1. Beltran likely hired Boras as a referral. And, yes...I'm sure when he hired Boras, he wanted to get him the best deal. 2. Depends on the client...depends on the circumstances. I can run questions by clients and their response is, "you're the lawyer..you tell me..what do you think?" That happens all the time. With pro sports agents that is largely the case. I've talked to pro sports agents who say the job is a lot more like babysitting than anything else. Particularly when they're negotiating their first big contract. I have no doubt that he's involved in the big decision....where he'll sign. It's the road to get there that is largelly controlled by Boras.
My initial comment was in regards to a post saying that there's a "conflict of interest" regarding Beltran's wishes and Boras calling the shots, and my point was that Beltran has the ultimate authority over decisions. You've given an example of a client saying "you're the lawyer, what do you think?". That's a client making a decision - a decision based on the circumstances, the knowledge that you know more about the issue than they do, that you've been there before, that they don't know enough themselves to make an educated decision or that they want your legal advice before they do so. Sounds like perfectly rational adults to me, they're not babies. Beltran probably does lean on Boras to help him make decisions, but the fact remains that the ultimate call at any point in time remains in the hands of the client, Beltran, and if he chooses to go along with Boras's advice, that's a decision he's made too.
Fair enough. But saying, "Hey, you're more experienced in this than I am...just do your thing," seems a far cry from Carlos calling the shots. Technically, he's calling the shots. Practically, he ain't. I'm not trying to be argumentative. I just think Boras is controlling this thing. This isn't the first time. Doesn't matter who the client is, Boras always makes it difficult. That's his reputation. He's earned it.
odd. consistently, this is the easiest place to get a fast update on the beltran situation. thanks toeveryone for locating the news articles and hard work.
Look at it this way - when you get on a rollercoaster, you know what type of rollercoaster it is. When you choose to ride the Texas Cyclone at Astroworld, you know what kind of ride you're in for. You are no doubt expecting, anticipating the experience - you're looking forward to it. When you hire Scott Boras, you know what kind of representation you'll have, you know how the agent operates, you know his tactics and his reputation, you have a good idea how he'll use the media. Is Beltran manually controlling every twist and turn - of course not. But the ride is one he likely anticipated. The difference is that the rollercoaster always ends up back where it started, while Beltran will have the ultimate decision as to where this ride stops.
I don't disagree with that...if that's what you're saying..fine. It just didn't sound much like: Trust me, Boras is doing exactly what Beltran wants him to do. unless all you meant was that Beltran only wanted him Boras to do whatever Boras thought he should do. a little different from riding a roller coaster you can see before you get on.
I'd say neither. Neither the Yankees or Mets have any motive to make an offer now where the Astros will have time to counter.
Then you believe Boras will drag this past the 8th, which I don't. He doesn't get to play by a separate set of rules than every other agent in MLB/sports in general. But like I said earlier, if there is one guy who would pull a stunt like that, it's Boras. And as far as the motive, how about Boras stepping in for fairness in negotiations and putting the screws to the NY teams if they really want him but refuse to offer before the astros can counter. That would be fair but fairness is not a word I associate with Boras. So it's possible this all plays out of course. However, if neither NY team offers by the 8th, I would expect Beltran to sign in Houston instead of chancing the possibility of getting less money afterwards. But the bottom line is Boras should be putting the screws to the NY teams if they want Beltran but are waiting the Astros out. If they aren't really interested that is entirely different. If your scenario actually plays out, Boras will pay for it big time. Teams will just refuse to talk to any of his clients, period. No agent worth his weight in fairness actually would allow a situation like that to happen, but Boras doesn't exactly epitomize fairness.
And here is the article with Brian Cashman's full quote(found on orangewhoopass.com) giving credence to the idea that Boras doesn't want this going past the 8th. http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/spo...14dec30,0,5094643.story?coll=ny-yankees-print Yanks are biding time in bidding for Beltran Email this story Printer friendly format Top Stories Yanks are biding time in bidding for Beltran Royals GM: Beltran would embrace move to NY Mets to woo Carlos Ken Davidoff: Zambrano feeling good all over Galarraga leads way for veteran throng BY DAVID LENNON STAFF WRITER December 30, 2004 The Yankees were the first to meet with Carlos Beltran when principal owner George Steinbrenner welcomed him and his agent, Scott Boras, to Tampa last week. But they now seem content to wait out the Astros, then compete with the Mets for the free-agent centerfielder, or at least that's how general manager Brian Cashman described his club's negotiating stance yesterday. "Right now, our entire winter has been concentrating on the pitching," Cashman said. "In Carlos Beltran's case, we'll have to make a decision here rather soon if we're going to be a player in this and make an offer, because at this point, we haven't made one yet. "We'll have our own internal decisions on that over the next week because clearly, if we want to be a player, we have to push an offer in front of him so he can weigh them against whatever other offers he has." The Astros are the only team facing a deadline, which is why they reportedly have already made a six-year, $96-million offer to Beltran in the hope of pushing the pace and getting a decision before they lose the chance to negotiate with him on Jan. 8. But the Mets, who have made Beltran a top priority, will not meet with him until early next week and Boras is sure to give the deep-pocketed Yankees the chance to top any offer as the price heads north of $100 million. Mets GM Omar Minaya is determined not to repeat the mistakes the Mets made with both Alex Rodriguez and Vladimir Guerrero, and principal owner Fred Wilpon appears willing to back him financially this time. Minaya so desperately wanted Pedro Martinez that he got the green light to offer him a four-year, $53-million deal. Minaya is showing a similar affection for Beltran, though his price will be at least double that of Martinez - and there may be no ceiling if it turns into a bidding war against Steinbrenner. Minaya's only edge will be to appeal to Beltran's ego rather than his wallet. The Mets can market Beltran as the team's brightest star as compared with him being just another member of the Yankees' high-salaried stable - and a notch below the pinstriped tabloid twins, Derek Jeter and A-Rod. If the Yankees want Beltran badly enough, it might not matter. Cashman was coy about his team's interest yesterday, but once the Yankees do get heavily involved in negotiations, it would be difficult not to consider them the favorites.
I copy the article from another message board because I didn't want to register with the Chicago Tribune. I think it's odd that Boras would come out say hey Cubs you still have shot at signing him. Beltran, Sosa fate not tied (You need to register) Conventional wisdom suggests the Cubs have fallen out of the Carlos Beltran sweepstakes because of their inability to find a taker for Sammy Sosa and clear some salary space. But with the clock ticking down to the start of 2005, Beltran's agent said the Cubs still are players for Beltran's services and Sosa's fate is irrelevant. "I don't know why people are writing the Cubs aren't in it because they have to trade Sammy Sosa first," Scott Boras said. "We're only talking about one more year [on Sosa's contract]. Who in their right mind would think you could not accommodate signing Carlos Beltran because of that?" If the Cubs really want Beltran, they may have no choice but to pay him and Sosa in 2005. An unnamed Orioles official told the Baltimore Sun the team is not pursuing Sosa, while the New York Mets have turned their attention toward Beltran and first baseman Carlos Delgado. Trading Sosa may be a bigger longshot at this point than signing Beltran, though both scenarios still are possible. As for Beltran and Sosa playing in the same Cubs outfield this year, Beltran likely would have to accept a relatively modest base salary in '05, which a signing bonus could offset. The Cubs don't want to reach the luxury-tax threshold and also aren't willing to go more than six years on Beltran, who is expected to get in the vicinity of $14 million-to-$16 million per year. Boras said no signing is "imminent," which leaves the Yankees, Astros, Mets and Cubs as Beltran's likely destinations. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, en route to a family get-together, declined to discuss specifics of talks regarding Beltran, other than to say the Cubs still are "interested." Hendry hasn't had a face-to-face meeting with Beltran and Boras, as the Astros and Yankees have done, and as the Mets reportedly intend to do soon. Houston is the only team with an approaching deadline because Beltran no longer can negotiate with the Astros after Jan. 8 because he declined arbitration. Boras insisted nothing should be read into the fact that the Cubs aren't making plans to meet with him and Beltran together. He said he respects the Cubs ability to "fly below the radar" and pointed out the Cubs didn't show interest in Greg Maddux until around this time last year. Hendry didn't meet with Maddux face-to-face until a week before spring training and signed him on the day before pitchers and catchers reported. "Jim and I have met five times between [the general managers' meetings] and the winter meetings," Boras said. "Too many face-to-face meetings can wreck a deal. We're in frequent communication and will continue to talk on a number of my players." The Cubs also are interested in ex-White Sox outfielder Magglio Ordonez, who apparently is willing to sign a one-year deal with incentives to prove he's healthy. Ordonez told the Tribune last month the Cubs "would be a good place for me," and the Cubs think he would be a good fit in the clubhouse and would be motivated to prove the Sox wrong for failing to keep him. If Beltran signs with either Houston or the Yankees, Ordonez, another Boras client, could fall to the Cubs, whether Sosa is on the roster or not. How a lame-duck Sosa would be able to co-exist with manager Dusty Baker in '05 remains to be seen, but there are plenty of examples of manager-player squabbles that didn't detract from the team's overall goals. Former Pittsburgh manager Jim Leyland had a shouting match with Barry Bonds in spring training of 1991, while former White Sox manager Jerry Manuel and Frank Thomas had a heated exchange during spring training of 2000. Despite those highly publicized incidents, both Bonds and Thomas led their teams to the postseason those years. Sosa likely will have to apologize to some of his teammates after walking out on the club before the final game of 2004, but Todd Hollandsworth said it shouldn't be a problem if Sosa returns. "It's something that happened at the end of the season," Hollandsworth said. "It was unfortunate. It shouldn't have happened. But, that being said, it has been eliminated because it was the last game. "The season ended on a sour note, we didn't make the playoffs, so it was magnified internally and, obviously, in the media. But I don't think anything in the game is irreparable, so if the desire is there on both sides [for Sosa to return], it can be done."
Yeah....that whole article was based on very self-serving comments by Boras, who has every interest in the world in having as many teams perceived to be in the mix as possible...even if those teams really aren't in the mix. I could see Beltan with the Yanks....perhaps the Mets. But not the Cubs UNLESS they move Sosa. This is Boras making judgment calls for management in Chicago. Funny...but not very compelling.
Boras isn't getting any real offers yet, other than the Stros, so he's inventing something in the media. In his world, all teams are interested bidders, and a few well placed media quotes will drive the price up among legitimate bidders in reaction.
Let's see. The agent is letting the team with the deadline set the market and is promising to make a decision before the deadline. Meanwhile the competetion is mysteriously quiet while waiting for what?.................. THE DEADLINE TO PASS. George and others can't be stupid enough to play Boras' game. What incentive is there for George or Omar to make an offer before Jan 8th. Once the 'stros drop out then the market resets and Boras and the 'stros lose out. McLane says that Boras is promising a decision this week. Boras is not going to make a deal before the bidding ever starts. Beltran ain't coming back to Houston unless he would rather play here for less. McLane is doing all he can considering Boras has him bidding against himself. He is already up to 1 to 26 mill per year. Why would he go above that. Nice to have Beltran but I wonder who else we could add to the team for the future for a total of 16 mill per year.
i don't get it...these seem contradictory to me. if boras would lose out after the deadline passes...why would he let it do that? then it would be the Yanks bidding against themselves, as best I can tell. and bidding knowing full well the Astros can't. seems to me, Boras' best deal is before 1/8...no matter who it's from.
Well, the Johnson trade just went down. So, I get the feeling the Yankees might drop some interest in Beltran. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1954122
