Red Sox vote not to go to Japan (coaches not being paid)

[Yoda]

OK let's pretend that all coaches make $100k a year. Are you saying that they deserve a 40% bonus to go overseas for a week?

maybe you have a blindfold over your eyes. the 40k for coaches was supposedly agreed upon by MLB. the coaches for the yankees and devil rays were paid last year. when francona was on the A's staff, he was set to be paid before their Japan trip was called off. what does how much they make have to do with this? it's like you want to be all robin hood because terry francona makes more money than you, but then the person you are conversely defending is the billion dollar entity of major league baseball.

key word: supposedly...who is the one with a blindfold? Hmmm...

[Matthias]

Compared to who? I'm willing to bet that MLB coaches are in the 99% in terms of household income.

I'll take that bet. The top 1.5% is 250K+. Check here. While Francona makes 4M/yr, Joe Schmoe assistant pitching coach probably makes closer to 100K. Plus, the Athletics are notoriously cheap with their coaches. I bet more than half fall outside the top 1.5% (Cot's only has the manager for Oak, and he makes 500K).

OK let's pretend that all coaches make $100k a year. Are you saying that they deserve a 40% bonus to go overseas for a week?

Pretend? It's right there in the article.

They were told they were going to be (paid). For a coach, in some cases, this is two-fifths of their salary for the year.

And at least one guy is making less.

bullpen catcher Manny Martinez, who would be considered part of the coaching staff on this Japan trip, earns just $30,000 per year

And it's not a question of what they, "deserve" but what they were promised.

“As of 9:04 it does,” said a visibly upset Francona when asked if the goings-on had cast a pall on the day. “We’re spending energy on something we don’t want to spend it on. I don’t understand it. I was embarrassed this morning. I had to tell them, ‘Hey, that money you may have already spent, go get it back.’

MLB made a promise; the coaches relied upon it; MLB is renegging. At least, that's the story as we know it until there's more info.

As I said before, I think the Sox are handling the right thing in the wrong way. If they're that concerned, they should front the money to the coaches and then chase MLB to get reimbursed. But it's wrong to dismiss this as not a big deal because these are some fat cats who don't care about forty grand. I'd be pretty ticked if I was promised a $40,000 bonus months ago and then told, "You know what; that's not coming."

[tgalv]

key word: alleged

so now you're going to wait for all the facts. oh wait you already made this ignorant post

What a bunch of crybabies. Why are they even paid an extra $40,000 to play overseas? They are getting a free trip out of it. I hope they don't go and lose those two games.

[acsguitar]

They need to take away their world series victory for this And then give it to the rockies.

WOO

[Payne Dailey]

The Red Sox just came on to the field at the spring training game...

First pitch at 1:10est, I guess they settled.

[moochman]

Listening to ESPN feed, it seems that the players thought their familys would be taken care of if hey went on the 19 day road trip with the Sox but apparently the plane has been downsized etc.

So it's not only the money for coaches thing; Varitek claims that they have been skimming stuff off the contract from the beginning.

Not a surprise since Selig is such a tard

Exactly what I was thinking: this has his stink all about it.

Once a used car salesman, always a used car salesmen. I do think the players may have erred in deciding not to play today's game. There is time to correct the Japan fiasco, but the fans who may have planned long ago to watch them play today deserve better treatment. EDIT-Glad to see they look to be playing today.

[Pokey]

Honestly Yoda, what point are you trying to make? If you're trying to say that people are jumping to conclusions without knowing for sure all the facts, well that's fair.

If you're trying to say that the players are being crybabies for wanting their coaches to get money that was promised to them (which it appears was your point in your first point), that's just ridiculous. If you're company offered you a bonus to travel to Japan that was 40% of your salary, and then reneged on it, would you just say "oh well, Japan's lovely this time of year!" and not make a stink, even though you'd have probably made financial plans, and maybe even spent money, assuming you'd have all that extra money.

[knapplc]

...the fans who may have planned long ago to watch them play today deserve better treatment.

Very good point.

[Steve-o]

OK let's pretend that all coaches make $100k a year. Are you saying that they deserve a 40% bonus to go overseas for a week?

Have you ever paid for a vacation to the orient? I bet not. Let's assume a coach has a family of 4 (wife and two kids). I would guess it runs him at least 15K to take his family overseas for 19 days (which it sounds like everyone was planning on based on the size of the planes). Are you saying that coaches should be forced to spend 30% (assuming the coach is the only income and tax rate of 28%) of their post tax salary on a trip they were forced to make by MLB? They should certainly be compensated for that (if not the full 40K, then at least half)

Your response is going to be not to take your family. First, it sounds like they were told to take their families along. I bet this was an integral part of their overall decision to go overseas. Second, even if they don't take their families, assume additional expense of at least 5-6K. That's almost 10% of their annual post tax salary. Basically, that would be MLB forcing them to take a pay cut.

[Yoda]

OK let's pretend that all coaches make $100k a year. Are you saying that they deserve a 40% bonus to go overseas for a week?

Have you ever paid for a vacation to the orient? I bet not. Let's assume a coach has a family of 4 (wife and two kids). I would guess it runs him at least 15K to take his family overseas for 19 days (which it sounds like everyone was planning on based on the size of the planes). Are you saying that coaches should be forced to spend 30% (assuming the coach is the only income and tax rate of 28%) of their post tax salary on a trip they were forced to make by MLB? They should certainly be compensated for that (if not the full 40K, then at least half)

Your response is going to be not to take your family. First, it sounds like they were told to take their families along. I bet this was an integral part of their overall decision to go overseas. Second, even if they don't take their families, assume additional expense of at least 5-6K. That's almost 10% of their annual post tax salary. Basically, that would be MLB forcing them to take a pay cut.

Yep I've been to Korea and Japan. Great places to visit.

Not sure but doesn't MLB pay for the flight, hotel and other accomodations? I don't think they pay for all that do they?

Based on my personal experience, my work pays for all travel expenses if I went to a convention somewhere. Otherwise I simply wouldn't go.