July 3, 2009

FAMOUS CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
　
Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale began their holdout in late February of 1966. They could not seek offers from others clubs, nor would the Dodgers listen to trade offers from other teams, and the Dodgers would never consider releasing them. The only option available to Koufax and Drysdale was to withhold their services, and for a pitcher of Koufax’s magnitude that had to put quite a scare into the Dodgers. The Dodgers would not only lose Koufax, they would be without the services of Drysdale, who would be the ace on almost any pitching staff other than the Dodgers

What were the numbers Koufax and Drysdale looking for and what were the Dodgers offering?

Koufax and Drysdale both wanted three year deals.. Each wanted about $500,000.00 over the course of the three years.

The Dodgers would not give pitchers three year deals, (this was probably before disability insurance policies became popular for clubs insuring long-term deals) because it was too much of a risk, particularly when one is aware of the elbow problems Koufax suffered from. The Dodgers would offer Koufax $112,500.00 for one year and Drysdale likewise one year at $97,500.00. So Koufax and Drysdale were about $800,000 away from what they were looking for.

The next move of the two hurlers was to let the Dodgers know they had other alternatives. First Koufax and Drysdale had plans for an exhibition baseball tour of Japan that would bring in some of the money they would lose from the Dodgers. The next step has been around for years:  tell the team you are starting an acting career. Drysdale and Koufax stated they had plans to do a television show and would begin shooting a movie April 11, 1966.

Dodgers GM Buzzi Bavasi was ready to call their bluff and wished them luck as they
started their acting career. And so on March 30, 1966 Bavasi stated “There is no sense in negotiating further." Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley went on to say,

"We have no apology. ""We think they're great boys and great performers. One had a chance for absolute greatness. But many of us have had a chance to change professions and have done so.

With negotiations at a stalemate it looked like the final impasse had been reached.

Next time - Koufax and Drysdale part 3