MLBPA Considering a Formal Complaint Against Joe Pohlad for Twins’ Public Cheapness

It turns out, it’s not just rabid Minnesota Twins fans who are upset with executive chair vice president Joe Pohlad, the nephew of team owner Jim Pohlad and essentially the face of the organization at an ownership level. Now, the MLB Players Association is joining in on the ‘fun’ too.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the MLBPA is considering filing a formal complaint against Pohlad for “violating a reservation of rights clause with the use of media in the collective bargaining agreement.”

Several owners and executives have also created consternation among agents and union officials by publicly declaring their intentions to stay out of the free agent market. Minnesota Twins owner Joe Pohlad’s recent comments saying they would not sign a $30 million free agent has the union considering filing a formal complaint saying that Pohad’s interview may have violated a reservation of rights clause with the use of media in the collective bargaining agreement.

Bob Nightengale – USA Today

MLBPA coming for Minnesota Twins vice president Joe Pohlad?

Or, in English, the MLBPA is mad at Joe Pohlad for saying the Twins won’t be spending $30 million on any individual player leftover in free agency this offseason. Here are the initial comments Pohlad made on Feb. 21., which we wrote more about at the time.

Related: Signing Kike Hernandez Would Be a Huge Get for Minnesota Twins

“That said, we’re not going to go out and spend $30 million on a player right now. So the players that are out there right now that, probably, a bunch of fans are talking about, we’re not in the market for those players.”

Joe Pohlad on Minnesota Twins’ free agency approach

Four days after Pohlad’s comments went public, the Chicago Cubs inked one of the top remaining free agents, signing Cody Bellinger to a three-year, $80 million contract. Is it possible that Scott Boras was using the Twins as leverage since they’ve made last-minute blockbusters in free agency before? It’s tough to say.

However, as Nightengale points out, the Twins aren’t the only team who have essentially said their organizations won’t be big-game hunting anymore this offseason. The San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers franchises have made similar gestures, just not as bluntly as Pohlad.

There’s no indication of what may come from threatening to complain about Pohlad’s remarks, if anything at all. But we do know the MLBPA isn’t thrilled about how honest his comments were.