday, admitted that it "isn't the deal he had in mind after waiting years for the opportunity." Frazier: "Being a free agent, this is what you've been trying to get to. Besides winning the World Series, this is what you look forward to as a player. And to see what's going on now, it's tough." He added, "Everybody could see what the price was -- or where I should have been. But it's like in baseball: You expect yourself to hit .300, and if you hit .280, it's still a pretty good year" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/8). Frazier: "There's a lot of free agents out here and we're definitely thinking about those guys for sure. It's one of those things that we have to be patient, the market is where it is right now." CAA's Brodie Van Wagenen, who reps Frazier, said, "Players are paying attention to this offseason and players are emotional right now." In Newark, Abbey Mastracco notes Van Wagenen "believes this is the first step to a resolution, but that resolution may take a battle." Van Wagenen: "Questions are being asked. And as those questions are being answered we'll know a lot more about what the future looks like" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/8). Rockies P Adam Ottavino, who is also the team's player rep, said that players around the league are watching free agency "unfold with keen interest." Ottavino: "Everybody is paying close attention. What comes out of this will certainly be noticed by all 1,200 players in the union" (DENVER POST, 2/8).
LOOKING AHEAD: In L.A., Bill Shaikin wrote the owners "are winning this winter." The CBA has "three years to run after this one." Shaikin: "These are the questions players ought to ask now: What do the players want to change? What can they realistically hope to change? What is their best strategy for persuading the owners to change?" And one more: Is MLBPA Exec Dir Tony Clark the "right person to lead them?" (LATIMES.com, 2/7). In Chicago, Barry Rozner wrote as "bad as it looks right now, it's going to look a lot better" after the '18 World Series when Nationals RF Bryce Harper, Orioles SS Manny Machado and Dodgers P Clayton Kershaw "sign some of the biggest contracts in the history of the game." One of those deals could be for $500M, another for $400M and perhaps a third for $300M. Those three players are "likely to bust a billion dollars on their own" (DAILYHERALD.com, 2/7).
