An Ongoing Threat to the Game's Integrity

[LouGehrig]

The player to be named later is wrong. If a player thinks he will be sent to a contender at the trading deadline, will his play against that team be affected before the trade?

http://baseball.suite101.com/article...be_named_later

[Captain Cold Nose]

The player to be named later is wrong. If a player thinks he will be sent to a contender at the trading deadline, will his play against that team be affected before the trade?

http://baseball.suite101.com/article...be_named_later

Bear in mind, the article was written well before free agency, so it becomes even more of a dilemma.

However, rumors are rumors and if the player is going to pay closer heed to rumors than their actual job, they're too sensitive. Do your job for today, worry about tomorrow when it comes.

Kopett may indeed have been the first to receive HOF-sponsored awards in two sports. That doesn't mean he's always right.

[LouGehrig]

RIght about Koppett. He was a fine writer and the thinking man's guide to baseball, but he could be wrong

I didn't want to discuss incentive, but that is another aspect of the game that creates problems.

In Santana's case, it was in the off season, but he demanded the trade and knew, or at least hoped, he wouldn't be with the Twins this year.

[Captain Cold Nose]

RIght about Koppett. He was a fine writer and the thinking man's guide to baseball, but he could be wrong

I didn't want to discuss incentive, but that is another aspect of the game that creates problems.

In Santana's case, it was in the off season, but he demanded the trade and knew, or at least hoped, he wouldn't be with the Twins this year.

What happened with Santana happens all the time, it's bound to happen when service is bound to a contract where there is plenty of willing competition for that service when available. And Santana had several suitors. Teams usually have options on which way to go for what players involved. For a player to actually know they'll be traded to an exact team, which has nearly doubled since Koppett wrote that article is still a leap of faith. But to sabotage it one way or another, the player is asking for trouble. I doubt this is an actual realistic situation.

[Wade8813]

There was speculation that Randy Johnson played worse to force us to trade him. I can't say one way or another, but it is a little suspicious.

[Rapmaster]

There was speculation that Randy Johnson played worse to force us to trade him. I can't say one way or another, but it is a little suspicious.

That's a different issue altogether, Gary Sheffield started throwing into the stands to force Milwaukee to trade him when he was young.

I don't really think that this is a major problem at all. Normally, the "player to be named later" is chosen at the target club's discretion from a group of players agreed upon in the initial deal. Usually, these guys are minor leaguers. There's a clause in these deals that requires the players to switch leagues. It's easy to get by this if the player doesn't even play in the majors. I remember that David Ortiz and Jeremy Bonderman were traded in this fashion, but I really can't think of anybody else who's played a significant role after these deals.

[Old Sweater]

Clubs can terminate the players contract if they think he is dogging it.

CBA

clubs can terminate a contract if .............

7(b)(2) http://mlbplayers.mlb.com/pa/pdf/cba_english.pdf /page 229

fail,in the opinion of the Club's management, to exhibit sufficient skill or competitive skill or competitive
ability to qualify or continue as a member of the Club's team;

[KCGHOST]

The classic PTBNL is no threat to anything. The players involved are nondescript who barely exceed the value of a bag of balls.

Now players doing things to effect or force trades is a different animal as you frequently have players of substance involved in this. During the off-season it is not an integrity issue as no games are being played. During the season you have humans involved so anything can occur. I no of no way to eliminate that.