Boras, MLB exec exchange barbs as tensions rise over free agency
A rift has been growing between Major League Baseball and the Players' Association as many free agents remain unsigned a week before pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Scott Boras, who represents free agents Jake Arrieta and J.D. Martinez, is especially unimpressed with the general freeze on free agency, taking issue with the league's response to the union's complaint about tanking.
Major League Baseball issued the following statement today in response to the comments made by MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark: pic.twitter.com/JE2AFRpEDZ
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) February 6, 2018
"I find it interesting that free agents have nine-figure offers since the CBA mandates that teams do not share that sort of information," Boras told FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman.
"I am also curious how a public statement communicated to all teams about offers on the table and players demanding too much money from a central league office ... is any different from the infamous 'information bank' in the 1980s," he continued.
The information bank was a system used by teams to share how much free-agent players were being offered in contract negotiations, which ultimately led to a grievance filed by the union in 1988.
Related: MLBPA preparing for possible spring camp for unsigned players
Dan Halem, MLB's chief legal officer, didn't take kindly to Boras' pointed criticisms of the league, laying some blame for stagnant player movement at the agent's feet.
"If Mr. Boras spent as much time working on getting his players signed as he does issuing inflammatory and unsubstantiated statements to the press, perhaps the events of this offseason would be different."