Dodgers File for Bankruptcy Protection

[realmofotalk]

Dodgers players could theoretically become free agents if the team misses payroll. But they won’t. | HardballTalk

Craig Calcaterra

May 5, 2011, 5:00 PM EDT

There’s an item over at Bloomberg this afternoon that caused a bunch of people to email me with “Hey! Can we get Matt Kemp??!” messages. Thusly:

Los Angeles Dodgers players could file for free agency if the team can’t make payroll, Major League Baseball players union spokesman Greg Bouris said in an e-mail.

That is technically true, per the uniform player contract. If the team can’t pay, sure, they’re free agents. But the team will never technically miss payroll because Major League Baseball would step in and pay the players. Of this there is 100% certainty, because the only thing the other owners would hate more than footing the bill for Frank McCourt is 25 brand new free agents on the market in the middle of May.

So: thanks for the brief scare, Bloomberg, but next time feel free to add a touch of commentary to your technically-true but in this case misleading news item.

[HollywoodLeo]

It would be a crazy turn of events that baseball wouldn't let happen. It's not just the 25 sudden free agents, either. What happens to the Dodgers? Do they have to call up 25 minor leaguers for league minimum? What if they still can't meet that? Yeah, Selig won't let this happen.

[padrefanforever]

Bible Thumping

Post #10 I SAID it will be interesting to see what MLB does to avoid the feeding frenzy.....Which is exactly what's going to have to happen IF they fail to make payroll......but keep on quoting online fish wraps and internet based sources if you must......hell I know a couple good blogs that should be sources for you at this point

[realmofotalk]

I think the reporting by the L.A. Times' Bill Shaikin and the opinion of NBC Sports.com's Craig Calcaterra (who's a lawyer by trade) have a little more legitimacy than, say, your buddies who write for the Bleacher Report.

[padrefanforever]

I would agree with you. Sadly thats not what's going on here

Although those guys aren't anymore knowledgeable than anyone with an internet connection who is willing to do a little research.....and my guess is that deep down you know that just don't want it to be true

[padrefanforever]

......and FWIW he's not writing for BR anymore.....he got picked up by a big league club

[realmofotalk]

I think the L.A. Times' reporter who's been covering the McCourt saga from the beginning is more than some random guy with an internet connection doing a little research.

Isn't it funny that the L.A. Times' reporter who you're knocking is the very same source that is quoted throughout the SignonSanDiego Padres forum's thread that you go to for the scoop?

Break up the Dodgers - Page 40 - SignOnSanDiego Forums
Break up the Dodgers - Page 41 - SignOnSanDiego Forums
Break up the Dodgers - Page 41 - SignOnSanDiego Forums
Break up the Dodgers - Page 47 - SignOnSanDiego Forums

[realmofotalk]

Although those guys aren't anymore knowledgeable than anyone with an internet connection who is willing to do a little research

......and my guess is that deep down you know that just don't want it to be true

I love the hypocrisy of this very accusation.

[HollywoodLeo]

Some dude with an internet connection willing to do a little research doesn't have the same resources and connections, and probably not the same time, to do that reserch as the paid journalist does.

[realmofotalk]

Again, it's just like PFF to play the "deep down you know that [you] just don't want it to be true" card against everything that I've read and tuned in to from the journalists with sources within the Dodger organization and MLB, like LA Times' Bill Shaikin and ESPN's Molly Knight.