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Records show Yanks got stingy with playoff shares
It was widely speculated that David Robertson led an effort to stiff a bunch of Yankee employees. Now we have the receipts. The Bronx Bombers turned greedy with their postseason shares, a percentage of playoff ticket sales that are pooled and dispersed to all 10 teams, issuing the least amount of full shares out of any playoff team, according to an MLB press release.
Robertson, now a free agent, served as the club’s player rep and was responsible for chairing the shares in what one source described as a contentious meeting.
The Yankees players’ pool came out to $2.866 million, with the value of full share equaling just over $43,000. The team issued 45 full shares, along with 21.47 partial shares and two cash awards.
Traditionally, full shares are given to all 25 players on the Opening Day roster, the manager and regular coaching staff. Players on the 60day DL, such as Jacoby Ellsbury, who did not play a single game in 2018, also received a full share
The 21 partial shares do not necessarily mean 21 individuals, with one partial likely divided among several people.
It was reported earlier this month that assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere was voted by players only a half share and that the analytics liaison with the coaching staff, Zac Fieroh, who traveled with the team all season, got nothing.
Sources told The News’ Bill Madden that Robertson and his coconspirators stiffed the team’s entire support staff, trainers, clubhouse attendants and batting practice pitchers.
Trainers aren’t guaranteed postseason shares, though it’s customary for players to give them a healthy piece of the pot as opposed to what these Yankees pulled this time around.
In years past, folks like the team trainer and traveling secretary, for example, received full shares.
And while manager Aaron Boone is allowed to speak at the beginning of the players meeting to make share recommendations, he is required to leave thereafter, unless invited to stay by the player rep.
A full breakdown of the postseason shares can be read in full below, but for comparison sake, Cleveland issued 67 full shares, a total of 8.570 half shares and 10 cash awards.
Robertson, who was paid $13 million to appear in 69 games in 2018, earned $188,405 per appearance last season.
Both teams bowed out in the Divisional Series and thus received the same compensation to divvy up — $2.866 million.
No other postseason team offered fewer than 56 full shares.
The Yankees in 2017 issued a light 57 full shares and 15.01 partial shares despite pulling in a players pool of $10.14 million after making it all the way to the ALCS. The Cubs, who also lost in championship series, handed out 68 full shares.
The 2018 players’ pool was an all-time high of $88,188,633.49, surpassing the previous record from the 2017 Postseason, $84,500,432.15.
The players’ pool is formed from 50% of the gate receipts from the Wild Card Games; 60% of the gate receipts from the first three games of the Division Series; 60% of the gate receipts from the first four games of the League Championship Series; and 60% of the gate receipts from the first four games of the World Series.