Dodgers' Jansen on slow offseason: 'Maybe we have to go on strike'

[January 29, 2018]  Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen suggested a radical solution for this offseason's slower-than-usual pace.

"Maybe we have to go on strike, to be honest with you," Jansen said at the team's annual Fan Fest at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, per the Los Angeles Times. "That's how I feel about it."

Spring training is less than a month away, and several of the top free agents remain available: starters Jake Arrieta and Yu Darvish, outfielder J.D. Martinez, first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas.

Many have pointed the finger at the number of tanking clubs regarding the inactivity, including high-profile agent Scott Boras last week.

"We have to get rid of the noncompetitive cancer," Boras told The Athletic. "We can't go to our fan bases and sell the promise of losing to win later. That is destructive to our sport because it has removed one-third of the competition."

For his part, Jansen alluded to the Miami Marlins when discussing the problem. The Marlins have traded All-Stars Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich and Dee Gordon in separate deals this offseason in order to trim payroll under the guide of new CEO Derek Jeter.

"That is something we might have to address, so you don't have a lot of Miami Marlins doing this," Jansen said. "Maybe it's an adjustment for us, as the players' union.

"I'm going to have that talk to the union, and we'll see how it goes from there."

 

On Friday, the union voiced its concerns regarding salary-shedding moves implemented by both the Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason and whether the teams are properly spending their revenue-sharing money in order to improve.

The Pirates have traded their top pitcher, Gerrit Cole, and former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen this month.

"We have raised our concerns regarding both Miami and Pittsburgh with the commissioner, as is the protocol under the collective bargaining agreement and its revenue sharing provisions," union spokesman Greg Bouris said in a statement. "We are waiting to have further dialogue, and that will dictate our next steps."

The commissioner's office responded with a statement of its own defending the two clubs.

"We do not have concerns about the Pirates' and Marlins' compliance with the basic agreement provisions regarding the use of revenue sharing proceeds," MLB stated.

Major League Baseball's last strike took place in 1994. The league's current CBA agreement expires after the 2021 season.

--Field Level Media

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