BoSox Decide No Pay, No Play

by 10 14 23 26 on Mar 19, 2008 11:48 AM CDT

Apparently they decided not to take the field today and are boycotting their trip to Japan.

"The Boston Red Sox refused to take the field for their final spring training game in Florida on Wednesday and threatened to boycott their flight to Japan for their season openers unless their coaches and other staff are paid for the trip."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-red-sox-boycott,0,3145875.story

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Apparently it's over

This just in from MLB.COM

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080319&content_id=2443964&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Mar 19, 2008 12:14 PM CDT reply actions

Damn. I wish they would have boycotted the Japan trip.

I think it's ridiculous to start the season across the globe just so MLB can make more money. I would be very angry if the Cubs had to start in a foreign country. I'm sure the whole trip is tiring to the players and the last thing I'd want to see is my favorite team start the season at a disadvantage (albeit slight).

I don't like the trend to try to make the MLB into some sort of world league by playing in other countries, talk of Mexican or other teams, and these silly showcase games.

by Waveland on Mar 19, 2008 12:55 PM CDT reply actions

I think we did

If I remember correctly, we started the 2000 season in Japan with two games against the Mets. I remember student teaching at Gordon Tech that year, coming in early in the morning, and the school had the radio call of the baseball game on the school intercom system.

by Rev Gunia on Mar 22, 2008 10:15 AM CDT up reply actions

BLAH BLAH BLAH

Thank god there's nothing like pointless wars and healthcare problems going on so we can be SO FREAKIN CONCERNED with 40,000 dollars for people who get to travel toJapan and spend their days with a professional baseball team!

BOO FREAKIN HOO!

Damn Nutrisystem...I'm freakin dyin for some Italian beef!

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 19, 2008 2:19 PM CDT reply actions

Its a Good Action

Without expressing comment on either the idiocy of the baseball trip to Japan or the comment that it needs to be put in perspective with the current economic mess, I think that the players actions were not only proper, they were the right thing to do.

MLB was providing a stipend of about 40K per player for the trip and nothing for the coaches. That's, frankly, a bit crazy and a bit unfair to the coaches. If anyone needs the stipend its the coaches that don't get paid as much as most first year ball players and won't get "free food" as a baseball start while in Japan.

by frustratedfan on Mar 19, 2008 2:25 PM CDT reply actions

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

i know its just horrible isnt it. its insane that they werent gonna get an extra 40000 dollars to go to japan on top of their 100k + a year salaries. this is a pure shame that you have to be paid 40000 dollars for a 19 day trip to japan. my gosh people. the red sox acted like idiots today. baseball and its personnel has gone overboard with their idiotic shit they pull. hell i would go clean the clubhouse toilets and do dirty laundy for a free trip to japan with a major league baseball team for 19 days. they should be punished for their actions. wahwahwah coaches just dont get paid enough. bet its hard to live on 100k plus per year.

GO CUBS GO!!!!!

by cubsluver22 on Mar 19, 2008 4:46 PM CDT reply actions

Wow

We really have lost any sense of moral character.

Many people would argue that a job that requires you to potentially maintain a second residence of some sort (Coaches don't generally keep the jobs for many years with the same team and thus their families tend to stay in one place) AND ensures that you will be away from your family and home for at least 100 days out of a year, is a highly stressful job that would receive high compensation -- higher than the 100K number which is high for a coach or trainer or clubhouse attendent. And even when they are home, they are away from home during the evenings when most kids are home.

Add in the multiple homes, the travel expenses so that the kids can see mom or dad more than a few days in a six month period, and that 100K doesn't go nearly as far as you would think.

Its a lousy job in many ways, and I am guessing that most of us probably wouldn't take it for the money offered. And those of us like "cubsluver22" that suggest that we would take it for free "just for the honor " of traveling with the team, would quickly find that the "novelty" of the travel would quickly be overwhelmed by the nature of the duty.

Coaches don't get enough for what they have to put up with.

(One big indication of this is the fact that one of the Cub Trainers was driving a 12 year old economy import car - his wife's car. If he's so highly paid, why is he driving such an old, and originally inexpensive, car? The answer? He's not being paid that much....)

by frustratedfan on Mar 19, 2008 4:58 PM CDT reply actions

why couldnt the players chip in

and pay the coaches themselves. if they all threw five or ten grand in each that could have compensated the coaches and been a real good p.r. move for the players.

"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic" Crash Davis - Bull Durham

by hoppy91 on Mar 19, 2008 5:01 PM CDT reply actions

The Players Could

have done that. And that would also have been a right decision. That being said, apparently MLB had promised that the coaches and trainers would be paid and then backed away at the last minute. I am not sure why the players should be the ones who should have to make good for the evil acts by the unholy one (Bud S.)'s minions.

by frustratedfan on Mar 19, 2008 5:09 PM CDT reply actions

blah

most of us fans arent paid enough either! so can our team of choice start boycottin until they lower ticket prices. gimme a break. this crap is out of hand. since when is 100k not enough to live on. hell we got players saying 21 million a year isnt enough to feed their family. now we got fans that are defending mlb coaches with 100k + isnt really enough to live on. moral character please.

GO CUBS GO!!!!!

by cubsluver22 on Mar 19, 2008 5:15 PM CDT reply actions

i think what is being forgotten

is that everybody is being paid. is this not correct? all players and coaches are paid from the start of spring training and definitely from the start of the season. nobody is going over there for free just not everyone was to get a bonus for going. that being said why do we have to pay multi million dollar athletes under contract an extra 40k to play what is technically just a regular season game?

"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic" Crash Davis - Bull Durham

by hoppy91 on Mar 19, 2008 5:18 PM CDT reply actions

That wasn't what this was about.

It was about getting extra pay for coaches, who DON'T make as much money as the players do, and as noted above, have to have two residences most of the year.

Many times, frustratedfan has frustrated us with his posts. However, this time he is 100% correct, and this never should have gone this far.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 19, 2008 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions

I also agree with FF on this

Honestly, I'm a little shocked that some of the posters here take such a harsh view of the situation. When you get right down to it, working in baseball IS a tough grind, and the coaches deserve fair compensation.

I'm not one of the guys who built the new SB Nation. Please hesitate to give me feedback.

by Thelonious on Mar 20, 2008 7:03 PM CDT up reply actions

I used to travel quite a bit

a few years ago for my job. If my boss said I had to go somewhere for x amount of weeks, I went. I didn't bitch about not getting extra money to go. That was my job. Period. If I didn't like it, I could find a new career.

I am not badmouthing the coaches because they were promised the extra $40K and then it was pulled from them. If it was agreed upon as part of the trip, then they should be paid. Any promise or agreement they had should be upheld.

All I am saying that for anyone in sports that has to have a 2nd residence, or is on the road for 100+ days a year, THIS IS THE CAREER THEY CHOSE. I know it's not an easy life being away from home, friends and family and everything. But, it's their choice. They are fortunate that they can earn a great salary living their passion.

Any coach that is in pro sports that is on the big club earns more money than 95% of Americans. Believe me, I do not fault them one iota, they deserve whatever they can get, they put in the years of training and sacrifice to the sport and should reap their rewards, but I shed no tears for them, either.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Mar 19, 2008 6:11 PM CDT reply actions