MLB notebook: Union organizing free-agent camp

[February 09, 2018]  A spring-training camp set up by the MLB Players Association for unsigned free agents will open Tuesday at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., according to multiple reports.

Per The Athletic, former Astros manager Bo Porter will lead workouts, which will begin Wednesday after players report on Tuesday. Several players who are on MLB rosters are expected to attend as a show of support, before reporting to their own teams' respective camps. The union is arranging travel and housing as well as providing players per diem, but players are not allowed to bring their own personal trainers.

The Athletic also reports that clients of agent Scott Boras will not attend the camp, opting to keep training at Boras Corp facilities instead. Boras represents right-hander Jake Arrieta, first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and outfielder J.D. Martinez, among others.

The union's camp will be open until at least March 4, with the possibility of extending through the end of March.

--Boras, baseball's most prominent deal-maker, is preaching patience as spring training approaches with many marquee players awaiting a preseason destination.

"I'm not ready to evaluate anything because of the market delay,'' Boras told ESPN.com. "You have to let the market be a market before you can evaluate it.

"I believe that every good owner in the game wakes up and says there's an opportunity that exists today that didn't exist yesterday. Regardless of what the date on the calendar is, if it's good business, you should do it.''

 

"We've had players that reported in February and the middle of March,'' Boras added. "The key thing is, we are dutifully making sure that all of our clients are ready to play.''

--New York Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler won his arbitration case against the club and will make $1.9 million this season, according to published reports.

The Mets submitted a figure of $1.5 million.

Wheeler made $800,000 last season when he went 3-7 with a 5.21 ERA in 17 starts. His season was cut short by a stress reaction in his right arm. The 27-year-old missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2015.

--With no progress in contract negotiations with free-agent outfielder J.D. Martinez, the Boston Red Sox are reportedly considering signing Logan Morrison to bolster their offense.

FanRag Sports reported Morrison and others could soon be on the Red Sox's radar.

Morrison, 30, had a career year with the Tampa Bay Rays last season, with a .246 batting average and 38 home runs.

--Field Level Media

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