Do Harry Marino and his supporters have enough votes to remove Tony Clark as head of the Major League Baseball Players Association? The showdown between Marino and the union’s leaders, Clark and his No. 2, Bruce Meyer, might hinge on that answer, according to interviews with people briefed on the situation. Some club player reps are said to be taking informal polls within their clubhouses on Clark’s future already, two people briefed on the votes said Wednesday night.
As a firestorm still rages behind the scenes a full two days following news broke that a mutiny was underway inside the union, both sides are campaigning heavily, talking to players and agents on the phone all day, trying to rally support for their respective causes.
A group of players and agents who want a new direction at the union on Monday night asked Clark to remove Meyer — the third time that request was made recently, one person briefed on the discussions said. Their complaints are not related only to collective bargaining, but to how the union is generally run, from concerns regarding a lack of communication to poor vision and questionable budgeting. Some players seek an audit of the union’s spending.
Inside the MLBPA, Marino’s effort is seen as a coup by a power-hungry young lawyer and disgruntled agents who are backing him. There’s no indication Clark is going to remove Meyer, at least not based on what’s happened so far. But the executive director also typically controls staff hirings and firings. A vote would not typically be the means of hiring or firing someone at Meyer’s level. That’s in Clark’s purview.
Ultimately, then, if Clark won’t make a personnel change that some players want, the matter might come down to whether those players have enough votes to remove Clark. If that happened, Marino himself, at age 33, might take over.
Wednesday night, Marino said in a statement that he was not actively seeking Clark’s job.
“To set the record straight, I have never campaigned for Tony Clark’s job,” Marino said. “In fact, I made clear to Tony my desire to work together with him as recently as two days ago.
“Although the narrative of a palace coup or a heated political campaign will grab headlines, the truth of what has happened the past week is much less sexy: major league players found and utilized their voice to remove a lead negotiator they didn’t want and to demand an audit of how their hard-earned dues money is being spent,” Marino continued.
“When all is said and done, both major league and minor league players will have a union that looks more like the MLBPA they actually want than the MLBPA they had when players drafted me into assisting them with this process,” he said.
A vote among the 72-player executive board is believed to be sufficient to remove an executive director. The group comprises 38 major leaguers and 34 minor leaguers. Electing a new boss, however, might require a membership-wide vote; that’s how Clark was elected in 2013. The entire membership has grown by more than 5,000 players since then, following the MLBPA’s unionization of the minor leaguers. Marino led the organization of the minor leaguers, building strong relationships across the group.
The ball, though, seems effectively to be in Marino’s court. There seems to be no proactive step needed at this point for Clark and Meyer to remain in their roles, technically, even if it would be difficult politically for one or both moving forward. But there is a proactive step required for Marino and his backers to make a change — a formal vote on Clark.
Marino’s campaign is focused on rank-and-file players, rather than top players who make top dollar, such as Scott Boras clients. What Marino would change regarding baseball’s economic system isn’t clear yet, though. MLB owners have long touted a salary cap as a means of redistributing pay to players, but players have long balked at a cap, believing it hurts their overall economic standing in the long run.
No matter the outcome, the chaos inside and around the union has been damaging to the players’ overall strength, at least for now. Just two years remain before the union, and whoever leads it, will be negotiating the next collective bargaining agreement with MLB’s highly capable labor relations department — ahead of a presumed lockout that would begin in December 2026.
(Image: Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press)
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The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) is currently facing internal turmoil as a group of players and agents challenge the leadership of Tony Clark, the association’s head, and his second-in-command, Bruce Meyer. The question arises whether Harry Marino, a young lawyer backed by disgruntled agents, has enough support to remove Clark from his position. This power struggle has led to informal polls being conducted within clubhouses to gauge support for Clark’s ousting.
The dispute centers not only around collective bargaining issues but also general concerns regarding the management of the union. Players and agents are calling for better communication, improved vision, and transparency in budgeting. Some members are even demanding an audit of the union’s spending.
While Marino’s efforts are seen by some within the MLBPA as a power grab, there is no indication that Clark is inclined to remove Meyer. However, the role of executive director typically includes the authority to make staffing decisions, including hirings and firings. If Clark refuses to make the personnel change desired by players, the situation might escalate to a vote for Clark’s removal, potentially paving the way for Marino, a 33-year-old lawyer, to take over.
Marino has clarified that he is not actively campaigning for Clark’s job but rather working with him to address players’ concerns. He emphasizes that the intent behind his involvement is to give players a stronger voice, remove an unwanted chief negotiator, and demand greater financial accountability.
To remove an executive director, a vote among the 72-player executive board would typically suffice. The board consists of 38 major league players and 34 minor leaguers. However, electing a new head might require a membership-wide vote, as was the case in Clark’s appointment in 2013. The MLBPA’s membership has significantly increased since then with the inclusion of over 5,000 minor league players following unionization. Marino’s leadership in organizing the minor leaguers gives him a considerable advantage in this regard.
The ball is now in Marino’s court, and no proactive step is necessary for Clark and Meyer to retain their positions, although political difficulties might arise. On the other hand, Marino and his supporters must take the initiative to bring regarding change by initiating a formal vote targeting Clark.
Marino’s campaign primarily focuses on garnering support from rank-and-file players rather than high-earning players represented by agents like Scott Boras. The specific changes Marino seeks to make to baseball’s economic system are yet to be fully defined. MLB owners have long advocated for a salary cap to redistribute earnings among players, but this proposition has been met with resistance from players who believe it undermines their long-term financial well-being.
Regardless of the outcome, the current disarray within the MLBPA has weakened the overall strength of the players. This internal struggle comes at a critical time, as the union will soon enter negotiations for the next collective bargaining agreement with MLB’s skilled labor relations department. A potential lockout looms on the horizon in December 2026.
The implications of this power struggle extend beyond the immediate future of the MLBPA. It raises questions regarding the effectiveness of player unions in professional sports and the role of leadership in addressing the concerns of all members. The outcome of this clash will undoubtedly shape the relationship between players and management in the coming years.
Sources:
– The Athletic
