Marvin Miller Died Today

[gtx440]

the former union Leader who changed baseball forever thru free agency
died today, age 95
He will also be known for all the multimillion $$ contracts &
Baseball strikes
Loved by players
Hated by Owners
Modern day players owe him a Huge "Thanks you Marvin"

[AndyG09]

Too bad he didn't make into the Hall while he was alive. He was surely a game changer.

[barrysloate]

I got to speak with him briefly at the Barry Halper Sale in 1999. I remember saying to him that he should be in the Hall of Fame, and I could see even back then he was disappointed that he wasn't. Unfortunately, that never changed. He was a good man who revolutionized the business of baseball.

[z28jd]

While he did change the game, is it really for the better? I don't see him as a Hall of Famer, especially being someone who can't afford to go to major league games, because as the salaries went up, so did everything else. Now you have pampered superstars and stadiums that charge ridiculous amounts for everything. Baseball hats cost $30 at a game now...for a hat! I see him as the reason David Wright could not only ask for 7yr/125mil contract, but have the fans rally around him when he gets "insulted"(fans words,not from him) by a 6yr/100mil offer! As a Pirates fan, he gets negative Hall of Fame votes from me, I would physically take away someone else's voting privilege away if they tried to vote for him. Not a fan.

I will give him tons of credit for being great at what he did, don't hate on him for doing his job well. Just think he did more harm than good for the sport overall. That to me isn't a Hall of Famer. I rank him right up there with Steinbrenner for being bad for the game we have now. I think you got better baseball when players made a good living and had it in the back of their mind that they could be replaced easily, nothing was guaranteed. The good players would still be multi-millionaires now without him, but instead of Wright asking for 7/125, he might "only" get 7/70, who knows, maybe someone better would've come along.

In the end, no matter what I think of how he affected baseball now, he lived a good, very long life and helped plenty of people. That's all that really matters

[bigtrain]

Barry put it succinctly. He revolutionized the business of baseball. Baseball is a business and an entertainment medium that brings in huge revenue. I do not resent David Wright or Derek Jeter for getting paid what they do anymore than I resent Brad Pitt or Mick Jagger for the money they make. Fact is that in the "good old days", players were treated like crap, underpaid (relative to the value of their services in producing revenue) and told where they had to work. Free agency and the strength of the players union came about because of the arrogance of the owners. By failing to concede even minor issues like modest increases in pension benefits, owners like O'Malley, Autry and Finley helped solidify the union. Marvin Miller actually advised the players not to strike at one point and was overruled by the players. He was a strong leader and represented the interests of his clients very well. It does not really concern me whether he is in the Hall of Fame or not. Although he is certainly more deserving than quite a few other baseball "executives" who are enshrined, the aforementioned Mr. O'Malley leading that list.

[Brian Van Horn]

My condolences to the Miller family.

As for Miller's legacy to the game I look it as follows. The player is drafted and has an agent. He receives a signing bonus and a contract. Undrafted free agents may or may not have an agent. The player struggles to adapt to the minor leagues and his development as a player. This is not an easy lifestyle either in the minors or majors (not speaking from experience, but from countless stories). He makes it to the majors and has, I believe, six years where the club controls his rights (this is where the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team I root for, make a good bit of money). Then there is free agency. The player can opt to stay with his team or pursue other offers. He also has a union.

Although I can sympathize with the player for his minor league career and the first six years of his major league career, I can not feel any affinity for a person, whether he be a sports figure or an entertainment figure, who can have an agent and a union.

[bigtrain]

As I previously suggested, it would not concern me if the Hall of Fame did not honor any executives, umpires or broadcasters. To me the Hall of Fame is about the players. That being said, if they are going to honor executives, Marvin Miller belongs there. He was not an agent out to make a commission by getting his client the biggest deal possible. He was a leader. Most importantly, you cannot write a comprehensive history of baseball without mentioning his role. I'll be the first to boycott the Hall if they try to honor Scott Boras or his ilk, but I have no problem with Miller being in.

[Cooptown]

I was at the gym and saw "Marvin Miller" keep scrolling across the bottom line on ESPN and I kept missing all of it. At first I wondered if he had gotten in, thinking that sometimes the special committees of the HOF vote in early December (although it's still November). When I realized what month it was, and that I knew he was not on the upcoming ballot, I knew it wasn't good.

The interesting thing was that he just appeared on ESPN's 30 for 30 "Broke". I thought how amazing he looked for his age, but is it possible that was an old interview?

About a year ago I sent him a Topps card, with a $10 check wrote out to BAT. He kept the card, and mailed me back my check where he wrote "I am not an agent for BAT" and then either wrote "Marvin" or "Miller" on it....I can't remember which. I never bothered him again, figuring that my unsigned check was now a much better piece than any signature of his I could ever get TTM from him. If he does ever get inducted, I am counting it.

I also have a feeling they will put him in now that he's gone....which is a travesty.

[bender07]

How can Bowie Kuhn be in the HOF when the guy that kicked his butt up and down is not (Miller)?

[drc]

My opinion is executives, umpires et al should be selected for the HOF, but only a bare minimum. The truly exceptional.

That was a comment on an earlier post, not Marvin Miller.

[Kenny Cole]

RIP Marvin Miller. You had a greater impact on the game over the last 60 years than did any other single person I can recall That is enought of an epitaph for anyone.