MLBPA investigation of Anthopoulos shows tension between owners, players

TORONTO – A window into the level of mistrust between players and owners in baseball opened at 5:59 p.m. ET Wednesday, when the Major League Baseball Players Association sent out a statement that threw a Molotov cocktail into the business of the off-season.

The union, executive director Tony Clark said in the release, is launching “an immediate investigation” into comments Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos made to reporters on a conference call earlier this week that “call into question the integrity of the entire free-agent system.”

“The clear description of club co-ordination is egregious,” Clark added.

Serious stuff, which makes you think that Anthopoulos, usually the careful and calculated sort, must have really stepped in it and said something damning.

A consideration of the tensions surrounding free agency at the current time, and how they could lead to all sorts of chaos in two years’ time.

MLBPA launching investigation after Braves GM’s statement suggests collusion

MLBPA executive director Tony Clark announced on Wednesday that his organization is launching an investigation into statements made by Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos this week regarding free agency.

Per the MLBPA statement, Anthopoulos told reporters that he had been in contact with other teams regarding free agency.

“Every day you get more information,’’ Anthopoulos said. “And we’ve had time to connect with 27 of the clubs – obviously the Astros and (Nationals) being in the World Series, they were tied up – but we had a chance to get a sense of what the other clubs are going to look to do in free agency, who might be available in trades.”