The Cubs have stayed true to their word and demoted top prospect Kris Bryant to the minors to start the season, and the MLB Players' Association is not pleased.
Today is a bad day for baseball. We all know that if @KrisBryant_23 were a combination of the greatest Players to play our great game,(1/3)
— MLBPA (@MLB_PLAYERS) March 30, 2015 and perhaps he will be before it's all said and done, the @Cubs still would have made the decision they made today. (2/3)
— MLBPA (@MLB_PLAYERS) March 30, 2015 This decision, and other similar decisions made by clubs will be addressed in litigation, bargaining or both. (End)
— MLBPA (@MLB_PLAYERS) March 30, 2015 MORE: Who is Kris Bryant? | Cubs predictions
Of course, the prime motivating factor for the Cubs in sending Bryant to the minors to start the season is to delay the start of his MLB service time, thus allowing the Cubs to control him for one more season than they would if he played the full year in the majors. That longstanding provision in baseball's collective bargaining agreement was agreed to by the MLBPA.
Bryant is hitting a scorching .425 /.477/1.175 with nine home runs and 15 RBIs this spring. The Cubs have said all along that Bryant will start the season in the minors to let his defense catch up to his offense.
Fellow prospect Addison Russell also was reassigned to minor-league camp and Javier Baez was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Monday. Russell was expected to play in the minors with Starlin Castro coming off a breakout season at shortstop, but Baez was expected to be the Cubs' everyday second baseman.