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Report: MLB players increasingly frustrated with union head Tony Clark

Patrick McDermott / Getty Images Sport / Getty

After ratifying a new collective bargaining agreement last winter that will run through the 2021 season, a robust cast of free agents are struggling to find employment as spring training approaches, and players are reportedly less than impressed with their leader.

Many players and their agents are growing increasingly frustrated with MLBPA executive director Tony Clark, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Among notable concessions the players association made during last winter's rounds of collective bargaining were a cap on international spending which complicated the recruitment of Shohei Ohtani this offseason, as well as harsher penalties for exceeding the luxury tax.

Clark has acted as the union's executive director since December 2013 and has overseen recent years of labor peace.

The 45-year-old Clark took over the role of union head from Michael Weiner after a four-year tenure ended with the former attorney's death. Prior to Weiner, the MLBPA was run by Donald Fehr, another candidate with a background in law, who has since taken over as the executive director for the NHLPA.

Unlike his most recent predecessors, Clark has no background in law and is a former player. The first baseman spent parts of 15 seasons between the Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees.

With pitchers and catchers slated to report for spring training in less than a month, Yu Darvish, Jake Arrieta, J.D. Martinez, and Eric Hosmer - among other stars - remain without a contract.

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