Tony Clark, the head of the baseball players’ association, pledged to keep all discussions within the union private after an unsuccessful March attempt to remove his top labor negotiator.
Harry Marino, who previously organized minor leaguers and worked as a union lawyer, led an effort to persuade the union’s executive board to oust Bruce Meyer, the deputy executive director responsible for negotiating the 2022 collective bargaining agreement.
Clark released a statement through the executive subcommittee, which includes eight members, indicating a rejection of Marino’s initiative.
“All of those discussions … will happen behind closed doors as we prepare for the most crucial aspect: negotiations for our next collective bargaining agreement when our current one expires in 2026,” Clark stated on Tuesday.
Clark, a former All-Star player who has led the union since 2013, addressed questions from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America before the All-Star Game.
“Our organization has been active since 1966. The notion that leadership hasn’t faced challenges in the past 50 years is amusing,” Clark remarked.
“What’s now is the increased media attention and sensationalism surrounding the challenges we face. I’m not concerned about being challenged. I’m 6-7, 300 pounds-plus.”
“If anyone wants to challenge us based on their perception of events, they are welcome to do so,” he added. “But I am committed to standing by our members—current players, former players, and the next generation—without losing sleep over it.”
In March 2022, Major League Baseball and the union reached a five-year agreement after a 99-day lockout delayed the start of the season by a week.
This work stoppage marked the sport’s ninth, and the first since the 1994-95 strike, which resulted in the cancellation of the World Series. The current agreement expires in December 2026.
In 2023, a record number of eight teams paid luxury tax, led by the New York Mets with nearly $101 million. However, MLB spending this year has remained relatively unchanged at approximately $5.7 billion to $5.8 billion, according to luxury tax payrolls.
