Joe Pohlad WCCO radio interview

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

1 hour ago, chpettit19 said:

But there's nothing to tie a leak to unless you think the MLBPA and MLB are going to start going around demanding sources from reporters. And I'm pretty sure they don't have any power to force reporters to give up sources. We all assume that Kike leak is from his agent (and that's a rock solid assumption), but it's not policeable at all because it doesn't say it anywhere. Who files a claim against "sources briefed on his discussions," the MLBPA or MLB? MLB can't say "we're pretty sure that came from his agent so here's our grievance against them."

And that leak didn't include any numbers. Joe included a number. That's what the clause is really forbidding. You can confirm or deny that you're talking to someone, but you can't provide substance or details about it. Pohlad threw a number out. The Kike leak didn't. If Joe just said "we aren't in position to spend a significant amount moving forward this offseason" the MLBPA doesn't blink an eye. He specifically put a dollar amount on it, and was so obvious that there was no real question who he was referring to. He didn't actually say a name so it's fine, but the number is what got him in trouble. Leaks aren't prohibited, detailed leaks are.

At the same token what did he say??? Nothing about a specific person,  he said we are not in the market for 30 million/year players.  We are looking at less expensive options.  In a nutshell that is what was stated.  They have no case since he did not call out a specific player.  At best a minor fine.  They will just say,  don't do that again, I was on the right track on saying we will look at any opportunity and then just blurted out No  LOL.  

[chpettit19]

5 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

At the same token what did he say??? Nothing about a specific person,  he said we are not in the market for 30 million/year players.  We are looking at less expensive options.  In a nutshell that is what was stated.  They have no case since he did not call out a specific player.  At best a minor fine.  They will just say,  don't do that again, I was on the right track on saying we will look at any opportunity and then just blurted out No  LOL.  

I'm certainly not suggesting they're actually going to even file a grievance, let alone actually get it to go their way. But he got close enough to the line by saying "The players that are out there right now, that, probably, a bunch of fans are talking about, we're not in the market for those players" and tying that to the 30 million number. Not saying the actual names is why it's not a violation. Or if he'd mentioned names but not a number that'd also be fine. But he made it abundantly clear who he was talking about and put a specific price on it. Makes sense that the MLBPA got a little puffed up about it, especially because they're Boras clients and you know he was in their ears.

Much ado about nothing, really. But I can see why the MLBPA wanted to fire a warning shot from it.

[Irishman]

MLBPA always whines all times.   I’m sick of it.