Hey Odalis, Como se Dice "Bush League?"

As you know if you've been around here much, I'm as much of a pro-player partisan in baseball's labor wars as there is. Curt Flood is one of my favorite ex-Senators, even though he only played for a couple crappy months when he was over the hill and alcoholic. Marvin Miller is the most admirable executive in MLB since, well, maybe ever, but certainly the last 30 years. I root for every player to win in arbitration, I want every draft pick to get over slot, and in my book Federal Baseball is one of the worst Supreme Court decisions in U.S. history (not the most damaging, but certainly one of the most erroneously reasoned).

But even I think this is ridiculous. Odalis--you're right, you deserve more. I said that when you signed. But you should have thought about that before you signed the contract. What if you signed for $10 million and then pitched like crap? Could the team say, "ah, we regret that contract and wish to unilaterally renege?"

I like your spunk when you're brawling with Angel Hernadez or evening the score with Chase Utley. But this is silly. If you want to stay home, fine. Enjoy your summer.

• Update: for the record, my eyebrows are raised at this from Chico Harlan's post on Odalisgate: "An MLBPA database of approved contracts does not show Perez's deal with Washington, a source said." Whatever could that mean?