Posts tagged Scott Boras at FanHouse

Remember two weeks ago when the deadline for signing draft picks came and went without a lot of drama from Scott Boras? How it seemed like he caved to the Pirates' and Royals' offers for the second and third picks, Pedro Alvarez and Eric Hosmer? When it comes to Alvarez, at least, things are never that simple with Boras. What seemed to be resolved on August 15th with the Pirates and Alvarez slowly devolved when Alvarez never showed up in Pittsburgh to take a physical and sign his contract. Today, things apparently hit the fan.

The ball got rolling when the MLB Players' Association filed a grievance with the Commissioner's Office (more details being constantly updated here), charging that Alvarez signed his contract after midnight on the 15th. The Pirates responded by refuting that charge and placing Alvarez on the restricted list, saying that Boras had since tried to renegotiate the contract and his client has refused to officially sign the deal that was agreed on in principle the night of the 15th.

What does all this mean? Where does this go? It's a good bet that this is rooted in Boras's dislike of the August 15th signing deadline, even though there's not much being said right now beyond run-of-the-mill finger pointing. As it stands, Boras feels the Pirates signed Alvarez to an illegal contract and the player's union is on his side. The Pirates feel that Boras is posturing for more money and the MLB higher-ups are on their side. A hearing is scheduled for September 10th, but I imagine both sides will have a lot to say before then.

To fans and the media, what a team does in the MLB Draft pales next to a big free-agent signing or blockbuster trade.

Part of that is the gaudy figures thrown around during the hot stove season. The Red Sox, this year's top spender in the draft, couldn't even buy one year of Gil Meche if they shifted their draft outlay to the open market. Most of it stems from immediacy, though. A big winter signing answers the question who will help me today? A big haul in the draft answers who will help me tomorrow, but in most cases tomorrow is years away, if it ever comes at all.

Still, as the cost of free agents escalates, the draft continues to become the most important way to ensure long-term success. With that in mind, and with the deadline to sign picks in the books, here's a look at three teams who won and three teams who lost in the 2008 draft

The August 15th deadline for signing draft picks has created some interesting drama in mid-August that didn't previously exist. With most high draft picks waiting until the 15th to sign, there was a ton of tension as midnight approached last night. One of the most interesting subplots, however, has been how Scott Boras has handled negotiations for his top prospects.

A year ago, he represented Mike Moustakas and Matt Wieters, picked second and fifth overall, respectively. After demanding huge signing bonuses for both of them, it was reported the he called the Royals and Orioles after 11:30 PM and mostly gave in to the teams' demands, with Moustakas signing for $4 miilion with the Royals and Wieters getting $6 million from Baltimore. That's certainly a lot of money, but it's not even close to what Boras had reportedly been asking for.

A similar scenario played itself out last night with second overall pick Pedro Alvarez (picked by the Pirates) and third pick Eric Hosmer (again, the Royals). After reportedly asking the Pirates for an eight-figure signing bonus for Alvarez and a major league contract and a similarly huge bonus and big-league signing contract for Hosmer, both players signed for $6 million bonuses and minor league deals within minutes of the midnight deadline.

So what's the deal? Two years, four demands that Boras has seemingly caved on. Is the superagent losing his touch?

On the surface, everything about Alex Rodriguez's life looks wonderful. He's one of the best players in baseball and is a real threat to break Barry Bonds' hallowed career mark of 762 home runs. He also plays for baseball's most hallowed team, the New York Yankees.

Oh, and he's a gazillionaire. There's just one problem for Alex: He just isn't famous enough. I mean, when was the last time you heard anything about A-Rod? Nobody talks about the guy, which is a shame, and it's probably why Alex has signed a deal with the William Morris Talent Agency.

The William Morris Agency bolstered its sports management business Monday by signing Alex Rodriguez as a client. The New York Yankees star and frequent tabloid piñata will continue to use Scott Boras as his baseball agent and Guy Oseary as his manager.

The global talent agency, which represents Hollywood heavyweights like Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, will work to expand Mr. Rodriguez's portfolio of corporate endorsements. Of particular interest to Mr. Rodriguez, who is not likely to seek another baseball contract, are foreign deals.

"I'm excited to see what we will be able to accomplish together, both domestically and abroad," Mr. Rodriquez said in a statement.

Yes, it's important that Alex gets some endorsement deals overseas because he's going to need money after his soon to be ex-wife takes half his money (did you hear he's getting divorced?). More importantly, though, the William Morris Agency needs to get him some exposure.

Maybe they can hook him up with some celebrity to start dating. That usually does the trick, I mean, look what it did for Tom Brady.

When last we heard, the relationship between Alex Rodriguez and Scott Boras wasn't any better than the relationship between A-Rod and his wife. Word was that Boras's hardline tactics regarding the Yankees weren't appreciated by Rodriguez and the agent wasn't involved in negotiating the deal that brought the two sides back together.

He's back by Rodriguez's side, however, and serving in a heretofore unknown capacity. He was in Toronto over the weekend to play mediator between his client and Cynthia Rodriguez as they shared space for the first time since the public meltdown of their marriage. According to the Daily News, it's unknown if he's trying to help broker a divorce settlement or just convince both sides to keep their dirty laundry out of the tabloids but, either way, the team that barred him from contract negotiations is happy to have him back on the scene.

"He [Boras] seems to be there with the blessing of the Yankees' front office, which is ironic, considering that Boras held up George Steinbrenner for millions," the source said. "But apparently the front office welcomes anyone who can get A-Rod's mind back onto baseball."

I wonder how much he charges an hour for couples therapy? Boras may well have the best of intentions for A-Rod but he's also got a personal horse in this race.

Like him or not, you can't say that Scott Boras is anything but a total advocate for his clients. When Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel called the agent to follow up on yesterday's report of a tax lien against Prince Fielder, he got an earful from the agent.

Boras let it be known in no uncertain terms that he thought I had no business poking into the situation. He said he didn't comment on the personal finances of his clients, which I understood. But he also made inferences during our conversation that made it seem as if the matter was being addressed. Still, he made it clear it could compromise my working relationship with Fielder if I pursued the matter -- a proposition I didn't take lightly.

I don't think Haudricourt is in the wrong. Not paying taxes is a legal issue, just as DUI and sexual assaults are and no one bats an eye when stories about those things are reported in the newspaper. The story was broken and Haudricourt was doing his job as a reporter. Fielder and Boras don't have to like it but they should respect it.

It's hard to imagine Boras would let his client get into hot water with the IRS and this case is likely well on its way to resolution. That makes it hard to understand why Boras wouldn't just say it's being resolved and we have no further comment. Threatening a reporter's access makes it seem like there's more to the story.

Wait, can this be right? Since Neal Huntington and Frank Coonelly took over the baseball operations for the Pirates last fall, fans have been wondering how the new front office will handle the draft after Dave Littlefield's second to last blunder (taking relief pitcher Danny Moskos instead of Matt Wieters or Matt LaPorta with the fourth overall pick last year for what's widely believed to be monetary purposes).

Fans have at least a partial answer after Coonelly and Huntington's first first round draft pick, with which they've selected Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez. Alvarez was widely thought to be the top prospect in this year's draft before a hand injury, which the Pirates don't seem to think will bother him long-term. Honestly, the kid can swing a bat with just the kind of power the Pirates always seem to be sorely lacking

Another reason Alvarez may have dropped out of his favor is his agent, the notorious Scott Boras. Rumor has it Boras is going to ask for at least $7 million and maybe more for a signing bonus for Alvarez. That doesn't seem to bother the Pirates, maybe because Alvarez told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this week that he'd be honored to be chosen by the Pirates. Negotiations might get a little sticky, but it's nice to see the Pirates' new front office actually following through with their promise to pick the best available player in this draft.

Don't forget to join Andrew Johnson and Josh Alper for their draft chat, going live all this afternoon at FanHouse.

I wouldn't expect a potential MVP candidate and free agent to be, much less one represented by Scott Boras, to be buying a permanent house in the city where he is currently playing, even if he went to college there. Such is the case for Atlanta first baseman Mark Teixeira, who will be a free agent following this season and who likely command a pretty robust salary on the open market. Talking Chop's Martin Gandy briefly caught up with Tex before the season started (emphasis mine).

MG: How was it being back in Atlanta, I know you went to school here at Tech?

MT: It's great, you know, I'm seeing a lot of friends and family that I don't get to see a lot, and being back in a city that I know and with a team that has a chance to win.

MG: Making any long term plans in Atlanta?

MT: No, no long term plans anywhere right now.

MG: That was a good dodge. Describe yourself as a hitter?

MT: O, I let other people describe me as a hitter -- you can ask someone else that question.

As "gondeee" pointed out, that was, in fact, a great dodge. And the question probably won't be a big issue, simply because Boras doesn't play games when he's sucking the blood out of his victims negotiating contracts for his clients. And while he might not be the most well-like agent by "purists" and "insanely jealous" people like myself, you know that he's going to make Tex an even filthier rich man than he already is.

The downside to Boras' ability to close for his clients is that the Braves might not even get a shot at him. Tex went to college in Atlanta so you have to imagine that if he had his druthers, the Braves would pay him enough money to make it worth staying there. Plus, in terms of a young hitting nucleus, Atlanta is pretty stacked. It's just hard to imagine that Boras won't at the very least float him out on the open market.

We may never know the true story involving Alex Rodriguez's brief flirtation with the Mets in 2001 before eventually signing that huge deal with the Texas Rangers. But the nugget that A-Rod recently divulged is quite interesting, and may have explained why, after he opted out of this contract last season, he crawled back to the Yankees.

"I went for the contract when my true desire was to go play for the Mets," Rodriguez said of his decision to ink his $252 million deal with Texas eight years ago.

As A-Rod looked back on the events of the past offseason, he seemed haunted by the idea that in breaking free of the Yankees he could have made another decision based strictly on money and wound up as unhappy as he was in Texas for three years.

The three-time MVP says that at some point after his opt-out decision in October, he realized he could have been heading for a similar scenario, with (Scott) Boras dictating his next destination.

"So to make the right decision just feels really good," Rodriguez said, "versus being taken down a road where I'm like, 'Oh, my God, where am I? Oh, $400 million to play in some place I hate? Great, I'll blow my --- head off.'

How fortunate for Rodriguez that even the "right decision" involved accepting the richest contract in the history of baseball. How very "love of the game-ish" of A-Rod.

So how would history have changed if he made the "right decision" back in '01 and took a deal with the Mets? Well, if everything else had stayed the same, he would have played for Art Howe ... and along side mere mortals such as Jeromy Burnitz and Shane Spencer. So who's to say that A-Rod wouldn't have blown his head off anyway?

During my life as a White Sox fan, there haven't been many players on the team that I've liked more than Aaron Rowand and Joe Crede. Crede I love just because I grew up playing third base so I tend to favor third basemen, but his impeccable defense and clutch hitting didn't hurt much. As for Rowand, what baseball fan doesn't love the guy who's willing to run face first into walls time and time again to help the team?

The admiration isn't just amongst fans like me, though. Apparently Rowand has developed a man crush on Crede over the last few years that is above and beyond anything I've ever felt. Since Aaron signed with the Giants this off season, it's seemed like he's spent every waking minute trying to get Crede to the bay as well.

''Joe's a great guy and a great baseball player and a great friend, so ... would I like to have him on this team? Of course,'' Rowand said before a Cactus League game against the Cubs. ''I'm definitely biased, not only friendship-wise, but as a player, too, because I think the world of him.

"We'll see what happens. Nothing's ever for sure in this game. A lot of weird things happen. Things don't happen that are supposed to happen. For now, I'm sure Joe's going about his business and thinking about being with the Chicago White Sox, just like I'm doing here.''

I wouldn't be surprised if Aaron gets his wish soon, because it's pretty clear that the White Sox feel Josh Fields is going to be a stud, and that if Crede shows his back is better this spring they're going to move him. The White Sox have always tried to avoid working with Crede's agent, the evil Scott Boras, and since he's in the last year of his contract, it's unlikely he'll be back in Chicago next season anyway.