"It's a death of their right" - Super Agent Scott Boras dismisses Rob Manfred's suggestion of a deadline for free agent signings

As spring training gets underway, several high-profile free agents in baseball have yet to sign with a team. This has led to a disagreement between MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and agent Scott Boras, who represents many of the MLB’s top players.

Manfred suggested implementing a signing deadline, while Scott Boras strongly opposes the idea.

Manfred spoke at a press conference captured by the Athletic and expressed that he prefers a free-agent signing period with a deadline to boost deals and excitement around winter meetings. He revealed that the idea was proposed to the MLB Players Association, but they have rejected it.

“We would prefer to have a free-agent signing period, ideally probably in December, with a deadline that drove people to make their deals, get things settled,” Manfred said. “We actually made proposals to that effect to the MLBPA, they were not warmly received."

The MLBPA has long opposed a deadline, fearing it would force players to accept undervalued contracts. Boras agrees with the concerns raised by the MLBPA.

Boras believes setting deadlines for contract negotiations can harm players because it puts pressure on them to accept offers quickly, potentially leading to less favorable deals.

He argues that deadlines also give teams an incentive to delay making offers until the last minute, which can further disadvantage the players.

“Deadlines are death lines to the players. It’s a death of their right," Boras said. “Because a player goes all that time to earn that right (to become a free agent). It’s an artificial reason not to get your value."

Scott Boras' critique: The empowerment of teams

According to Scott Boras, implementing a signing deadline would benefit teams and enable them to manipulate negotiations.

He criticized the concept as an artificial constraint undermining players’ right to explore options and negotiate contracts freely. He believes that teams would use deadlines to control negotiations, focussing on their interests rather than the players’.

“Teams cannibalize deadlines.” Boras added. “Everything they would do would be around the deadline. ‘I’ll wait and get this value at this time because I have a deadline,’ rather than, ‘What’s the player worth?’”

MLB negotiations involve a debate over a signing deadline, highlighting tensions around player management and contracts.