Soxbadger Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 According to ESPN Bud Selig can accept the deal and force arbitration. "He might also go against the union and approve the restructuring, likely forcing the matter to arbitration." This is interesting because the clause the Union has been relying on is this: "The basic agreement contains a rule that requires any special covenant to be an actual or potential benefit to the player," Manfred baseballs top lawyer said. "In a situation like the current situation, where there was a restructuring, where the player was getting something and the club was getting something, Gene Orza is not the final arbitrator on whether the restructuring provides an actual or potential benefit to the player. The commissioner currently is considering his legal options in consultation with the two teams." This all leads to a very interesting decision for Selig, and one that can make the owners very happy. If he accepts the deal, the Player's Union suffers a chance at a decision hurting them badly, where as all the owners risk is the status quo. Given the nature of the case, I would say the owners have a good chance at winning the arbitration, because all they will have to prove is that A-Rod by moving to Boston could potentially benefit him more than the money he is giving up. The owners will prove this by saying, 1) he improves his marketability, thus more potential sponorships, 2) he is more likely to win a benefit that can not be priced (what truely is the potential benefit of a championship to a player. Some would easily trade millions for one ring), 3) his desire to be traded and restructure, with A-Rod wanting the move it will be very hard for the arbitrators to rule for the Union considering there is no: duress, or other circumstances that would of unfairly influenced A-Rod's ability to make a contract. If the owners win, then restructuring contracts of players will become a viable option for players. Personally, I hope they take it to arbitration and stick it to the players union for getting greedy. No other sport does not allow a player to restructure their contract, it has no legal basis to disallow a person to contract for themselves, the Union may have made a mistake. SB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wicked Nomah Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Just read on BoSox ESPN board that Selig has already scheduled an 8:00 AM arbitrator meeting tomorrow, FWIW. Then again, those BoSox fans are workin' on fumes over there after the last 48 wicked hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 I think Selig is gonna stick it to the union and I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 I think Selig is gonna stick it to the union and I love it. We all sure hope so. Stick it to the union Selig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 People are actually rooting FOR Selig? Satan must be getting cold right about now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 People are actually rooting FOR Selig? Satan must be getting cold right about now. It's quite amazing after the All Star Game Fiasco in Milwaukee isn't it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 It just goes to show you ... all things are possible. Except the Cubs in the WS. :fthecubs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Tizzle Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Selig probably realizes the implications if this trade didnt go down....the worst being many pissed off fans. (probably Boston more then anywhere else). Here is the latest from the world of roto: Alex Rodriguez-SS-TEX Sources close to the commissioner's office told the Providence Journal that Bud Selig intends to step in today and attempt to broker an agreement with the MLBPA that would allow the A-Rod trade to go through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastime Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 "The basic agreement contains a rule that requires any special covenant to be an actual or potential benefit to the player," Manfred baseballs top lawyer said. If that is true, then the way I read it, Alex Rodriguez WOULD have a "potential benefit to the player" - he can finally go to a team that has a chance of winning a championship ring or at least COMPETING - which is what he wants! I don't want to start a huge "labor wars" discussion, so please don't, but my father is one of the heads of the OCAW - Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers Union in Chicago, and he and the other union people just laugh, mock, and poke fun at the MLBPA. He called it "a bunch of country club sissies calling itself a union just to get what they want and to sound legitimate." I won't go into any of the other things he and the other guys called it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Even Selig's not enough of a dumb ass to realise that he needs the game's best player playing for a winning team, in World Series', not for a team that has come last in its division 4 out of the last 5 years. He'll do whateva he can to get this deal done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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