Former Yankee and Met first baseman Tony Clark was named deputy executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association Tuesday, a development that was expected given current union executive director Michael Weiner’s health situation.
The 15-year veteran of the big leagues last played in 2009 for Arizona and began working for the union as director of player relations in March of 2010.
Before last week’s All-Star Game at Citi Field, Weiner gave an emotional speech to baseball writers at a luncheon, addressing several topics, including the succession plans at the union and the ongoing Biogenesis performance-enhancing drug saga. Weiner was diagnosed with a brain tumor last summer and is now confined to a wheelchair. He took over the executive director post in 2009, replacing Don Fehr.
“Tony’s rise within the union will come as no surprise to those who know him,” Weiner said in a statement Tuesday. “It was clear from the moment Tony joined the MLBPA that his on-field experience and passion for the fraternity of players would make him a tremendous advocate for all who play the game. I look forward to working closely with Tony as together we represent the interests of the players.”
Clark, 41, could not be reached, but issued his own statement, saying he is “honored” by the appointment and considers it “a privilege to be in a position to work more closely with Michael Weiner.”
While a player, Clark spent his last seven seasons as a union representative and was involved in the negotiations to establish a drug-testing program during the collective bargaining negotiations in 2002.
One of Clark’s immediate concerns will be the Biogenesis matter. Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun was suspended for the remainder of the season on Monday due to his ties to the defunct anti-aging clinic and its founder, Anthony Bosch.
At a Long Island charity golf event last week, Weiner told the Daily News that the union would recommend that players tied to the scandal make a deal with MLB if they are faced with overwhelming evidence against them. Clark was also at the event and told The News the case was entering “unprecedented territory.”
“I hope when everything is said and done,” he said, “that everybody involved, the game itself, will continue to move forward and we find ourselves in a place that this type of conversation, this type of dialogue, is behind us.”
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