New York Mets: Pete Alonso quotes show MLBPA’s stance
New York Mets‘ first baseman Pete Alonso has not been afraid to speak his mind since he came to the majors. He was the catalyst behind the LFGM hashtag, with his willingness to be himself making him a fan favorite. Although he may not have replicated his impressive rookie campaign yet, he has established himself as a leader and someone worth listening to.
That is why Alonso’s comments about the new deadened ball are so interesting. He stated that it was a fact that the league changed the ball based on the upcoming free agent class as a way to lower salaries this offseason.
Pete Alonso saying “It’s a fact!” that @mlb changes the baseballs based on upcoming FA classes in an attempt to manipulate salaries, is a fun sign of where @mlbpa is in relation to the upcoming CBA negotiations. That gets me FIRED UP! Let ‘em know Pete! pic.twitter.com/Oz0eFuIrHD
— Anthony Recker (@Anthony_Recker) June 9, 2021
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso shows labor strife on the way
If Alonso is outright saying that he feels that Major League Baseball changed the balls to directly impact free agency, he would not be the only one that feels that way. This thought has to be prevalent throughout the league, with other players, particularly impending free agents, feeling that way.
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A look at the top free agents for this offseason lends itself to this thought. The likes of Kris Bryant, Trevor Story, Corey Seager, and Anthony Rizzo are slated to hit free agency. A bumper crop of excellent hitting shortstops will lead the market. But if those players are not performing at their expected levels, their earning power would theoretically decrease.
This may also be a talking point for the MLBPA. The Player’s Union had been critical of slow moving offseasons over the past couple of years, claiming that there was a degree of collusion between owners due to players receiving similar offers. Some of the top players in free agency have not found a team until after spring training had begun, something that was not typically the case before.
If this is the case, the next few months, and into the offseason, may be very contentious. Players have been taking jabs at commissioner Rob Manfred, questioning his ability to run the game. The union has taken a hard stance against several of his proposals, and his refusal to consider anything other than a 60 game season last year rankled the players and their representatives.
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Major League Baseball and the Player’s Union are heading to a confrontational offseason. New York Mets’ first baseman Pete Alonso gave an idea as to part of their stance.