Originally Posted by
clvclv
Have to disagree.
If you pay your representation to scratch and claw for every last dime like Folty did, you better make *amn sure your agent is smarter than the team's front office guys - especially when it's over something as miniscule (relatively speaking as it is in his case) when you're gambling that you might bite the hand that feeds you.
It's absolutely the players' right to present their case, but they better be sure they're going to win if it goes to a hearing because the team remembers that when opportunities for extensions come up. If you couldn't get them to budge a little (even less than the halfway point between the sides) and you blow out your elbow this season, you're *ucked. About the only team we heard that was going to negotiate after today was the Orioles (and that was because they were already close to hammering things out - and actually did before the deadline).
File-or-trial is likely to become the norm for everyone - especially as the franchises get smarter. Borass clients like Martinez threatening to hold out into camp (or longer) are playing with fire - if the Red Sox call his bluff and go to Plan B because they KNOW their offer is the best out there, they've screwed themselves by not taking it. Folty's in an even tougher situation because he can't jump ship even if someone else would pony up that extra $100K.