Aoki a FA after 2014

[brewcrewdue80]

Let's jump to 2014/15 offseason. What kind of contract offer would you put up for Aoki? I'm curious what he could make. I don't know what he would have gotten if he went through Arb, but by Aoki getting to be a FA, I'm happy for him, as he can likely make more money than the Arb would have gotten him.

 

2years/12mil?

2years/14mil?

[thebruce44]

trwi7, I didn't read all the previous posts, so I didn't know the contradiction. But when we signed him, this was widely reported as I've told people this for 1 1/2 years now. I didn't make it up, so I remember reading it somewhere. Seems somewhere along the line the signals got crossed

 

I remember it being reported when he signed. I think the concerning thing is that a few of us here knew his contract situation while it would appear the Brewers FO had to go back and look. You would think they would be aware of this as the trade deadline approaches.

[502 to Right]

I remember it being reported when he signed. I think the concerning thing is that a few of us here knew his contract situation while it would appear the Brewers FO had to go back and look. You would think they would be aware of this as the trade deadline approaches.

 

 

This is the most troubling part of the story. I get how fans and writers could have it wrong but the Brewers FO should have known what his status was all along.

[sbrylski]

Is that clause in his contract even enforceable? It seems weird to me that a team can waive their six-year rights to a player granted to them by the CBA. Why don't more players start demanding it then? Particularly high-demand foreign free agents like Chapman, but even guys who went though the draft could try to negotiate smaller guaranteed deals in exchange for hitting free agency earlier.

 

EDIT: Yeah, I don't care what his contract says, the CBA states:

 

B. Free Agency

(1) Eligibility

Following the completion of the term of his Uniform Player’s Contract, any Player with 6 or more years of Major League service who has not executed a contract for the next succeeding season shall become a free agent, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Section B.

 

Other teams shouldn't be allowed to sign him, because he's not a free agent as far as they are concerned.

 

Look at this another way, for example, can a team sign a player for less than the minimum salary as specified in the CBA? No! ...regardless of whether the player wants to agree to it or not.

 

Maybe the actual clause of Aoki's contract says something creative, but I'm skeptical that this report about him hitting free agency in 2015 is correct.

 

EDIT 2: McCalvy's response...

 

 

@sbrylski I don't know why the distinction, but it is very common for Japanese players. I.e. Saito.

[trwi7]

Wow, blast from the past. When was the last time sbrylski posted here?

[sbrylski]

Wow, blast from the past. When was the last time sbrylski posted here?

 

What are you talking about, I've posted three times in 2013! Haha.

[Thurston Fluff]

B. Free Agency

(1) Eligibility

Following the completion of the term of his Uniform Player’s Contract, any Player with 6 or more years of Major League service who has not executed a contract for the next succeeding season shall become a free agent, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Section B.

 

According to this it says major league service time. It does not differentiate between THE major leagues or A major league. Seems to me the Japanese league is A major league and he had at least 6 years there. I realize that is semantics but when it come to legalese semantics count.

[TooLiveBrew]

B. Free Agency

(1) Eligibility

Following the completion of the term of his Uniform Player’s Contract, any Player with 6 or more years of Major League service who has not executed a contract for the next succeeding season shall become a free agent, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Section B.

 

According to this it says major league service time. It does not differentiate between THE major leagues or A major league. Seems to me the Japanese league is A major league and he had at least 6 years there. I realize that is semantics but when it come to legalese semantics count.

Since "Major League" is capitalized, I would be shocked if that wasn't previously defined in the rules/language as referring specifically to MLB. MLB has no real jurisdiction over other pro leagues, and a player isn't a member of the MLBPA prior to playing in MLB -- meaning primarily that he's not represented by the MLBPA in collective bargaining negotiations that would determine, among other things, FA statuses/definitions.

[sbrylski]

B. Free Agency

(1) Eligibility

Following the completion of the term of his Uniform Player’s Contract, any Player with 6 or more years of Major League service who has not executed a contract for the next succeeding season shall become a free agent, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Section B.

 

According to this it says major league service time. It does not differentiate between THE major leagues or A major league. Seems to me the Japanese league is A major league and he had at least 6 years there. I realize that is semantics but when it come to legalese semantics count.

Since "Major League" is capitalized, I would be shocked if that wasn't previously defined in the rules/language as referring specifically to MLB. MLB has no real jurisdiction over other pro leagues, and a player isn't a member of the MLBPA prior to playing in MLB -- meaning primarily that he's not represented by the MLBPA in collective bargaining negotiations that would determine, among other things, FA statuses/definitions.

 

Exactly.

 

Article XXI, Part A defines it as being on a club that is participating in an MLB season.

 

http://bizofbaseball.com/docs/2012-16CBA.pdf

[Thurston Fluff]

B. Free Agency

(1) Eligibility

Following the completion of the term of his Uniform Player’s Contract, any Player with 6 or more years of Major League service who has not executed a contract for the next succeeding season shall become a free agent, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Section B.

 

According to this it says major league service time. It does not differentiate between THE major leagues or A major league. Seems to me the Japanese league is A major league and he had at least 6 years there. I realize that is semantics but when it come to legalese semantics count.

Since "Major League" is capitalized, I would be shocked if that wasn't previously defined in the rules/language as referring specifically to MLB. MLB has no real jurisdiction over other pro leagues, and a player isn't a member of the MLBPA prior to playing in MLB -- meaning primarily that he's not represented by the MLBPA in collective bargaining negotiations that would determine, among other things, FA statuses/definitions.

 

That is probably very true. But sbrylski only posted that as evidence. That alone doesn't help prove anything. I think the fact that it is not only allowed but seems fairly common should be telling enough that is isn't in violation of the CBA. I also don't think it's unfair. These aren't young players trying to get a big payday earlier than they should. They are established players who are often in their prime. That six year rule was so teams could recoup the time they spent developing them and the risk associated with it at a reasonable cost. Teams didn't have to invest a lot of resources into developing the Japanese league players like they have to with young players. They essentially come ready to go.

[RightFieldCoder]

The wording is probably something like "The Brewers have the option to add another year [2014] to the contract for [x] dollars and decline to offer Aoki an arbitration offer for the next year [2015]". Picking up the option is also declining an offer the next year.

[chewy522]

B. Free Agency

 

That is probably very true. But sbrylski only posted that as evidence. That alone doesn't help prove anything. I think the fact that it is not only allowed but seems fairly common should be telling enough that is isn't in violation of the CBA. I also don't think it's unfair. These aren't young players trying to get a big payday earlier than they should. They are established players who are often in their prime. That six year rule was so teams could recoup the time they spent developing them and the risk associated with it at a reasonable cost. Teams didn't have to invest a lot of resources into developing the Japanese league players like they have to with young players. They essentially come ready to go.

 

 

Going off what Thurston Fluff said, MLB allowing Aoki to become a free agent helps lure other elite talent from overseas. If Aoki was Brewers property for 6 seasons, Japanese players might think twice before trying the MLB knowing they would not make a big payday unless they were highly regarded already (i.e. Ichiro, Yu Darvish). This opens up possibilities for younger players who are less proven to come to the MLB and seek a big payday.