ESPN: Donald Fehr to resign as Executive Director of MLBPA

[Mattingly]

My newsradio is reporting that ESPN is carrying this story. Since this is WCBS, I consider it to be quite credible. This is also top news on espn.com's mlb website.

Once his resignation is confirmed, please discuss the likely reasons for his stepping aside, and how in the future, the union will affect Major League Baseball, future Collective Bargaining Agreements, as well as its perception by the fans.

Thank you.

[Ace Venom]

It's also reported here:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090622&content_id=5467852&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb&partnerId=rss_mlb

I can't help but think that the steroid scandal blowing up in the union's face is a major factor. Don Fehr has been a pretty strong leader of the MLBPA, so it's difficult to imagine there would be another like him.

[KCGHOST]

He had this job for 24 years and may just feel it is time to go. You do have to believe that the steroids thing had to wear on him since he screwed it up from pillar to post. This deal with the cross reference lists of the players who failed the confidential PED's test in 2003 has to be embarrassing. While he has rarely been tainted by this brush, he was one of the architects of the lost season/world series of 1994.

He does have to be given a lot of credit for the labor peace the game has enjoyed the last 15 years. And the players have become enormously richer since he became the head of the MLBPA. He also made the successful transition of the Union from the charismatic leadership of Marvin Miller to a more business like entity.

I am just glad the dogmatic Gene Orzo is not going to be the one to replace him.

[KevinWI]

I've always thought of him as one of the villains of the steroid era and the '94 strike, but I guess he's done his job, considering the huge MLB player salaries.

[Zito75]

Good riddance. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Donald.

[KHenry14]

But Fehr's screw up with the PED testing is too big to ignore. And let's face it, he's not going to be able to keep the other 102 players names confidential, and that is a HUGE let down to the players. And he has to answer for that mess.

IMO no way does he retire, this is him getting forced out.

[Extra Innings]

He had this job for 24 years and may just feel it is time to go. You do have to believe that the steroids thing had to wear on him since he screwed it up from pillar to post. This deal with the cross reference lists of the players who failed the confidential PED's test in 2003 has to be embarrassing. While he has rarely been tainted by this brush, he was one of the architects of the lost season/world series of 1994.

He does have to be given a lot of credit for the labor peace the game has enjoyed the last 15 years. And the players have become enormously richer since he became the head of the MLBPA. He also made the successful transition of the Union from the charismatic leadership of Marvin Miller to a more business like entity.

I agree, I think you pretty much said it all.

[KevinWI]

How did Fehr 'screw up' PED testing? Obviously he didn't want PED testing because the game's biggest stars were using. He was trying to stop/delay official PED testing with punishments as long as he could.

[9RoyHobbsRF]

Good riddance. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Donald.

agree 100%

you ever see someone who always look like they just ate something sour or was told a relative died

that is Fehr 365 days a year

just a "sky-is-falling ', "the-other-side-has-no-merit" type and I hated him from Day 1