Dodgers Could Be Impacted by Kris Bryant Grievance Case Against Cubs
Recently, Chicago Cubs star third baseman Kris Bryant filed a grievance claim with the Major League Baseball Players’ Association in regards to service time manipulation that the Cubs obviously were guilty of back in 2015.
A source confirmed Wednesday that Bryant is alleging the Cubs in 2015 manipulated his potential free agency.
The decision could have immediate ramifications for the Cubs, who likely will try to reach a long-term deal with the third baseman.https://t.co/IMxVRU9Lju
— Chicago Tribune Sports (@ChicagoSports) October 24, 2019
Bryant’s Case
Bryant, now 27 years old, was one of the biggest prospects in baseball at the time of his initial promotion. However, there was a lot of accusations thrown around at the Chicago Cubs for manipulating his service time. In other words, they were trying to get a top prospect on the verge of breaking out for an extra year on a cost-controlled contract. At the time, everyone knew what they were up to. Now, it looks like it may come back to bite them.
Effect on the Dodgers
This practice is not solely deployed by the Chicago Cubs. It is a widespread epidemic across Major League Baseball. It is so widespread, that even the Dodgers have used it on budding ace Walker Buehler.
Back in 2018, the Dodgers held Buehler off the major league roster for four days in an effort to make him eligible for free agency in 2023, as opposed to 2022. The Dodgers also utilized a similar strategy with Cody Bellinger during his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2017.
Implications
The primary implications of Kris Bryant’s case are that other players — including Buehler and Bellinger — could argue the exact same case and be granted free agency a year earlier than expected. This would absolutely kill teams and be one of the biggest wins for players in quite some time. This is almost unprecedented, therefore it could set the precedent for future top prospects.
Overall, this would be a great thing for baseball and for the players, but it would ultimately hurt the Dodgers — a lot.
Who cares these guys are never going to win here anyway
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You are probably right unless they starting making some bold trades vs hoarding prospects.
Oh, those poor players, they would never stoop to anything that low (even thought it was smart business). It’s part of the game, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Go count your money!
Why do you root for billionaire owners who pay minors leaguer players peanuts, manipulate cities to build stadiums for them, and intentionally suppress their best players’ service time so they hit free agency a year later?
I’m all for wanting my team to succeed, so I understand why they do it, but rooting against the players in this situations seems stupid.
Way Dodger management is.. lol.. they get what they deserve… they don’t utilize the players as they should…. them and the yahoo Roberts
LIve by the technicality, die by the technicality.
If the players feel like their being taken advantage of quit, and find a different job.
Claiming the Cubs were guilty of something is wrong. They did what the negotiated rules allowed. If a ruling says the rules have to change that doesn’t mean the Cubs, Dodgers or anyone broke the rules.
I agree, but these bleeding hearts always looking to destroy a system when part of it goes against them….