Beltran Beats Boras
By Jason Evans
Mar 21, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees right fielder
Carlos Beltran(36) singles during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Scott Boras is known for getting each and every dollar for his client (though Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales may not be super thrilled with him right now). One client who up and left Boras (besides Robinson Cano) is Carlos Beltran. Boras was none too pleased with that and filed a grievance against Beltran. Well today, Beltran is the one who got the win as he doesn’t owe Boras a dime according to an arbiter.
Beltran left in October 2011, four months before his contract ran out. Beltran then signed a two-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals worth $26 million. Boras said that Beltran owed him five percent of his St. Louis deal because of a clause in his contract. Here’s Beltran’s thoughts on it via USA Today:
"I felt like I had to win 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 thinks this ruling will harm the players and help owners:
"The understanding of this rule is that it now promotes the vast majority of agents to take any deal they can get. The agents’ conduct will be affected. This rule gives owners a lot more power. This is not in the best interest of major-league baseball players."
Will it hurt players? Only time will tell, but this is also the same agent who steals players from other agents all the time. It sounds like some sour grapes on his end.