Media Coverage
From Dealmakers to Peace Makers
BY MURRAY CHASS
The assessment came from people on both sides: the new labor agreement would not have been possible without the-behind-the-scenes initiatives of a group of player agents.
Working alone and in teams, the agents took advantage of their relationships with owners built on years of contract negotiations to defuse the antagonistic nature and mistrust of past negotiations, to foster amiable relationships, to lobby for proposed solutions, to send messages, to keep open lines of communication.
Obviously, the agents’ efforts did not result in instant success, but they persevered and can now enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Ron Shapiro, Tom Reich, Randy Hendricks, Tony Attanasio and Jim Bronner, who combined have more than 100 years of experience in the business, have been identified as agents who were involved to varying degrees.
Shapiro, Reich and Hendricks worked in conjunction with one another, with Shapiro and Reich developing an especially close alliance during the arduous, prolonged process.
"It was a role that was best performed behind the scenes and out of the limelight because it involved dealing with sensitive people on sensitive issues," said Shapiro, a prominent Baltimore lawyer. "It was a role that caused me to confront rejection at a number of turns. Perhaps if I had my sanity I would have walked away, but I was insane enough about baseball that I wanted to stay and try to help the game and the people I care enormously about in the game."
Shapiro appeared to have the most sensitive role because he was conducting a running dialogue with Bud Selig, the acting commissioner, the conversations dating from before the strike more than two years ago. He unsuccessfully tried to induce Selig and Fehr to meet away from the bargaining table, but he was unable to arrange meetings between Fehr and Peter Angelos, the Baltimore Orioles’ owner.
During the 1995 World Series in Cleveland, Shapiro coincidentally found himself sitting next to Randy Levine, the owners’ new chief negotiator.
It was a most propitious meeting because Shapiro came away believing that Levine had the integrity and an understanding of labor relations that could enable him to negotiate a deal with Fehr.
To confirm his perception, Shapiro asked Reich to speak with Levine and get to know him. Then together they relayed their impressions to union officials and encouraged them to work with Levine. Both agents also maintained contact with Levine, first covertly, then rather overtly as the two sides entered critical stages of their bargaining.
Shapiro, meanwhile, was also talking with other owners or club officials, including Fred Wilpon of the Mets and Paul Beetston of Toronto. Reich spoke with Beetson and George Steinbrenner, and he and Hendricks talked with Jerry Reinsdorf of the Chicago White Sox, although those efforts were probably the least successful of the agents’ initiatives.
The communication between Shapiro and Selig, in what turned out to be the final weeks of baseball’s longest dispute, was especially critical. Shapiro tried to impress on Selig the importance of leadership in inducing enough owners to vote for the agreement.
After the owners voted it down Nov. 6, Shapiro stepped up his effort, painting a picture for Selig of the devastating damage both sides faced if they continued their war. Then one day Selig, with Levine on the line, too, called Shapiro and asked him to let the union know that he was going to support the deal and hoped the remaining issues could be worked out. Just support the deal on the table, Shapiro urged.
Then, the Friday before the owners’ second vote, Selig called Shapiro again and said he would definitely support the deal.
It was all any of the agents wanted to hear.
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