MLBPA’s Tony Clark releases statement on Red Sox-Dodgers trade trouble
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Jun 21, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Major League Baseball Player Association executive director Tony Clark speaks during a presentation at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
The now-delayed deal that would’ve sent Mookie Betts to Los Angeles — one that that was already unfair for one side (the Red Sox) — is now unfair for all involved, according to a statement released by MLBPA executive director Tony Clark.
“The proposed trades between the Dodgers, Red Sox, Twins, and Angels needs to be resolved without further delay,” Clark said in a statement released Friday. “The events of this last week have unfairly put several Players’ lives in a state of limbo. The unethical leaking of medical information as well as the perversion of the salary arbitration process serve as continued reminders that too often Players are treated as commodities by those running the game.”
Clark’s statement comes with the Red Sox’ massive cost-cutting trade on hold thanks to some suspect medical reports on pitching prospect Brusdar Graderol that have projected him as more of a reliever than a starter. But the Twins weren’t exactly hiding from this, and they said that they projected Graderol as a potential long-term reliever as recently as September, so not understanding that or properly doing their own homework via Google seems more like a lack of due diligence than anything else. Given the poor return on the trade — Alex Verdugo is also battling through an injury and the Red Sox are still eating half of Price’s $90-plus million due over the next three years — that doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility. Especially when you consider how quickly the Dodgers flipped Graderol to the Red Sox via Minnesota.
In response to the failed physical, Chaim Bloom and the Red Sox have reportedly demanded a “top 10 prospect” from the Twins, which the Twins have (to this point) passed on offering. No shock there.
But the frustration has extended beyond the Bermuda Triangle of Confusion between Boston, Minnesota, and the Dodgers, as Angels owner Art Moreno is ‘quite upset’ that his trade for the Dodgers’ Joc Pederson is also in limbo as a result of this holdup.
Hear Angels owner Arte Moreno hasn’t been happy about having their big trade for Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling with the cross-freeway Dodgers on hold while the Mookie Betts mega deal is in limbo. Not sure who his ire is aimed at but people in the know say he’s quite upset.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 7, 2020
And this is all with less than a week from the official start of 2020 Spring Training.
What. A. Mess.