Dodgers: Alex Wood Slams Former All-Star Over Player Pay Comments
What else is Twitter good for other than an old fashioned player beef? The Dodgers’ Alex Wood had plenty of words to say to Mark Teixeira after he made some comments on player pay in the middle of MLB trying to get games going.
The initial comment from Teixeira was made to ESPN in regard to players fighting to get their full pay from teams this year. MLB owners have already said that they would not be paying player’s full salaries, and several options have surfaced.
Players need to understand that if they turn this deal down and shut the sport down, they’re not making a cent. I would rather make pennies on the dollar and give hope to people and play baseball than not make anything and lose an entire year off their career.
The Dodgers pitchers’ response was classic.
I refuse to judge someone I don’t really know off of one comment but damn this statement is just so stupid lol https://t.co/RoLeSVKEiF
— Alex Wood (@Awood45) May 13, 2020
The good news is that Wood recognizes one comment does not define an entire person. The bad news is that Teixeira’s comments were pretty ridiculous. It’s a lot easier for a guy that made over $200 million throughout the course of his big league career to say that players should just suck it up. Teixeira never played for the Dodgers, so it’s unclear if he has any connection to Alex Wood.
The league owners are scheduled to meet with the player’s union throughout this week in an attempt to get games going. The two biggest obstacles to overcome are the payments of players and the health and safety of players and personnel when or if games do get started.
What do you think? Were Wood’s comments about Teixeira spot on?
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Players expecting to get paid their full contracts in this unprecedented time are very narrow and short-sighted. Families are having to make decisions over food or the mortgage payment while players expect their gazillion dollar contracts to be paid in-full is ludicrous.
Owners will not get ticket, parking or concession revenue with no fans in attendance and will be relying on TV revenue solely. MLB and its players can offer the nation some entertainment and a distraction from this nightmare and I’m hoping they can agree to a reduced salary, while still making millions.
I agree with Tex on this except players wont make pennies. They will still make way more than 98% of the world but don’t expect their full amount. Players should negotiate for what’s reasonable but understand it wont be their normal salary.
Teixeira has an opinion and I tend to agree with him. As a long time union member I’m reminded of a saying some attributed to Samuel Gompers “ In life you do not get what you deserve but you get what you negotiate”. Obviously the MLB players Union can’t just lay down and accept what the owners want. I just don’t want to see long drawn out negotiations sit both sides in a room lock the door with no water or food until they cone to an agreement the players can vote on. If they vote yes then play ball if they vote no then cancel the season and move on.
Both players and owners will be on the wrong side of this with many fans that aren’t getting a regular paycheck. If they’re not careful they might loose a lot more than one year’s pay. These are extraordinary times that are causing generational changes around the world. Alex Wood might not be making Mark Teixeira money, but he’s been paid $24,006,250 to date. Not too many fans can relate to that.
I agree with Tex on this except players wont make pennies. They will still make way more than 98% of the world but don’t expect their full amount. Players should negotiate for what’s reasonable but understand it wont be their normal salary.
Are regular people whose jobs been affected going to get their full pay for the hours, days, weeks and months they didn’t work?
Some people are making more from unemployment than they did at their job
You gotta be kidding me? These prima donna players making millions, playing a game, and can’t sacrifice a little for one year while the people who support them are suffering like never before? Every athlete just keeps proving that it’s all about the money & not the game.
And for damn sure not the fans! What selfish pr_ _ks!
I don’t think Mark’s comment was ridiculous. why would you say that? I would rather make something instead of nothing, given a choice. you must be independently wealthy to this this is ridiculous.
Of course it has come down to two issues: I want as much money as I think I deserve (95% of the issue), and player/personnel safety (the other 5%). I suppose this can be seen as the starting point for negotiations, but to me it’s “yes we will take less than full salary and let’s figure out what that means” or “no, we won’t take a penny less.” If it’s the former, then get together, put the incredible egos of both sides away, and get something done. If it’s the latter, just say thanks for stopping by and cancel the season. In spite of what all major league and college sports want us to believe, the world will still spin if the games aren’t played.
Just shows how greedy some players are. Was a fan of Woods but now not so much. This guy isn’t even assured of a spot on the starting rotation and he wants full pay w/o the owners getting the revenue to pay them. As much as I like BB cancel the season and let these idiots sit and twiddle their thumbs like the rest of us.
Sorry, but Alex Wood is the idiot. Texeira is absolutely correct. Why should players make a dime if they don’t play?
What people don’t understand the owners that pay the players are are filthy rich. Why are the players always the bad guys. Like were the engine that makes America run. Players make baseball run. Unless you want to see a bunch of old fat billionaires running the bases hope they reach a deal.
You are a breath of fresh air Greg. Do some reading with your free time folks. Try Dave Zirin’s “What’s my Name Fool”. or “Peoples History of Sports in the United States”. The owners make enormous amounts of money every which way. They bank taxpayer dollars to build stadiums promising “good” jobs in return. Sure, 85 days a year we can sell peanuts in our hometown for low wages and love of the game. I do love baseball. And the labor tensions make little sense to most of us who live paycheck to paycheck. But the story we hear is about the millionaire, diva athletes and not the majority of guys living on poverty wages chasing a dream. And of course we can never blame the owners with their hands in every available pie. Might be a good time to revisit the legacy of Curt Flood. There is no Curt Flood day in baseball for a reason. Wood is absolutely right to speak his mind. He does all us union workers a favor by not pretending that owners are benevolent.
The players should only be paid from the money the teams makes.
What other resources the owners may have (outside of baseball) is irrelevant. The players have no claims to that money ( any money outside of baseball).
So billionaire or no, the players should get paid only from what baseball and the baseball team makes.
They are making less this year. So why should players be paid the same?
Clarification. The revenue from the game comes from a very large pie. Not talking outside money. This is why MLBPA is saying “open the books”, show us what it looks like then we can talk.
Essentially what I hear you saying Dodger11286 is the contract is dead. The agreement players had for services is void. The CBA doesn’t matter. This issue is a big problem for MLB and owners who have been crying poor all these years, collecting luxury tax money, public funds to build their stadiums, tax breaks etc…then these same “poor” teams show up on the Forbes top 5 franchises. See SF Giants article this past offseason.
I get it, I am a furloughed 6 grade public school teacher. I love what I do and I make a fraction of what MLB players make. If I can’t pay my rent the first thing I will hear is, “don’t you have any savings?” These owners have the money. Players know it and Tony knows it. The owners are not living on the edge. My understanding of the initial agreement is the players pay would be prorated. Tying players pay to revenue is a can of ugly worms. And MLBPA has called their bluff. The only thing that has kept owners from being truly exposed throughout sports history is fans beating up on players over contract issues with sports media fueling the fire. Hoping for games sometime..
There is no need to open the books.
Everyone knows what they make from TV contracts, and hosting a home game.
Just do the math.
Bit more to it Dodger. The players and MLBPA are saying open the books for a reason. Even a few sports writers are seeing the light on this. Stephan A taking a beating today after his comments. It’s common knowledge that MLB has been extremely profitable over the last decade or so. We don’t know more about this than the players who are employed in MLB. I stand by my arguments as it seems you will too.
Wood is a millionaire but Dodgers ownership chairman Mark Walter is currently worth $2.5 Billion. For context; 1 million seconds is about 11 days, and 1 billion seconds is about 31.5 years. Dodgers team base salary for 2020 is about $204 Million. Less than 1% of the net worth of one member of the Dodgers ownership group. In January Dodgers signed a deal with AT&T for televised games worth $8.35 Billion over the next 25 years, or $334 million per year. Which is substantially more than the cost of player salaries. Ownership can afford to pay the players exactly what they signed at the time of thier respective contract signings.
This is exactly the real story behind the smoke and mirrors DaveT. Opening the Books would reveal exactly why players are speaking out. great post
IT is irrelevant what he is worth. It is all about what team makes.
First of all the owners should negotiate their contracts this year based off games played, fan attendance, and concessions basically all revenue. You can’t expect teams to lose money. What about teams that traded top tier players that had 1 year left on their contracts and let go of top prospects. Gotta be fair on both sides owners and players should all understand the business of a game loved by all americans.
Wayne contracts are not based on revenue. They are based on player performance and that has a value beyond what happens on the field for life of the contract. The owners of most teams are banking on increasing revenue by bringing in star players and putting a good team on the field. There are many problems with MLB. Some I mention above. But one of the biggest issues played out in offseason 2018-2019 with FA going largely unsigned for months. Teams will spend what they think they can to maintain profits. But the reality is, players agree to contracts not based on revenue but based on performance and that money is guaranteed no matter the revenue year to year. Prorating salaries is a very reasonable solution. These guys will still do the same amount of work in the games they play regardless of who is or is not in the stands. And I don’t see AT&T asking for a discount. A deals a deal.
If the players balk over money this year I’m done. That’s my bottom line. I’m living (sort of) on 1002 dollars a month social security and cannot in any way sympathize with anyone on either side. I wish these owners agents players and team execs end up unable to make ends meet and have to eat peanut butter and jelly while picking up cans for a little extra.
Theres a real world out here outside the fantasy one you all seem to exist in.