Yankees Being Investigated For Tampering

[$500 Million]

Yankees President Randy Levine told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com that he was unwilling to give Robinson Cano a 10-year contract because he is over 30 years old, though Trout would be worthy of such a contract when he hits free agency in 2018.

"Now, if it was Mike Trout, I'd offer him a 10-year contract," Levine said. "But for people over 30, I don't believe it makes sense."


This prompted Bleacher Report to go ahead and run with the story...

New York Yankees Would Be Willing to Give Mike Trout a 10-Year Contract | Bleacher Report

Which then prompted MLB to investigate Levine...

Report: MLB to investigate Yankees president after Mike Trout comment - CBSSports.com


Nice going Randy.

 

[BigDDude]

Yankees President Randy Levine told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com that he was unwilling to give Robinson Cano a 10-year contract because he is over 30 years old, though Trout would be worthy of such a contract when he hits free agency in 2018.

"Now, if it was Mike Trout, I'd offer him a 10-year contract," Levine said. "But for people over 30, I don't believe it makes sense."


This prompted Bleacher Report to go ahead and run with the story...

New York Yankees Would Be Willing to Give Mike Trout a 10-Year Contract | Bleacher Report

Which then prompted MLB to investigate Levine...

Report: MLB to investigate Yankees president after Mike Trout comment - CBSSports.com


Nice going Randy.

And I hope this goes away just as quickly as it came to be. I know that rules are rules, but, we can hope that this will looked at by someone with intelligence, and who knows and understands the word and term intent.

 

[da55bums]

tampering? what is this the NCAA?....like any of us...we could look into other "opportunities" at any time..

 

[seahawksfan234]

How stupid...

 

[Cobiemonster]

This is stupid - why would you investigate something like this - everyone knows that they'd give Mike Trout a 10 year deal if they had the opportunity - there's nothing wrong with what he said

 

[pixburgher66]

I'd give Mike Trout a 10-year contract....
*waits for phone to ring*



Huh. Works.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Bleacher report has the credibility of a message board, people.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Bleacher report has the credibility of a message board, people.

This

 

[cezero]

People complaining about his investigation have little understanding of professional sports.

Trout's a once in a generation player, was born and raised 2 hours from New York, and his whole family is still there.

No member of the Yanks front office says anything to the press without knowing every last implication of every phrase and clause they state. They've been playing the game for 100+ years, and know the rules as well or better than anybody.

They don't get a free pass for tampering just because everybody knows that they have been signing huge contracts to players for the past 15 years.

 

[cezero]

Bleacher report has the credibility of a message board, people.

Every major media outlet has published stories about this.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Bleacher report has the credibility of a message board, people.

Never understodd how or why people take them seriously..

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

As I Yankee fan, I obviously hate Randy Levine with every fiber of my being, but how in the world does that constitute tampering???

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I don't call it tampering. I call it good business sense.

 

[RobToxin]

I hate the Yankees with every fiber in my being but this is one of the stupidest things I heard of.

Tampering?

Get a life!

 

[Darkstone42]

Isn't tampering talking to a guy or his agent when he's not allowed to discuss contracts with other teams?

I think this is more of a statement of the current free agent market using a well-known reference point.

 

[element1286]

Isn't tampering talking to a guy or his agent when he's not allowed to discuss contracts with other teams?

I think this is more of a statement of the current free agent market using a well-known reference point.

Your probably right, that's what he meant to do, but this is most certainly tampering.

No reason Trout's agent couldn't use this as a negotiating point during a future contract talk. While there might not be any malicious intent on Levine's part, it could easily be determined tampering, IMO.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

People complaining about his investigation have little understanding of professional sports.

Trout's a once in a generation player, was born and raised 2 hours from New York, and his whole family is still there.

No member of the Yanks front office says anything to the press without knowing every last implication of every phrase and clause they state. They've been playing the game for 100+ years, and know the rules as well or better than anybody.

They don't get a free pass for tampering just because everybody knows that they have been signing huge contracts to players for the past 15 years.

They don't, nor should they. But can you explain how this constitutes tampering in any way, shape or form?

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

Your probably right, that's what he meant to do, but this is most certainly tampering.

No reason Trout's agent couldn't use this as a negotiating point during a future contract talk. While there might not be any malicious intent on Levine's part, it could easily be determined tampering, IMO.

No. Tampering would be scheduling a lunch with Trout's agent and talking about Mike Trout. Tampering would be speaking to Mike Trout. Tampering would be contacting Mike Trout's family or friends.

Just mentioning Mike Trout as a point of reference is not tampering. Trout's agent wouldn't need this as a negotiating point. He could simply say "every team in MLB would give Mike Trout a 10-year contract today if he were available."

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Wow, you can't say shit anymore in this country.

 

[gunnarthor]

IIRC, didn't one of the Steinbrenner's say something about signing AJ Burnett "if" he opts out of his contract with Toronto, while obviously still under contract? I don't think anything ever came of that.