April 22--PITTSBURGH -- After questioning the Chicago Cubs' commitment to winning last spring, agent Scott Boras believes he has a plan that can eliminate the service time controversy surrounding client Kris Bryant.
Boras, speaking to reporters behind home plate at PNC Park during batting practice Tuesday night, believes the formation of a panel involving former managers or baseball experts can determine in spring training whether a player is ready for the majors if a team elects to start him in the minors.
"For example, I'd say the (Major League Baseball Players Association) or somebody may come in and say they've made a claim that this player is major league ready, and to place him in the minors would not be appropriate from a skills standpoint," Boras said. "And then all of a sudden it's subject to a review by a panel of former managers or baseball experts."
Boras stressed the distinction that this was an objective process, as opposed to the grievance procedures that are settled by an arbitrator. "An arbitrator is not a talent expert," Boras said.
In the cases of Bryant and Addison Russell, both players started the season at Triple-A Iowa and weren't on the major league roster for at least 12 days. That deprived them of qualifying for a full year of service time (a minimum of 172 days based on a 183-day calendar) and cost them eligibility for free agency until after 2021.
"The minute we have service measurements, we're telling teams what to do," Boras said.
Bryant was sent to the minors on March 30 despite batting .425 with nine home runs in only 40 at-bats this spring.
