MLBPA files grievance against 4 teams over revenue-sharing funds

The Major League Baseball Players Association has filed a grievance against four teams - the Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Miami Marlins - claiming they failed to comply with rules that regulate the spending of revenue-sharing money, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Union spokesperson Chris Dahl confirmed a grievance had been filed, while MLB responded to the Times with a statement, Topkin adds. "We have received the grievance and believe it has no merit."

The grievance covers the 2017 regular season and the current offseason, which has been one of the slowest of recent times.

Teams are required to spend revenue-sharing money to help improve the on-field product, according to the collective bargaining agreement, and while the payrolls of the four teams mentioned in the grievance are among the lowest in the league, the money doesn't necessarily need to be spent on major-league payroll.

"The MLBPA's grievance against the Pirates is patently baseless. We look forward to demonstrating as much to the Arbitrator if the MLBPA continues to pursue this meritless claim," Pirates president Frank Coonelly said in a statement issued by the team.

On the other side of the coin, Athletics union representative and shortstop Marcus Semien discussed the grievance on behalf of the players. "The league is making a lot of money ... There are a lot of good players who deserve to be paid."

MLB set a record for revenue in 2017, surpassing the $10-billion mark for the first time, according to Maury Brown of Forbes, but a large number of free agents such as Jake Arrieta, Lance Lynn, and Alex Cobb still remain unemployed despite spring training already underway.