Posted on 03/19/2008 9:04:37 AM PDT by raccoonradio
FORT MYERS - The Red Sox’ trip to Japan has already hit a major snag.
During a players-only team meeting at City of Palms Park this morning at 8:30, the players decided unanimously, according to more than one player, that the Sox would not take the field for their scheduled 12:07 p.m. exhibition game against the Blue Jays today unless there was a resolution to MLB’s decision not to extend an appearance fee of $40,000 to all team coaches making the trip to Japan. All players are receiving the $40,000 appearance fee for the Tokyo trip.
According to one player, the players also agreed not to board the Red Sox’ flight to Japan if the matter remained unresolved this evening.
“Unless they take care of this I don’t think we’re going (to Japan),” said Red Sox pitcher Kyle Snyder [stats]. “That’s pretty much where we stand. It’s a pretty strong feeling throughout the clubhouse.”
Both Red Sox manager Terry Francona and multiple Red Sox players who were in on the offseason phone calls regarding the logistics of the trip insist that part of the agreement to make the season-opening trip included the coaches being paid the same fee as the players.
“It’s wrong, it’s wrong,” said Curt Schilling [stats]. “It was part of the basic agreement when we talked about it last year. The coaching staff was part of the conversation, we all heard it.
“It’s not really surprising because the coaches and staff are people generally who have always been overlooked and undervalued.”
“As of 9:04 it does,” said a visibly upset Francona when asked if the goings-on had cast a pall on the day. “We’re spending energy on something we don’t want to spend it on. I don’t understand it. I was embarrassed this morning. I had to tell them, ‘Hey, that money you may have already spent, go get it back.’ I was the one who told them.”
The $40,000 appearance fee in question is a big deal for most of the coaching staff. For example, bullpen catcher Manny Martinez, who would be considered part of the coaching staff on this Japan trip, earns just $30,000 per year.
According to Francona, the coaching staffs of previous MLB trips to Japan all were paid the same stipend as the players. The Sox manager was scheduled to join the Oakland A’s coaching staff in its team’s trip to Japan in 2003 and said it was agreed on that the coaches were to be paid. The trip was ultimately cancelled.
“I did not have an off day yesterday. I had the phone glued to my ear because I was promised some answers and I haven’t even received a phone call,” Francona said. “So I’m a little bit stuck. What I want to do this morning is get excited to play a baseball game and what I ended up doing is apologizing to the coaches and being humiliated.”
Francona has long been a huge advocate of coaches’ rights, executing such deeds as using money from television commercials to pay for the coaches’ clubhouse fees, and making sure they all are included in his contract with Reebok.
“This is a touchy situation for me,” Francona said. “It’s the last thing I want to deal with. I want to deal with getting ready to play baseball. It’s frustrating.
“They were told they were going to be (paid). For a coach, in some cases, this is two-fifths of their salary for the year. It’s a big deal. I don’t agree that coaches are second-class citizens. That has never sat well with me, ever, and continues to boggle my mind.”
Or not.
They may get their way since so much is at stake; MLB reputation, broadcasters, fans flying to Japan, etc. btw Red Sox have a bit of a jet-lag schedule coming with trips to Japan, then California, and then Toronto for opening day
LOL! Didn’t the BloSox sign a contrct with Japanese baseball?
Meanwhile the New York Yankees were willing to disrupt their spring training to concentrate on the far more significant matter of remebering the Virginia Tech victims and support those they left behind by playing a game yesterday at Virginia Tech.
I have WEEI on right now. Castiglione is talking.
“David Ortiz is signing autographs...fans seem a little
bewildered.”
Dale Arnold; “Some people are misunderstanding the situation.
It isn’t about money for the players, it’s for the support
staff. Money that was promised but won’t be paid. The team
is sticking up for the support staff”
Of all the penny pinching crap that MLB employs this is right up there. It's bad enough that the team that kicks up $80 million to MLB in the form of welfare, er, revenue sharing so that Tampa, Milwaukee and the Marlins’ owners can operate AAA all star franchises while pocketing the profits has to start the year in Japan and risk starting off the season in the hole.
Red Sox ping:)
That’s great, but I had high hopes for their new player—
guy gets cut after one at-bat or two; Billy Crystal,
I think that was his name...? :)
Castiglione: “Again, we are waiting to see if we have a game today....”
Can YOU believe it.
Here’s a novel idea...why don’t the Red Sox do what the US Government does....
Each of the say 10% of the highest earning players can ‘donate’ their $40K to a lower earning coach.
Problem solved, and I don’t wanna hear any grumbling.
No way that the bullpen catcher makes just $30k a year..
The 1986 team that choked in the WS stiffed the club house guys. Talk about no class.
Glad to see today’s players sticking up for the lesser paid. Even the Greasebag Juicer who plays for the Yanks kicked Ron Washington $20K to help him out after Katrina given their past relationship while with the A’s.
SO that was the reason he wore #60? :)
Red Sox baseball radio: “The national anthems have been
played, first ball ceremony has happened, but fans have
been told there’s a delay—Red Sox back to their clubhouse
poss for a meeting”
Will the Sox sign Steven King? :)
Major League baseball is stiffing them, not the Red Sox. And
the 1986 team is pretty much all elsewhere (Clemens,
Buckner etc)
I get the difference here. I was making a point that the 86 team stiffed the little guys, the 2008 crew is standing up for them.
Ah! Understood. Yep ESPN covering this too...players in dugout being interviewed though that may not be live as the radio had said they had gone to the clubhouse...?
They’re supposed to leave at 5:30 pm today...still no word
on settlement. Some players may come out to sign more
autographs —”the autograph signing may take place but
game may not”:...
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