Union head faults Marlins for breaking up competitive team
JUPITER, Fla. — Baseball players’ union head Tony Clark claims the Marlins’ rebuilding decision is different from the ones that led to World Series titles for the Cubs and Astros because Miami broke up a competitive club.
“Those teams didn’t tear themselves down,” Clark said Friday. “Those teams went through rough stretches. And then they added, too. When you start with a team that has a number of talented players and you tear that down, it’s a different conversation than starting from scratch and building up.”
The union filed a grievance two weeks ago against Miami, Pittsburgh, Oakland and Tampa Bay, accusing them of not properly using money received in revenue sharing to improve their team’s ability to win.
After the Marlins were sold in October to Bruce Sherman’s ownership group, the management team headed by former New York Yankees star Derek Jeter traded NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich and Dee Gordon for prospects.
Clark said those decisions impacted the free agent market and “can be a detriment to the industry as a whole.”
Miami went 77-85 last season with payroll of about $117 million for its 40-man roster. The Marlins have not reached the playoffs since winning the 2003 World Series.
Miami’s home attendance of 1.65 million last season was 28th among the 30 teams, ahead of only Oakland and Tampa Bay.
Clark played 15 major league seasons, including a 2004 stint with the Yankees when he was a teammate of Jeter, who says the low-drawing Marlins have been losing money at an unsustainable level.
“Do I respect the fact that Derek wore a uniform and accomplished what he accomplished on the field? Without question,” Clark said. “My concern are those players in those locker rooms and the 1,160 that are in the other 29.”
Report: Lucroy, A’s agree on year deal
Oakland has reached agreement with free agent catcher Jonathan Lucroy on a oneyear contract, mlb.com, citing sources, reported.
Lucroy, 31, hit .265 with six home runs and 40 RBI last season for the Rangers and Rockies.
A’s manager Bob Melvin had no comment on the report. The club has not confirmed the agreement.
Odds and ends
Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia agreed to a minor league contract with the Tigers and will report to big league spring training. Detroit’s move adds depth behind James McCann and John Hicks. If added to the 40-man roster Saltalamacchia would receive a one-year contract with salaries of $650,000 while in the major leagues and $150,000 while in the minors. Saltalamacchia, 32, has hit .233 with 110 homers and 381 RBIs over an 11-year big league career. … Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen was held out of what was to have been his first big league spring training game this year due to an injured upper right hamstring. Manager Dave Roberts said he expects Jansen will pitch in a minor league game on Monday.