Careful on signing summer league contracts

It would be so much simpler if they just went ahead and gave him the release but with the stipulation - Don't come back.

Many cases of the college players changing their mind after agreeing to Collegiate League rules.
I have also heard of several college leagues, including Cape, Northwest, Alaska sending the same message.

Not knowing the details, might be the 19 yr not be playing this summer could be the result.

Hi hokieone,

What do you mean with the league filing a temporary restraining order? From who? I'm confused.

Stu

The CPL is asking a judge this week to issue a TRO, a/k/a Temporary Restraining Order, a/k/a temporary/emergency injunction, probiting the player immediately from playing anywhere but in the CPL.

The CPL contract language is extremely broad,which normally is fatal to noncompetition covenants, but beauty is in the eye of the Judge.

My hope is the CPL team tried to explain the situation to the 19 year old ADULT. They have a business to run which is why they have contracts with players. I'm new to this summer league situation, but I wonder if it was common practice for players to jump Leagues? If so, then MAYBE he has a foot to stand on. If not, I guess he has two choices....play ball or not play ball.

Another oddity is that the CPL season, along with most other leagues, is more than half over at this point. CPL season is over the first week in August. Why would a player wish to leave at this juncture?

The player is playing in another league. The CPL is suing to end his season there. A release was requested and the CPL said no.

Jumping leagues isn't unusual. Lots of players sign with leagues other than the Cape but if they get a shot at the Cape, 100% of the time they want to go.

For leagues like the CPL, generally included in a several league group considered excellent but not quite the Cape, there's certainly no shortage of players wanting to play. Most teams have full rosters by mid-fall and receive year round inquiries from players and coaches.

Oddly, perhaps ironically, the CPL has gotten players from other leagues in past seasons. It happens.

this same thing happened a few years ago. you can't really blame the league. players sign a contract to play for a team, the team expects that player to be there. (unless drafted or injured) to me ,it really is unfair to jump at a better deal.

there is a lot of effort and money to operate a summer team, you don't want to worry at the last minute about players.

a few years ago,a group of us were in negotiations to buy a tean in the necbl. you'd be surprised how much it cost' to operate one for 8 weeks. very few make money and in this economy few big dollar sponsers.

while it isn't all about the money, you can't make chicken salad out of chicken poop.

Most of the arrangements and agreements come through their college coaches, they should have also insured that their player understands that they understand what they are signing.

As silly as it all sounds to some, the leagues do this on purpose from preventing players from jumping from league to league during summer and they will pursue to show others that they expect you to show up and play for them not someone else. A release is granted only for injury or if the player wants out of competition for the summer or turns pro. Not because you want to play somewhere else.

When son signed his contracts he was thoroughly explained (as Homerun04 states) by his coach.

This was foolish on the players part, it was his sophmore summer, most likely he was placed where his coach felt he should be, if he took it upon his own to make a change, he may not get another opportunity when it's really important (junior summer). Coaches know how hard these leagues work for no money, and how they like to roster their players early and not make changes. In fact, many coaches won't even give you an assignment if they really think you will be drafted and sign.
JMO

quote:

might be the 19 yr not be playing this summer could be the result

What I heard thru the vine is the 19 yr
was playing elsewhere summer and tried to
remain stealth. I would not want to
be the one to place this place over this winter.

20dad,
Wow, that would be fun to own one of the NECBL franchises, a lot of work, but fun.
Yours and others posts make very, very good points that can go unnoticed.
When our son played for 2 years in the NECBL, we were lucky to get to know the Ayotte family in Lowell, Mass as well as the ownership group in Newport, RI, especially, the GM, Chuck Paiva.
Our sons are there for 8-10 weeks.
When we sat and talked with the ownership people, it is incredible how much work they put in over the 10 months when baseball isn't being played along with the 2 months it is.
Their time, generosity, efforts within their communities, not to mention how much it costs to run the Summer Wood bat leagues was eye opening.
Parents and players truly are being provided a lot of opportunity, at very little expense.
All the effort and expense is borne by others.
I don't have any problem with a franchise or league taking these types of steps knowing how much is put at risk by the leagues and teams for every player to have a great Summer of 8 weeks playing baseball.

ifd

Harry Ayotte is a hard working guy. lowell is a tough place for him. they have tons of sporting events that compete for the dollar. but it's his hometown and he's not moving.

i'm glad your son enjoyed himself there. it's about 90 min from me. to much of a city for my taste

in 06 the average cost for a season was 90 to 100,000. for a season. travel alone was almost 20. very few in the necbl turn a profit,not really the motivator. but it's way easier with some.

Actually, the player had teammates playing in another league, his college coach wanted him to play with them, on the same team,and the player requested a release, telling the CPL team where he wanted to play. The team's coach replied something to the effect that if the league to which he wanted to go wasn't the Cape, he didn't think a release would be forthcoming. There was no stealth.

The standard CPL contract is very broad and prohibits any baseball activity, organized or unorganized, compensated or uncompensated, anywhere else.

As has been mentioned, these teams do require a lot of work to operate and support, but it's a labor of love for most.

One of 4thGen's Summer Ball teammates just left a few days ago for a spot in the CPL. Everyone wished him well as they recongnized it as a better opportunity for the kid.

The CPL's request for a TRO was tossed out by the Judge Thursday afternoon.

quote:

Originally posted by hokieone:
The CPL's request for a TRO was tossed out by the Judge Thursday afternoon.

That is too bad. Why have a contract if it will not hold true?

I can see both sides on this one. The player probably feels he has valid reasons for leaving and it ought not be a big deal. The league loses in either way it decides. They say nothing, a precendent has been set that a CPL contract is not worth much. They say something, they get insinuations of impropriety.

It seems to me that an "Anything other than the Cape" excuse (for leaving) is a reasonable policy. I am not wise enough to know what the right answer is here however, but I fail to see the villains.

The CPL standard contract is so broad it probably isn't valid anywhere. The league should spend its legal fees updating its forms, not suing 19 year old kids.

A few years back, the Northwoods league sued a player who left for the Cape.
They did not attempt to obtain a TRO, if I remember correctly. Rather, they sued the player and received a judgment against the player for something like $15,000 as damages.
While I sure don't know the precise laws that would govern for the CPL, it is generally required that the moving party establish that it will be irreparably harmed to obtain a TRO.
That can be a pretty hard standard to establish.
Thus, it could be that the CPL could have had a better pathway seeking breach of contract and damages as the Northwoods did.
Without knowing the specifics, I can understand the CPL might not receive the TRO but still could have a viable contract.
As I posted earlier, based on our discussions with GM's and owners in the NECBL, I can certainly appreciate why a team or league would want to enforce its contract, if it is a valid one that can be enforced. It was for the Northwoods league and one player learned a tough lesson from that process.

Here's a great story about the kid I mentioned that was brought in as a fill in the CPL. I posted this on another youth baseball board as well.

His first game was on the road and he was scheduled to start at 2nd and bat 9th. Before the game he hears the big promotion in the park for the night. If the visitor’s #9 hitter strikes out all of the ticket holders in the park get a free hot dog and a coke!

You can imagine what it sounded like every time he came to bat. Both he and the umpire caught hell. He’s about 5’7” and among other things a few fans suggested his club was batting a midget 9th just to avoid having to come across with the free food. He said he really enjoyed the whole thing. He took an O-Fer but did not strike out and sent the fans home hungry.