The MLBPA's dismissal of Senior Advisor to the Exec Dir Rick Shapiro earlier this month has "brought a cascade of complaints from a faction of unhappy agents," according to Rosenthal & Drellich of THE ATHLETIC. There is a "suspicion that agent Scott Boras' influence is reflected in the firing, and that his power is growing inside the union." Meanwhile, some MLB officials "viewed Shapiro as both knowledgeable and a dealmaker," which "hints that Shapiro was more likely than other union leaders to acquiesce to MLB's desires." Shapiro had "longstanding relationships inside MLB and amongst agents, while the union's new lead negotiator," Senior Dir of Collective Bargaining & Legal Bruce Meyer, has "no previous experience in baseball." MLBPA Exec Dir Tony Clark had a "strong reaction to agents who objected to Shapiro's removal." He said, "Any agent who believes that baseball players lack the resolve to fight for our rights, as we have always done, does not appreciate the history of this union and does not understand the players." Sources said that the MLBPA fired Shapiro with the "intent of creating solidarity, removing an influential figure because leadership lost trust in him." The sources added that Shapiro "could not accept his role and became embittered toward Meyer," who was hired last year by Clark to "give the union greater firepower" in CBA talks (THEATHLETIC.com, 7/27).
