Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Insider Believes Corey Seager Felt Pressured By Players Union to Take Rangers Contract

Dodger fans are accepting some rather stark news the last few days. MLB is in a lockout, and Dodgers hero Corey Seager will now be a Texas Ranger for the next decade.

After Seager signed with the Rangers, many Dodger fans were just left to wonder why. Seager leaving LA seemed like an inevitability, but this is the Dodgers. They have the money, the resources, and the location to keep any player.



Did they just not offer enough?

That isn’t what insider David Vasseigh believes. He spoke with AM570’s Petros and Money and seemed to imply that Seager’s choice came with real pressures.

“I really believe that he felt a lot of pressure from the Union to take the highest asking price to set the bar.”

The players union is there to protect the players. Any time an organization’s job is to protect more than one person, however, there are concepts like “the big picture” that tend to take precedence over one person’s choices. If Vassegh is telling the truth that he believes the Dodgers offer was close enough to lure Seager back, that’s a bombshell. Seager’s choice should not involve being pressured to take any price, whether higher or lower.

It begs the question as to why Taylor’s choice to take less money to stay in LA was an easier one for him. It probably has to do with the fact that as much as Taylor is a great player, Seager is a ‘franchise’ player. He is the kind of bat you base your entire lineup after. A World Series MVP and a player who can hit for power and average, Seager is a superstar whose star power is bigger than Taylor’s.

Not So Fast

According to Jorge Castillo of the LA Times, Vassegh’s ponderance isn’t accurate.

“Ultimately, they weren’t close to meeting the Rangers’ extravagant offer of $325 million over 10 years, according to people with knowledge of the situation.”

Two conflicting stories make this a little confusing. Both Vassegh and Castillo have their personalities and styles but are also respected in their profession. It murks the water over the truth of what happened here. Take everything with a grain of salt, as they say, but Dodger fans will miss Seager. Another comment made by Vassegh that is sure to excite Dodger fans’ imaginations is what I will close this with.

“When they have a fire sale when this doesn’t work out, maybe Seager will come back in 3 years.”

Dodgers Contract Offer From Dodgers Revealed, Is Seager Worth $325M, Seager Says Farewell to LA

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AJ Gonzalez

AJ is a lifelong Dodgers and Lakers fan who grew up in California. His whole family is also lifelong Dodgers fans. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, two kids, his guitars, and beagle Kobe.

31 Comments

  1. How about maybe the Dodgers should have signed him the year after the world series…instead of giving 40 mil to Bauer …a guy with all problems Bauer had…glad he got his money…wish him the best in Texas

    1. They DID try to extend him after the 2020 World Series. It was reportedly for $250 million for eight years. But that wasn’t good enough for a Boras client. He would have been set for a

  2. Got paid like a future hall of famer, but his 100 HR and 360 RBIs thru his first 7 years isn’t tracking him anywhere near a hall of fame level career. He’s a gifted hitter, and will have some very good years, but you can’t pay a borderline all star [he’s made the AS game twice] franchise money if you want to field a consistently WS competive team year after year.

    1. Excellent points…and this signing is similar to Texas signing A-Rod , another Boras client. Where did that get them? Nowhere……

      He ended being shipped off…no rings….what a shame.

      1. Arod at least hit 35+HR and drove in over 100 every year and didn’t miss months every year. Seager hasn’t had a full season since 2017

  3. Get Seager back in three years when the Rangers have a fire sale? That is not inconceivable. We will find out.

    But how likely is it to want a 31-year-old Seager with seven years left and an aging body? Time will tell, but I don’t think Seager will age well, as I have said before. He won’t be as appealing, and it depends on how much of that money the Rangers would eat. All conjecture, of course…..

  4. ‘YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS.” The Dodgers offered 31.25 Million over 8 years and Texas gave 32.5
    over ten. 1.25 difference over the first 8 years. Maybe Vasseigh was right. Either that or the zero tax in Texas made the difference. Either way, the Dodgers ponied up. They weren’t cheap.

  5. If for no other, the state income tax savings would be enough to lure a player with that amount of money to sign in Texas. As much as I hate to see Cory go I’d do the same if I wee him.

  6. The Dodgers HAVE one of the best shortstops in baseball who just won the NL batting title and is the best base stealer we have had in some time. LA has 2 stars in left and Mookie in right and Bellinger’s late season improvement merits a full shot this year. Smith is booming behind the plate. Give Lux opportunity at second and thank goodness for top line starters led by WB and a 20-game winner. The bullpen is excellent and the only road block now is the lockout. Go Dodgers!

  7. Mediocre shortstop at best, streaky hitter, injury prone and an almost Bill Belichek personality. I was really hoping he’d go to the Yankees. They would have barbecued him. That said, they better figure out a way to extend Trea

        1. Roberts will keep breaking records in futility as he remains their manager. No matter who they get, he will continue to foul up in the post season!! One Reason Seager and Scherzer left the Team!!

  8. Since Scott Boras is his agent, it was almost guaranteed that he would end up elsewhere for a humongous pay day.

  9. Yep, move on is right. We have our SS for now and hopefully a long time. As mentioned the manager is here but hopefully NOT to stay.

  10. I agree that the zero state income tax was a key factor
    In the decision.

    I also believe Dave Roberts is a major liability and is always trying to show his tactical genius, often in bizarre ways. Such as the suicide squeeze with Chris Taylor as the batter.

    Pitching changes often are baffling.

    Let’s hope Trea’s remarkably abysmal post season ( seldom getting the ball out of the infield) was an aberration. He has a wonderful track record up until then.

  11. Same story. Different union prole:
    ———————————————————————
    “The players union is there to protect the players”

    Ahh..’The big picture’. Ahh.

    The players want a union. They got a union.
    —————-
    He’s got youth, health, enough money for…ever, and he still couldn’t stand up to…the union, and play/live where he wants?

    What were they going to do, take out his kneecaps?? Have him sleep with da fishies?

  12. I like Seager. However, the Dodgers don’t need Seager with Trea Turner taking over at SS. Seager helped bring the 2020 World Series Championship. I wish Seager well.

  13. This article misstates one fact: Vasseigh is not a respected reporter. He says things for shock, effect and attention. If I were Seager, I’d throat punch Vasseigh the next time I saw him, for implying I was some kind of puppet. I’ll be back to apologize if I’m wrong, but I won’t need to.

  14. I am sure the union had a lot to do with Corey’s decision – NOT!!!!

    can’t make this crap up!

  15. Seager will likely have a great career and will be missed, but one factor I haven’t seen discussed is his approach at the plate.

    The Dodgers have been very good at building up pitch counts with a patient approach at the plate. One player that didn’t follow that philosophy: Seager.

    I remember a game in 2020 where the Dodgers had two outs, then drew several walks in a row. Scored a run and had the bases loaded. Seager came up and swung at the first pitch. Made an out to end the inning.

    Many players seem to have the philosophy of swinging at the first good pitch. But, if the pitcher is struggling to throw strikes, why help him out?

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