Boras loses grievance against Carlos Beltran

[Migrant Redbird]

USA Today: Scott Boras loses in grievance against Beltran

Powerful agent Scott Boras lost a $1.3 million grievance claim against New York Yankees right fielder Carlos Beltran this month, establishing a precedent that Boras believes could have serious ramifications in the industry.

Boras was seeking damages against Beltran, who left his agency in October 2011 - four months before the expiration of his contract. Beltran signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in December 2011, before receiving a three-year, $45 million contract this winter from the Yankees. Boras was seeking 5% of Beltran's contract with St. Louis, citing a provision in their agreement that required payment if he prematurely terminated him.

... "I felt like I had to win,'' Beltran told USA TODAY Sports, "because he was basically suing me because I left him and he was trying to collect money without having done anything for me.

"It's not the money. It's the intention. Scott Boras had to do something that wasn't right. If I haven't done anything for you, haven't negotiated your contract, how could I sue you and try to collect money because you left me and because you hired another agent? That didn't make any sense to me.''

Boras believes the ruling could enable players to leave their agents at a moment's notice with no repercussions, intensifying an already heated competition for clients among agents.

I felt that Boras did a good job representing Rick Ankiel when he decided to attempt a comeback as a position player. Boras worked out the details with Walt Jocketty, then the Cards GM, and put the word out to other ball clubs that Rick would retire if any of them put in a waiver claim on him, in the hope they could get him to continue pitching.

But in recent years, I've come to the conclusion that Boras frequently harms his clients by over playing his hand.

[blid]

Kind of surprised Boras lost this one if there was a penalty for premature termination in the agreement:

Boras was seeking damages against Beltran, who left his agency in October 2011 - four months before the expiration of his contract. Beltran signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in December 2011... Boras was seeking 5% of Beltran's contract with St. Louis, citing a provision in their agreement that required payment if he prematurely terminated him.

Beltran signed his extension with St. Louis in December, so he signed it while he still would have been a Boras client if he hadn't broken the contract.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Kind of surprised Boras lost this one if there was a penalty for premature termination in the agreement:

Boras was seeking damages against Beltran, who left his agency in October 2011 - four months before the expiration of his contract. Beltran signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in December 2011... Boras was seeking 5% of Beltran's contract with St. Louis, citing a provision in their agreement that required payment if he prematurely terminated him.

Beltran signed his extension with St. Louis in December, so he signed it while he still would have been a Boras client if he hadn't broken the contract.

It is a little surprising to me as well. I'm sure the contract was tight if Boras wrote it, but I suppose Boras may have had some obligation to show that he actually did something to be entitled to that 5%. Certainly Realtors have both won and lost these types of contracts.

[Migrant Redbird]

The arbitrator was Shyam Das. That was before he let Ryan Braun off the hook.

Das ruled that when Beltran fired Boras, it effectively terminated the agreement, siding with Beltran and the union.

"This case is about what is or is not permissible under governing MLBPA regulations ?'' Das wrote. "The MLBPA, as the exclusive collecting bargaining representative, gets to decide what is in the best interests of the players it represents.''