Head of MLBPA Tony Clark says slow free-agent periods are a 'threat to our game'
The Major League Baseball Players Association is tired of seeing good MLB players sit on the free-agent market unsigned. Tony Clark, head of the MLBPA, spoke out Thursday, telling the Associated Press the slow free-agent periods have become a major “threat to our game.”
Clark’s comments may have been a response to a report suggesting MLB is still trying to implement a pitch clock for the 2019 season. Clark compared the two, arguing the slow free-agent periods have been more damaging to baseball than worrying about pace of play, according to the Associated Press
Clark’s full quote reads:
“All the dead time in the last two free-agent markets is a larger threat to our game than any supposed dead time between pitches.”
Pace of play has been a major focus of MLB commissioner Rob Manfred since he assumed that role. Manfred has cut down on mound visits, between-inning breaks, the amount of times a player can step out of the batter’s box during at-bats and a number of other measures aimed at speeding up the game.
The pitch clock has been a big part of that the past couple seasons, but the players have resisted its implementation. Manfred reportedly continued that crusade in January, when MLB officials once again pushed a pitch clock in a meeting with the MLBPA.
After yet another slow offseason, in which Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are still available, Clark and the MLBPA doesn’t want to hear any of that. It’s become clear that both the union is ready for a fight.
A number of players have spoken out against the glacial offseason — something that has rarely happened in the past. The MLBPA’s Twitter account has also experienced a change in messaging, making sure to highlight comments and articles that focus on the difficulties the players have faced during the winter.
With the collective-bargaining agreement set to expire in December 2021, the players still have plenty of time to get on the same page regarding the changes they’ll fight for. Clark’s comments, combined with everything else, suggests that process has already started.
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