Twins are in hot water after Joe Pohlad's comments about not spending in free agency

It might have seemed like Joe Pohlad wrapped a depressing bow around the Minnesota Twins offseason last week, but there might be more hill left to tumble down.

Pohlad drew the ire of Twins fans when he made comments that confirmed the team isn't interested in spending its way to World Series contention. Nobody was surprised by what he said, just disapointed that another generation of ownership is carrying on the penny pinching legacy.

As it turns out, more than just Twins fans were upset by what he said. Pohlad's statment came at a time when free agents like Cody Bellinger and Blake Snell are seeking high-priced deals, and the player's union didn't appreciate what it feels might have been a violation of the CBA.

Twins are in hot water with MLBPA over Joe Pohlad's comments about not spending

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the player's union is considering filing a formal complaint against Pohald after his comments about not wanting to meet the demands of top free agents.

It's not that the Twins aren't allowed to be a frugal franchise, it's that Pohlad said the quiet part out loud during a radio interview.

"You see that both with the Tampa Bay Rays and with the Baltimore Orioles having lower payrolls, turning out very successful products on the field but also investing in other areas of the business," Pohlad said on WCCO radio. "What I will say about some flexibility is, when Derek [Falvey] and his team think there is the right opportunity in front of us, we don't live hard and fast by a specific number. That said, we're not going to spend $30 million on a player right now."

While those comments rubbed Twins fans the wrong way, it may have also violated a reservation of rights clause with the use of media in the collective bargaining agreement. 

This part of the CBA is where Pohlad might have gotten the team in some hot water:

"None of the Covered Parties may make comments to the media about the value of an unsigned free agent, or about possible or contemplated terms for an unsigned free agent, regardless of whether discussions have occurred. The prohibitions apply equally to comments that are on and off the record, as well as to comments that are provided on the condition of anonymity or published without identifying the source (e.g., "an industry source")."

- MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement

Some important context: News of a potential complaint comes a day after Cody Bellinger returned to the Cubs on a $80 million deal -- far less than he was seeking and right at that $30 million AAV Pohald thumbed his nose at.

Whether or not any punishment comes from this is yet to be seen, and it feels unlikley that Pohlad will get singled out. He's not the only MLB executive to have said pretty much the same thing, as the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers have also been vocal about their desire to sit on cash rather than spend it.

Pohlad deserves to get raked by fans for being frugal at a time when spending could help make the team even more competitive. That being said, having a complaint filed over admitting frugalness doesn't exactly seem fair.

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