I know how to solve the A-Rod "restructuring" problem

[KPucks]

Because union official Gene Orza and management lawyer Rob Manfred traveled to Florida for Bubba Trammell's grievance hearing Thursday, the deadline may have to be extended.

Well, it is good to know that the union has its priorities straight in who they shoulod be meeting with.

[M_Zimm]

I read that Selig is going to approve the trade anyway so it will go to arbitration. Should happen before 6 EST today.

So much for that...

I agree. I wish they would get it done. We all know that A-Rod will be in Boston next year and I wish the dumb union would let them do what they need to do. It would be better for baseball if A-Rod was in Boston. I agree, it is getting very old. I have restrained from coming here to often because it is getting too annoying.

[mikcou]

The union was formed because players thought they should have the right to decide who they play for. Now its just an excuse to drive the salaries up as much as possible

[GotowarMissAgnes]

The union exists to protect all players' rights. If the union does not do what it is legally obligated to do by preventing reductions in contract value as part of negotiations, then what is to prevent owners from using more open forms of coercion to force contract reductions from more marginal players?

Clear contract language is a good thing. The current contract says NO reduction in contract value for a very good reason. It doesn't say "reductions allowed if the player agrees" or "reductions allowed if the players wants to be on the Red Sox," because those would open the door to all sorts of owner abuses. Tom Hicks made the bad decision. He's the one who should eat his bad decision.

Some of you seem to forget who Larry Lucchino is. He's Bud Selig's old buddy who helped him lie to Congress about baseball's finances. Anyone thought that maybe a lot of this is a sly attempt by ownership to begin trying to renegotiate the Basic Agreement by casting the union in a not so flattering light.