Collective Bargaining Agreement

[nymr83]

yeah, those situations are pretty sad, i hadn't remembered that happening, fortunately its rare.
i suppose you could have a complicated system designed to make everyone happy/happier where a player nwilling to play for a team could go elsewhere, but the team gets fair compensation (say the pick of the team that he goes to plus a sandwhich pick the following year) basically something similiar to the "restricted free agents" in the NFL. but adding more and more layers to this thing may not be the way to go either.

[metirish]

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/54496

[MFS62]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I remember many years ago Pete Incaviglia refusing to play for the Expos, who drafted him. He somehow forced a trade to Texas. I think he made his signing contingent on being traded immediately.

And third baseman Matt Williams went back to school rether than sign with the Mets (who had drafted him) because he didn't want to play in New York. It wasn't a matter of money. Later, when he was in the major leagues, he had a very specific no-trade to New York in every one of his contracts.

Later

[Centerfield]

I just want it to be clear that I am willing to play for any major league team.

[MFS62]

Centerfield wrote: I just want it to be clear that I am willing to play for any major league team.

If you're a LOOGY, you might show up on a major league roster real soon.

Later

[Willets Point]

MFS62 wrote: ="Centerfield"]I just want it to be clear that I am willing to play for any major league team. If you're a LOOGY, you might show up on a major league roster real soon. Later

Sounds like a Jeff Foxworthy routine. "You might be a LOOGY..."

[Centerfield]

If you're twenty years older than everyone else on your team, you might be a LOOGY.

If your work day is shorter than your commute, you might be a LOOGY.

[MFS62]

If you get a tired arm after throwing five pitches, you might be a LOOGY.

Later

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

From the Associated Press, on MLB.com:

Associated Press wrote: Under new rules this offseason, free agents do not face any deadlines to re-sign with their former teams. In the past, players had to re-sign by Dec. 7 (or Jan. 8 if offered salary arbitration) or else could not return to their former teams until May 1. The deadlines were eliminated in baseball's new labor contract.