Would you fire your multi-million dollar employee?

[J.R.]

link

Colorado Rockies pitcher Denny Neagle got busted for speeding while getting a $40 blow job from her:



last friday night, and the Rockies voided his contract today.

The fact that he hasn't played in over a year due to injuries, was ineffective when healthy and was owed so much cash may be what's really going on (the rockies have tried to dump his salary for a few years now), but a lot of commentators think the rockies are still on the hook for his money. The player's union will argue he still gets his 19 million, based on the precedent of folks like Lamar Hoyt, whose criminal drug problems didn't justify voiding his guaranteed contract.

So did the Rockies make a mistake voiding his contract? Or do morals trump the 19 million, which wouldn't have had to be paid immediately if they didn't void the contract? Is his own stupidity punishment enough? Or maybe the Rockies win on all counts and don't have to pay him? I recall Eugene Robinson played in super bowl XXXIII after getting busted soliciting a hooker the night before, and I'm sure there are other similar situations, so did the Rockies overreact?

[stabn]

They are going to end up paying him a portion at least half the size of the contract. But, they had to take the chance to eliminate or reduce what they owed him. Slimey move, but overall probably a smart business decision.

[J.R.]

[ QUOTE ]
Slimey move, but overall probably a smart business decision.


[/ QUOTE ]

You only think they will have to pay half? I'm not sure, but didn't lamar hoyt get arrested and convicted of cocaine possession, yet the white sox couldn't void his contract? The player's union is pretty powerful.

[ThaSaltCracka]

Should they have to pay him? No
Will they have to pay him? Yes

MLBPA is too powerful.

[J.R.]

Should a cash strapped team (they issued a capital call to general partners last year) incurr a 19 million dollar charge now, as opposed to deferring much over it into the future, or is it worth it to "take a stance" for PR reasons and try to get out of this bad contract?

[ThaSaltCracka]

good question. I suppose the Colorado front office should have anticipated this was going to happen, thus they probably should have deferred a lot of it to the future. They are really taking a chance here, because its not givin that Neagle will get his money. I am going to have to be a monday morning QB here. Only time will tell which move would have been better. From a strictly PR angle, this looks really good for the Rockies though.

[stabn]

Nah i said at least. They might be able to get it down to half, or they might end up paying it all. Overall though i think they had to take the CHANCE that they could successfully void it or settle for less.

[J.R.]

I think I agree with you, he wasn't going to play, they were on the hook for the full deal and the team isn't going anywhere anytime soon so even if it backfires and they owe it all now, its not like they won't able to sign a crucial free agent and acheive some postseason success. And its PRific to take this stance.

[kerssens]

She is not attractive

[J.R.]

I figured people would appreciate the pic [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]