Comments on: Boras clients should offer money-back guarantee http://www.hardballcooperative.com/?p=1311 Baseball analysis, insight, commentary and more Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:32:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ron Thompson http://www.hardballcooperative.com/?p=1311&cpage=1#comment-380 Ron Thompson Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:16:30 +0000 http://www.hardballcooperative.com/?p=1311#comment-380 Yes; yes it is. That's why it's called bonus money--he gets it simply for signing. Scott Boras and Steven Strasburg didn't invent the concept of a signing bonus. Obviously, it's Boras's job to get as much as he possibly can for his clients. Under the system as the owners have rigged it (it's not subject to negotiation with the MLBPA, because they only represent major league players, not amateur free agents) the Washington Nationals came to the conclusion that it was worth it to them to pay the amounts specified in the contract in order to obtain Strasburg's services. No one pointed a gun at their head. They knew when they drafted him in June what his contract demands were, and that Scott Boras was his agent. Yes; yes it is. That’s why it’s called bonus money–he gets it simply for signing. Scott Boras and Steven Strasburg didn’t invent the concept of a signing bonus. Obviously, it’s Boras’s job to get as much as he possibly can for his clients.

Under the system as the owners have rigged it (it’s not subject to negotiation with the MLBPA, because they only represent major league players, not amateur free agents) the Washington Nationals came to the conclusion that it was worth it to them to pay the amounts specified in the contract in order to obtain Strasburg’s services. No one pointed a gun at their head. They knew when they drafted him in June what his contract demands were, and that Scott Boras was his agent.

]]> By: James Bailey http://www.hardballcooperative.com/?p=1311&cpage=1#comment-378 James Bailey Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:53:44 +0000 http://www.hardballcooperative.com/?p=1311#comment-378 I was being a bit facetious with the money-back guarantee. It would obviously never happen. My point was, the entire risk is borne by the team. Boras would have you believe every client he ever had was worth a record bonus for wherever they were drafted. They don’t all pan out. Some get hurt, some just don’t develop and wash out without reaching the big leagues. They keep the bonus money, though. Is that fair? I was being a bit facetious with the money-back guarantee. It would obviously never happen. My point was, the entire risk is borne by the team. Boras would have you believe every client he ever had was worth a record bonus for wherever they were drafted. They don’t all pan out. Some get hurt, some just don’t develop and wash out without reaching the big leagues. They keep the bonus money, though. Is that fair?

]]> By: Ron Thompson http://www.hardballcooperative.com/?p=1311&cpage=1#comment-377 Ron Thompson Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:38:56 +0000 http://www.hardballcooperative.com/?p=1311#comment-377 I've heard some odd comments about Scott Boras, but the idea of a money-back guarantee probably tops them all. This is an artificial system created by baseball's owners to serve their interests, and only their interests. It still amazes me that no amateur has ever sued to have it overturned. How can it possibly be legal for thirty possible employers to agree that only one of them can make an offer to a person with whom none of them has any contractual relationship? About 12 years ago we saw how much the draft system depresses the fair market value of talented amateur players, when Bobby Seay and three others were granted complete free agency to sign with the highest bidders. Thank goodness that amateurs have agents like Scott Boras and others to help them get the best deal they can in this grossly unfair system. I’ve heard some odd comments about Scott Boras, but the idea of a money-back guarantee probably tops them all.

This is an artificial system created by baseball’s owners to serve their interests, and only their interests. It still amazes me that no amateur has ever sued to have it overturned. How can it possibly be legal for thirty possible employers to agree that only one of them can make an offer to a person with whom none of them has any contractual relationship? About 12 years ago we saw how much the draft system depresses the fair market value of talented amateur players, when Bobby Seay and three others were granted complete free agency to sign with the highest bidders.

Thank goodness that amateurs have agents like Scott Boras and others to help them get the best deal they can in this grossly unfair system.

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