This offseason, agent could Boras to death

Mazz, this is all more reason why we need a 'Yes' vote on ballot Question One.

THis guy is a lot of what is wrong with Major League Baseball today. Sure the players were worth a lot more back in the 80's but the pendulum has swung too far the other way. How can the average American understand why a crybaby like Manny or an over-the-hill catcher like Varitek is worth millions while that average American is trying to put food on the table for his family? How can he afford to take his son to the ball game to watch someone jog to first and not perform unless it is a critical contract year for the player?? And how are we supposed to relate to an agent who makes in a 7 figure salary for these greedy, overpaid players??
You are way off base with this article.

That's good stuff. Real, real good stuff.

Scott Bora$$ is nothing more than a pimp, shopping his whores around to whoever will pay them the most for services rendered.

I'd be hard-pressed to find the brake pedal if I saw him crossing the street.

Who the hell cares what anyone, especially a reporter who is secretly paid by the Red Sox for PR, thinks about Manny. I hope he goes out there and gets a contract bigger and better than A-Rod. In my book, based on his performance when it counts the most, Manny is worth 5 times, 10 times, an A-Rod. Massarotti, you're worth the paper your column is printed on. Oops it's not even on paper. Well not worth anything then are you? Pretty typical value for the Globe.

Sorry Mazz! Boras is a cancer. His ego has led to a subtle poisoning of the moral fiber of the game. If baseball is still considered a game. Part of the problem is these sleazy agents who have run amok exploiting the pastime at every financial opportunity. I thought by A-Rod firing Boras that he would slowly fade into the sunset. No such luck. So we will continue to see his smug mug standing behind home plate at all of the Angels home games. Go away Scott! Do us all a big, big favor please! The game is much, much better off without you.

Regarding the "Boras is a cancer" and "This is what's wrong with professional sports / MLB today" outrage: The source of the problem is the demand for tickets. The fans are willing to pay large sums of money to see the games in person, on television, or listen to the radio broadcasts. As a result, salaries are astronomical. The owners wouldn't pay the salaries if the revenues didn't allow it. Agents like Boras get the best salary for the players much like each of us wants to get the best salary we can from our own employer.

It's time to stop blaming Boras and the spoiled players and look in the mirror. If you don't like what's happening with and in the game, then stop being a customer. It's that simple.

Mazz, I fugured you would hire him. Guess what? I would not.

With all the off-field issues Manny brings to the table. The numbers dont lie - nor does the fact that hes the best hitter that weve come acrossed. Did anyone else realize that the Redsox lineup misses Manny. Not the players, not the fans, but the lineup. Ortiz suffered from Manny, the long ball that could have notched any game or rally any team suffered. Sure hes got issues - but hes worth it. He didnt like playing in boston but he still played. And when things mattered the most he always came through. Ask yourself was it worth it? To put up with him? I miss Manny

"This makes the most powerful agent in baseball either a black belt or a two-bit car salesman..."

I've been referring to him as a snake oil salesman for years. It's much more fitting than either of the two above. I feel unclean anytime I see him.

Typing "indisputably quit on his team (more than once)" doesn't make it true. At the very least, there remains a dispute about the entire to-do. Claiming your opinion is indisputable doesn't make it so.

I've seen a lot of smears about Manny Ramirez's behavior. What I haven't seen is evidence - from you or anybody else on the Globe. And I've been looking for it for a long time.

Can't wait 'til $ox sign Teixeira!

I don't begruge baseball players and their salaries one bit. Just like I don't begrudge the movie industry for the gobs of money some actors make (which outweigh baseball salaries), or leader of some private industries. They don't care what's on your dinner table, why should baseball players?

Exactly Chad. Like the old Starkist Tuna ad, people aren't interested in tunas with good taste. They want their tunas to taste good. By all means, the game WOULD be better off without Scott "The Barnacle" Boras. Unfortunately, an excess of monetary sewage has erupted its way towards the top of the manure heap, as the game sadly has sunk to the bottom of the pile..

Mazz... I am right there with you and with Mr. Billings...Boras is both all that is wrong with the game of baseball and exactly the guy I would hire to represent me. With the caveat that I okay statements of "fact" coming out of his mouth... the man does run away with hyperbole sometimes, I mean when A-Rod says "whoaaa there, pardner..." you are way over-stepping your bounds.

If Darth Boras can get Man-Ram 20+ mil a year he is a magician... next on A&E...Scott Boras, MINDFREAK!!!!!

Why do people always point out the fact that baseball players make a ridiculous amount of money? Great we already know that. We know that American families have it much harder than baseball players, tell us something we don't know. That is how the world of sports works these days, and if you don't like it, than don't watch. I for one think Scott Boras is a great agent. His JOB is to get his client's the best deal possible, and he is the best in the business at doing it. If you want to blame someone than go after the owners for paying the salaries. Boras is paid to do a job and he does it very well. Like you said Mazz, anyone good enough to be in the mlb would hire him in a second.

Boras' only grip on reality is that money does rule sports. I hate what he's done to the game and get sick when I hear about the contracts he negotiates for players. I was angry when Varitek hired him, but also realize that he performs a service that people want. Has he ruined sports for the majority of fans? Yes, absolutely. As an underpaid teacher, would I want him negotiating my new contract and salary structure with the Board of Education? You betcha. That way I could afford to go to baseball games again to watch his athletic prostitutes do what they do best. Congratulations to players like Schilling and Big Mac for making their own almost reasonable deals.

Tony,

It's to bad you and other Boston sportswriters had to and have to dump on Manny.
He might have still been a Red Sox if it weren't for certain people of the scribe.
Maybe we could have even gone to the World Series if Manny were still around. It's obvious we didn't go without him. You all talk about attitude and moral, but the bottom line is still winning. We didn't win= failed season.

He cant force any team to sign a contract they dont want to sign. If you dont like dealing with him, walk away from the table.

I didn't follow the Boras/A-Rod thing too closely, but I've been very suspicious of it since it happened. I am fairly sure over time that it will come out that Boras is still secretly A-Rod's agent and received his usual cut of A-Rod's contract.

I'm getting tired of people blaming the lack of Manny Ramirez in our lineup as the reason why we didn't advance to the World Series. The Rays hammered our pitching in games 2, 3, and 4. . . what the he!! was Manny going to do to change that?

If you're going to blame anyone, blame the pitching and/or the bad scouting of Rays hitters. The Phillies managed to solve the problem, didn't they?

Well, who do you really blame? Do you blame the players that want the money because in comparison, they should get paid more than a player they are better than? Do you blame the agents for working for the players to negotiate more money out of ownership? Or do you blame ownership for passing the costs off onto the fans? How much profit do they really need to make each year? We want to have a winner on the field every year. So we expect them to spend the money on these big name players so they can win. What are the options? Stop buying tickets and merchandise and over priced beer so we can have a small market team in a big market city with no fans at the park? No...you buy your tickets and enjoy winning...or you move to KC.

Manny Magoo... Wow that actually made me laught to tears.
Boras is good at what he does, and there is no crime in that. You bet your a$$ I'd hire him if I was in a situation to. People say agents ruined the game. Not true, the owners are the ones writing the paychecks. If Hank wants to pay Manny $30 million it's his choice not Boras's. I will say with his spin on Manny John McCain needs to hire him to write his ads.

Bora$$ is a fiduciary, and as such has a responsibility to what is best for his client. There should be many factors a player looks at before signing with a team: chance to win, city, family, reputation of organization, marketability, and legacy to name a few. But since all of Bora$$'s clients sign with the highest bidder, he is only looking at one factor: $$$. And that also happens to be the only factor that effects him. Throw in the fact that he lies like a rug, and you have a very sleazy character.

How can a non-hustling, known quitter be paid the most in the game? The guy is a disgrace to basball and only became a model citizen for the last three months in order for him to get paid again. Once that happens, he will go back to being the quitting child he is.

ca,

sox may have made the series if beckett was healthy, if lowrie was healthy, if lowell was healthy, if ortiz was healthy, or if timlin was NOT healthy. There is life after manny.

i really hope that this city has not adopted the no world series=failure mentality, although given the way many folks look at the pats season last year as a failure, i think they probably have and that's sad.

"It's time to stop blaming Boras and the spoiled players and look in the mirror. If you don't like what's happening with and in the game, then stop being a customer. It's that simple." This deserves requoting. Why are all of you sheep giving the Red Sox the $$$ to do this? Lowell has pro baseball. Brockton has pro baseball. Pawtucket has pro baseball. Portland has pro baseball. Norwich has pro baseball. Worcester has pro baseball. Nashua has pro baseball. They don't charge $80 for a ticket, and they don't charge $20 for parking, and they don't charge $15 for a hot dog and a beer.

Boras is always in the ultimate no lose situation. He either gets his guys their money or the MLBPA cries collusion. It sucks for the owners. Either they get extorted or sued. Until they repeal baseball's Anitrust Exemption the Scott Borases of the world will reign supreme...

We all finance this escalation by paying the high ticket prices, $9 beers, and the high-dollar TV advertising that passes costs for its products to consumers. We all pay for it. Fans should boycott MLB for 1 day. No one in the stands, no revenue. For many teams, this revenue is all that keeps them afloat. The system is broken. MLB needs a salary floor and cap. Who cares how many players make $15 million if they aren't all employed by the same 4 teams. Zero chance Tampa is .500 3 years from now. The Marlins won twice and had to blow it up the next season...twice. The system is not sustainable. If I am a Pirates, Royals, or A's fan, I know that there is absolutely ZERO chance for my home franchise to sustain excellence as do the Yankees and Red Sox. There is a reason the NFL is so successful and why the NHL made such a large financial comeback...SALARY CAP!

Some people simply don't get it! That means you Bob Dwyer. You must work for the Boras organization. Your comment: "It's time to stop blaming Boras and the spoiled players and look in the mirror." -is like the people being to blame for what's happened to this country for the past 8 years. Please spare me the holier than now bs line. I played the game. I love the game. Would I want Boras repping me? Hell no!!! I mean, how much money do you need? Boras steers his players towards the dollars instead of the best scenario. It is making a deal with the devil. He also has proposed plans to changes some of the rules. The problem is that he thinks he's bigger than the game. I don't see how any of that has anything to do with me looking in the mirror.

I agree with Mr. Kip. The problem is not asking for gobs of money it is the inability of everyone to say you are not worth it. It is as if a file clerk said pay me $10 million a year. In the normal world, everyone gets to say "Are you kidding" and the clerk is unemployed. In baseball, it is collusion and someone ends up coughing up

The real fans are not paying the prices for tickets - large corporations are. For my money, I would rather watch minor league baseball and watch real ball players, who are really trying, play baseball - the heck with Boras, Manny, Varitek, and all the other phonies.

Let's be nice to the "Spin Doctor"...he has Teixeira and Sox need him...also, we need him to pawn Manny to the Yankees and overpay for the slug...I wonder what Boras would have become if he came anything to a baseball player...

CA,
I'm sorry but you need to get a clue. Not winning the WS does not mean the season was a failure. What planet have you been living on the last 40 years (as long as I've been watching the Sox)? Are you one of these 'fans' who've come along in the last 6 years and think winning in any sport, let alone baseball, is a given? It sure sounds like it.

As for Manny the Meathead, I would much prefer losing this year to winning with his crap. Additionally, your logic has as many holes in it as RickD's head when you try to equate Manny not being here with the Sox missing the Series. Sorry pal - that one doesn't wash. When the rest of team is underachieving due to his unprofessional and childish antics, his subtraction wound up being a net positive. Would the Sox have been a better team with a motivated and professional Manny? Yep, no argument there. But he proved (yes, Rickie - proved) that he wasn't going to be that kind of Manny this year. Good bye, good riddance, and no, not good luck. He's a punk and I'm so happy he's gone.

To blame the fans for the problems in baseball is ridiculous. Boras and the other sleazy agents drive up their clients salaries which in turn drives up ticket prices. We know this from seeing how a player like Johnny Damon (repped by Boras) went to the New York Yankees because they offered him a few more million than the Red Sox. Boras succeeded. He drove up the price as he always does - which in turn damages the game. So the 'look in the mirror' quote is absurd!!!

It's foolish to think Boras is a positive influence on baseball or that he excels at being a player's agent. As long as that man is responsible for a player not doing his job, as in Manny's case, Boras is terrible at his occupation.

"the irresponsible man-child who roams through a Hall of Fame career like the oblivious Mr. Magoo."

Brilliant! That line should get you a Pulitizer!

Red Sox should let Scott Boras take a hike. Don't get in the bidding war for
Teixiera, Manny, Varitek because he will only use the RS to get a better deal somewhere else. He lied about Damon, Drew and Manny, don't play his game.

Tek sure did a great job calling pitches, throwing runners out, keeping balls from eluding him and tagging people out from 3 feet in front of the plate against Tampa Bay. Great leader, great guy, great salary, let the next fool pay him megabucks to hit .220,.

capitalism:
An economic and political system characterized by a free market for goods and services and private control of production and consumption.
All of you are whining socialists! None of you would turn down a raise, and like every American, you feel you're undervalued. Why would anyone not want to be making the most money they can for their services? You're calling Boras unamerican and a cancer to the game? Well how about the owners that are paying these players?! If nobody were to sign these big contracts, these players escalating contracts would collapse. Look what happened with Arod last season. I hate losing good players to more money in different cities the same as you, but its capitalism, its what makes our country so great. And for you socialists that want to whine about how you can't afford to go to a game anymore, get off your couches, put a sock in it, and bust your butt to make more money till you can afford to, ITS THE AMERICAN WAY, lazy Frenchies!

stop going to the games and they stop paying these huge salaries - period.
Otherwise, close the pie hole.

I'll be respectful and just say that I hate Scott Boras. There are way too many other things I should be saying.

It is truly all about the benjamins. its not just sports - that is the way the whole world works, no matter what you do - Baseball player, investment banker, Large Corporation that drives up ticket prices...the sooner people understand that - the easier things become. Then you can just focus on the dollars, throw all ethics, responsibility and accountability out the window, shove everyone else out of the way so you can get yours. then you teach this to your kids. Its all about you and f*** everyone else.

this is the game people - Boras plays it to perfection. don't hate the player, hate

the game. this is our society.

Mazz,

You borrowed the Magoo reference from The Dan Shaughnessy Watch.

It was suggested that Shaughnessy is MaGoo and Schilling is Daffy Duck.

What a bunch of cartoon characters represent the Globe Sports. A real Looney Bin over there.

Manny wins games. What more do you need?

Conformity?
sox and money

2 WORDS - SALARY CAP!!

did you know that boras and sokalove grew up in the same ambulance ? i hope the yankees sign him so he'll quit on them next summer in the bronx but will have dinner with ??????????????? no he won't bcause no one will show up for that quitter !

The only person I know who is more overpaid than Manny the brat is Massarotti the clueless. This comment will never show.

Scott Boras is just like Barack Obama, a redistributor of wealth, the owners wealth.

Folks - if you don't like the salaries, don't go to the games or watch them on TV. Really, it's that simple. I am a TV producer. You really don't know how much power you have. And that's a good thing for the players and their agents. They know you are all a disorganized bunch who will keep paying rediculous amounts of money for seats and/or fill out Arbitron ratings books. Someday, someone will be pissed off enough to organize a super large number of similar malcontents, and then, when revenues drop to nothing, guess what?

Ravenswing - no truer words were ever spoken! Sorry I didn't see your post before I basically reiterated what you wrote.

Manny with his attitude, I don't believe would have gotten the Sox to the World Series. Even with a proper attitude in LA, he didn't get them to the Series. It still takes a team, I'm 70 years old and have seen some teams, and Manny is no team.

To all you people who detest Scott Boras- wake up, the guy is great at his job, which is to get his clients the most he can. Be angry that there is no salary cap or be angry that teams pay crazy sums but don't blame the agent and the player for trying to maximize there earnings anymore than you want to maximize yours.

As for the Manny apologists, stop blaming the media and the team. He signed a contact which entitled the team 2 option years. The team fullfilled their obligation of paying him. But Manny was determined to get the Red Sox to deal him the day he signed Boras and would stop at mothing even quitting on his team.

I love listening to armchair GM's talk about how Manny deserves to be the highest paid player in baseball. He may be the the right handed hitter in the game, and he does hit in the clutch...when he wants to play, but he is a sub-par defensive player, to put it nicely, and he is someone who has quit on his teammates...not just his fans. His career postseason batting average coming into this season was only .269!
People will argue that he is the all-time postseason HR leader! BIG DEAL! He has played in more postseason games than any other HR hitter in the game! (because of the Wildcard rule) The person whose record he broke was BERNIE WILLIAMS, who had the record because HE TOO played in a ton of post season games! Manny was lucky to go to 2 World series with Cleveland, and win 2 here in Boston. His team makes the playoffs almost every year, so his opportunities are exponentially greater than the other great power hitters in the game today! I'm sure if Jason Bay were a free agent, Boras would argue that Bay now has a higher post season career average than Manny, a better on base percentage and slugging percentage, and more home runs per at bat than Manny Ramirez!

Manny will probably get a 4 year 110 million dollar deal because of the way he played for the Dodgers. If he stays in LA, I'm sure for the first 2 years he will earn most of what he is being paid...but the last 2 years will be a headache for them as well. Part of me actually hopes that the Yankees waste 110 million on him. The Yankees most likely will get Sabathia and will definately bring in 1 more front line pitcher, Derek Lowe or Ben Sheets, because I think Boston will get AJ Burnett if we can't get Peavey(Jake's asking price is way too high) The Yankees will also add replacements for Giambi and Abreau, and I hope Manny is out in right field for the Yankees. Just what NY needs in my opinion! An over the hill, overpaid defensive liability, especially with their center field position uncertain. My guess is the Yankees win the bidding for 4 top free agents. They get Sabathia, Manny, Sheets (or Lowe) and probably Texeira after they buy out Giambi's 5 million dollar option. People are talking about Boston going after Texeira, but it's just a pipe dream. We really don't have a shot, but it's fun driving up the price that the Yankees will ultimately have to pay! These moves will eat up every penny the Yankees have freed up, and after they sign either Petite or Mussina to a 1 year deal, their payroll will be higher! This would put their estimated payroll for next season around 220-225 million, up from 207 this season. Boston will give Burnett a 5 year 75 million dollar deal, hopefully resign Tek at a discount and stipulate that he at least tries in Spring Training to bat exclusively from the right side, move Lugo if we can, eating a large portion of his contract, and lock up Pedroia and Youkelis to long term deals. People who still believe we need to replace Manny's bat in the line up aren't looking at the numbers. This was the first season in the past 4 years that Manny hit more HR's than Jason Bay. Get Bay extended, and with Crisp and Ellsbury, you have depth in the outfield-which is key because Drew is injury prone. I hope they resign Cora as a utility player as well. Boston will not be nearly as active in the offseason as many people think! There's a 60% chance we get AJ Burnett, a 20% chance of getting Texeira, and a 20% chance of getting Peavey. My guess is Burnett is their biggest move, and perhaps Bucholz and Lugo are packaged for some bull pen help. I'm happy with the team that played in the playoffs as being our core team next year! They dealt with injuries but battled hard and mix in talent, heart, and positive chemistry. You add AJ Burnett, and 2 pitchers to the Pen, keep a 4 outfielder rotation, and you have a solid team that will contend again for another title! Just bring back Tek!

Red Sox fans that back Manny are Idiots. Look in the mirror Manny rumpers you're all idiots. The Boston media didn't run Manny out of town, Manny ran himself out of town. He asked out of town every year he's been here. We actually put him on waivers and NOBODY wanted him. He is a great hitter no doubt, but that is it. As for timely hitting well that's another story. He only had 1 meaningful hit this post season with the Dodgers. Not too different from the kind of hitting he did here. Full of show but never really game winning. Leave that to Ortiz, who will need an agent of Bora's caliber to convince anyone he hasn't hit the downside of his career. Tell you what all you Manny backers; you need Boras as your agent to convince anyone with half a brain that Manny isn't scum.

I think we should stop worrying about what players make. Really, there's nothing that can be done about it. Baseball is a HUGE business, and they will be bringing in that money and splitting it up some other way if it doesn't go to the players.

I can't afford to go to many Red Sox games anymore, but I like the fact that they have one of the best organizations in baseball.

I agree with the contributions of Coco Crisp being in the top five, I might even rate it a little higher. Crisp recieved his reduced playing time with such class and dignity (so it seems).

Ownership of major league baseball teams is a profitable business. I shed no tears for owners and management that have to negotiate with Boras and other agents. This is a non-story.

One thing we should trade away lowell for whatever he is old now and sign Teixeira and then we will be stacked and if we want trade away popi his knee is done.

Sadly I agree with Tom, This is a non-story. Much like most of what the Globe puts out now. The majority of what seems to be in the paper reads like a blog, is a blog, or is a response to a blog. I miss the time when the Globe had the best writers and didn't just publish every saps opinion on the most mundane matters. But alas the joke is on me being a loyal suscriber to the paper 7 days a week,

He may be great for the players, but he is bad for the game. He is an enabler. He is a big part why these players are out of control. I truly hope someday that baseball falls flat on it's face and goes belly up! The game is no longer fun (or affordable) to watch. And the owners, at least most, are idiots. They throw all this money around. How did they ever suceed in real business. I would not hire bora$$. For me, integrety means more....but then again, it is pure greed and corruption of the almighty dollar that has destroyed this country...

I'm still suspicious as to how Manny got himself traded. Maybe I can't prove that Scott Boras had a hand in Manny acting up (more so than was typical even of Manny), but I haven't seen any convincing argument to the contrary either. Come on. If the Red Sox pick up Manny's option, Boras gets nothing. If Manny's traded and the options are dropped, Boras cashes in on Manny's next deal. Remember, this is the guy that made sure it was announced near the end of Game 4 of the 2007 World Series that A-Rod was opting out. I thought the "investigation" into Manny issue conducted by MLB was lip service, in fact it was swept under the rug in a matter of, what, two or three days? This may sound extreme, but I wouldn't be surprised if Boras has someone way up the ladder in MLB by the you know what.

MAZ, I picked on a couple of your previous articles but great job on this one!! You are right on. Any team that forks up 25M a year for this fool will get whatever they deserve. He is an outstanding hitter, and nothing more (and I do mean nothing). Wait till he is in the 3rd year of his contract, hitting .260, and jogging after fly balls.
How happy the lucky team will be to see him in his last year! I actually do hope it's the Yankees, because they'll get to see him at his worst (right before he retires). By then, Jason Bay will throw him out at 1st base on a ball off the wall. His last act in LA was truly the best act Manny has pulled yet. He fooled everyone by running full speed for the 1st time in 5 years. I didn't realize he could even run that fast. Good luck to his next team. JJ

It's not Boras...it's the owners. Look at the Rays. World Series with a $40 + million dollar payroll. It's not the meat...it's the motion. Look for Weenie Weiner Steinbrener Jr. to open his pocketbook for the oldest, slowest, stiffest players Boras has to offer. Worked well this year for the Yankme's. Didn't it? With Steinbrenner's genius, Boras should be able to fund college scholarships for half the world's population with plenty left over for him to buy an MLB team for his personal pleasure.

Boras has overstepped his boundaries. Oh yeah, he doesn't have any.

Boras is so powerful that no team will risk alienating him and perhaps even MLB fears him. Why else was nothing done in response to Manny's despicable performance this year?

MLB has to realize that this cannot continue or it will threaten all of baseball, not just in terms of integrity, but in terms of survival. Curb this dog!

People are constantly complaining about the state of the game. No doubt that ticket prices too high. But, this is a capitalistic society. The consumer has the power. Stop complaining and start boycotting. That will get the attention of the owners. I dont blame the owners one bit for trying to make as much money as they can. Same goes for the ballplayers and there agents. You should be allowed to make as much $$ as you can or want. Nobody should tell you otherwise. This is there job, if they get paid that kind of money so be it. If you disagree, then boycott the game.

I'm willing to bet that with the commission he gets from his players' ridiculous contracts, Scott Boras is actually paid more annually than Alex Rodriguez. That may be the greatest irony of all.

No, Tony, I would NOT hire this degenerate, sleazy, lying scumbag. He has lied to his own clients, steered them away from places they wanted to play just so he could squeeze a little more money out of some other franchise. This is not, I repeat, NOT, the definition of a good agent. A good agent tries to maximize the earnings of his client (and himself) but does not lie to his client in order to get more money for himself. Scott Boras is a greedy, dishonest pile of dung.

Baseball is like any business, if the onwers are willing to pay high prices, then why shouldn't players go after it. Salary cap is the only way to ensure that poorer teams can compete and isn't that what we all want!

Sox management had a chance to resign manny at what will prove to be a reasonable number. Instead, management demonized manny, got help from a complicit press, and sent him packing. As a result, Sox lost an outstanding hitter who would have taken the team to another world series championship. a terrible trade.

Manny Magoo, I love it. He may be the best all around hitter to ever swing a bat. With that said he is also the ultimate quitter. When he quit on the Sox I was glad the Sox shipped his lazy butt out. I hope he enjoys playing in Cinncinnati or some other losing team. Once a quitter always a quitter. Maybe the Giants will pick him up. I met Boras one time and really enjoyed talking to him at spring training. It was pretty neat, Boras, a couple of players with the Astros, and a couple of redneck fans. Boras was a very pleasent person and enjoyed the conversation as much as we did.

I'll never understand why fans get so upset with the high salaries that elite players command in today's market. The owners, who have deep pockets themselves, are the ones paying for it, so who cares? The high ticket prices in baseball are more of a reflection of demand, so even though I can't attend as many games as I would otherwise, it just proves the sport is more popular than ever...I have no problem with that. As for player salaries, as far as I'm concerned, if 10-20 players in MLB are the elite in their field, they deserve to make tens of millions just as much as Fortune 500 execs, rock stars and film stars. I can't believe fans are so bitter...get a grip!

Mazz,
Can't say i'd hire Boras. If my SOLE goal was to max out the $$$ then maybe, but if he were alive today I'd hire Bob Wolfe. In a profession short on integrity he appeared to have it. Remember when Dr J wanted to rengotiate his contract he had to drop Wolfe because Bob actually MADE his clients live up to THEIR end of the contract. Because of that he was able to get his clients top dollar. You don't have to operate like Boras to get the job done right.

The resentment of the successful among these hacks is hilarious. Always amusing to read these sad sack sportwriters caterwaul over athletes and agents able to get what the market will bear - essentially the same process by which we'd buy a shirt. Joe Namath once referred to the breed as 'hundred dollar a week, sportswriting creeps.' Although they make somewhat More now, their objective 'this time of year' is always to fuel bitterness by pointing the finger at rich athletes and agents whle conveniently overlooking the even richer franchise owners who supply them with their freebies..
.. .

WOW !! You call yourself a writer and being pro BORAS, the truth is he and others like him have pretty much destroyed the game, greed, greed, greed. Thanks Tony for bring the game down even further. Those teachers, policeman, fireman, trash collectors, maybe they should have him in their corner, yea those ball players really impact and add to peoples everyday life. Can't wait for the 8$ hot dog and 6$
dollar coke, so dressing up as the Joker this year?

Why blame Boras....aren't GM's suppose to be smart, do you really think they believe this????........the only difference is that the average American dressed in his sports jersey has the intelligence of a banana and "they" do listen to the next Savior and will vote Obama in......the same will stand in line to buy Ayers book Prairie Fire which by the way was dedicated to Sirhan Sirhan.........Dennis Moore, Dennis Moore and his horse Concorde, he robs from the rich and gives to the poor, Denis Moore, Dennis Moore. Will The Hypocritical Socialistic/Greedy Capitalistic Red Sox owners now have all Fenway tickets priced the same after Jan 21st?.....

I for one would definately hire Boras if i were a player. I despise the guy for all he does, but if you want to make money hes the guy to have.

Two quick comments:
1. If not Boras, than it just would be someone else. His job is a manifestation of the system where owners have to outbid eachother.
2. I still do not understand why the players, all of whom have signed individual contracts, need a union. If you don't want to adhere to the Leagues rules, then don't sign a contract.
To recap: Owner's are stupid. Players are spoiled brats. Boras is seizing the chance.

Isn't Scott Boras still Alex Rodriguez's agent of record?

Hey, I'm the BIGGEST Red Sox fan out there. I grew up in the 70's and had my fill of Fenway Park for either a $2.00 bleacher seat or if I really got crazy when I walked up to the ticket stand on the day of the game (40 times a season visitor back then), a $4.00 grandstand seat. (ah the good ol'days)

Now all I pay is my cable bill to get one of the many channels I pay for in my package: NESN.

That's good enough for me. I'm not stupid. I'm not going to pay for the players salaries by being raped of my HARD EARNED MONEY by even catching one game at Fenway (or anywhere else the Red Sox play for the matter).

Being a fan that way makes baseball and all this negative salary BS enjoyable!!!!

Let the TV ratings pay the players. Stop taking it out on the Fans!

Why is a Red Sox ticket the highest in MLB? Yes, the place is packed out game after home game, BUT, there will be a day where a father and son or daughter just can't afford to se a game at Fenway. Remember it well, for people like Ramirez, Boras, Owners, TV networks, the players union, and yes, us, the gulible fans who will pay out the nose to get inside Fenway regardless of the cost - all of us are to blame. And yes, there will be a day, when the payroll of $150-200 million that the Red Sox will have, will not produce a winning team - then, lets see how many more games there is a "sell out".

Scott Boras is as much a tool for the owners as he is a tool for the players he represents: so I guess that makes him the Ultimate Tool!

Yes, he is satan in a pinstripe suit, twisting facts and coming up with 500 page treatises on why a hitting savant with no character (hello, Manny) or a supremely gifted 5 tool player with no leadership qualities (hello, A-Rod) or a starting pitcher with Ok stuff who can't seem to control his drinking or his wandering johnson (D-Lowe, hello!) should all command the ridiculous money the owners are all just salivating to put out. None of these guys could carry the cletes of Clemente, Yaz, Mantle, or yes...Schilling. But Scotty sells these guys like shiny new toys. He's a cretin, but the owners made their own Frankenstein.

personally, I'd like nothing better than to bust Boras square in the chops with one of his contracts. He is scum. But if you play ball with him, what does that make you? Yeah, if I were a player I'd want this shark on my side, but what does that say about you then? As the old saying goes: lie down with dogs and wake up with fleas.

Please, please please let the Yankees sign Manny. They will get what they deserve. Another one dimensional, overpaid crybaby.

A) If a real commisioner ruled baseball in the interest of the game, instead of a tepid owner, he would ban Ramirez from baseball for a year, minimum.
B) Boras (unintentially) helps baseball by exploiting the weakest characteristics of the wealthiest franchises.
Successfull small market teams develop very good baseball operations and further replentish themselves with developing talent by dumping mega-stars with one year left to the organization, to franchises with too much money and too little brains. Then they even get back the difference in revenue sharing.
jj

WHAT MOVES DO YOU SEE THE RED SOX DOING THIS OFF SEASON

Teams trash talk stars going out of town (Clemens, Vaughn, Nomar, Manny most recently for the Sox). Boras talks up players coming into town. Which is worse?

Mazz, would you REALLY hire Boras as an agent? He was the one pulling the strings behind Manny's exit. Manny may have done some pretty goofy things in the past, but he usually played better than he did before the trade. Would you really hire an agent who actually TELLS you to fake an injury or take 3 strikes or misplay a routine outfield grounder, just to prove a point??? If so, then you're no better than Manny.

I too am hoping the Yankees get him. We'll just pitch around him to get to A-Rod. The Yanks will have two players alone who make more than half the payrolls in MLB. And if they, for some reason, don't make the WS, or the playoffs for that matter, than they will REALLY be the laughingstock of baseball, if not the entire sports world.

Blame Boras, blame Manny, blame the owners, blame the fans, blame whomever you want. It happened. MLB sat down and allowed a contract to be broken with no ramification. Now pro athletes can sit down on contracts, jump in the stands to hit fans, walk to first base, keep the bat on their shoulder, punch reporters in the face, smash cameras, knock workers to the ground, have temper tantrums, and do whatever they want. For all those professional behaviors we award them massive salaries because they can hit a ball.

I love baseball. The game is pure. The players are no longer professional. MLB needs to stand up to these talented “self-absorbed morons” and start firing them for their behavior. I don’t want any kids to look up to Manny or his equals as idols. If any of you had done what Manny did on the job, you’d be fired no matter how good you were on the job.

This is why people lie, cheat, steal, treat parents like crap, and behave badly. They can, and they can get away with it. Wake up people!!!
Reddkl

Boras is the man.....Don't hate the player....hate the game!!!!!! It was the stupidity of certain teams not Boras who jacked up contracts and yes Boston had alot to do with it

What hang-ups! Boras, Texiera and even Mazz. You are all missing the point. The Sox need another dependable starter. We have a number one in Lester. Beckett has slipped. Can Matsuzaka play Houdini again. Wake could implode at any time and we are counting on three young guys, one of which the Sox hope will emerge as # 5. If they have the pitching, they have enough on the field to win. Cash deserves a shot unless they can come up wih something better-doubtful-none around. Tek is on a severe downward spiral-will be worse next year. I bet he ends up with the Mets.

I can't believe people are defending boras here. He is scum.