CARLSBAD (Calif.) -- Baseball's most powerful agent claimed that the sport was suffering from a "competitive carcinoma" because teams were unloading veterans in order to acquire draft picks. The Atlanta Braves' World Series win was also a direct result.
Scott Boras supported the demands of the players' union for changes to the collective bargaining agreement, which expires Dec. 1. Baseball is preparing for a lockout, which would mark the ninth and last work stoppage since 1995.
Boras stated Wednesday that "This is the Easter Bunny handing out rotten eggs." "Every team says, "I must do this because it is my only option. Knowing that I can't reach the divisional crest, then I can't get into the playoffs."
Atlanta acquired a number of July assets and won its first World Series title in 1995.
He said, "We have seen championship in 60 days." "The rules allow them be a lower-than-.500 team by Aug. 1. They can add four players, five from teams that have withdrawn and change the entire season and team for very little cost.
"And we witnessed this unfold to the detriment teams that create at great expense, planning, and intellect and won more than 100 games. We have created an understanding among fans that they won't know the true team until the trading deadline.
Boras attributes the tanking to restrictions placed on amateur spending in 2012. These caps were imposed in 2012 when the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs had to rebuild. This resulted in World Series championships, which informed other clubs' decisions to dismantle. Boras is a representative of many top draft picks, and has lost revenue due to the draft signing pool system.
He said, "It created an incentive to the race to the bottom because now we have half of the major league team at one time during the season being competitive, trading off their personnel, making it very different from what was intended. That was having an incentive win every game that your play."
Boras represents five men on the union’s executive subcommittee. These are Zack Britton (Gerrit Cole), James Paxton (2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and Marcus Semien (1, 2, 3).) Boras also represents Marcus Semien (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). The other members are Andrew Miller, Francisco Lindor, Jason Castro and Francisco Lindor.
Boras brought along colorful descriptions and comparisons to his players and the teams playing in order to sign them.
- Nick Castellanos, free-agent slugger: "I kinda advised all of you like 2 years ago that St. Nick would bring a lot. And frankly, we're going to just sit back and watch what teams have been nice and naughty."
- He said Kris Bryant was like Sean Connery and that he had Bond-like abilities to make a great middle of a lineup. He is always in the hunt for October. He is an exceptional gentleman and is in a class of his own."
Boras was pleased that Carlos Rodon, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox did not receive a qualifying offer. He said it was designed to "weigh down" free agents.
"We are pursuing a multiyear agreement. We were not going to sign a 1-year contract.
Boras stated that Michael Conforto, a former Mets outfielder, had become the "King Of Queens." However, he said that Conforto is "in free agency now and he's kinda like the ace in many GMs’ hearts."
Semien, infielder: "He kinda brings a charge into the batter's bowl and kinda, you know. He insulates middle infield. He's an actual Semien conductor. We all know that there is a shortage in chips around the world.
Boras stated that shortstop Corey Seager "is like a rock." His parents were aware of this. They named him Corey.
- The Mets are still searching for a general manager. "Well, there's 29 teams out there that have big carts and they're filling them now. If you think about the old saying, "What's bothering the big apple cart?" It could be that the big apple cart is not being attended to at the moment. It will, I'm certain, and we know in our shopping centers that we are very open to the big apple cart."
- Concerning the possibility of a free-agent spree at the end of any potential signing freeze that may accompany a lockout, "Talent IS the steak, and it doesn't really matter what time it is."
This report used information from the Associated Press.
