No, MLB teams don’t need to watch the MLBPA training camp in person

The Major League Baseball Players Association is hosting a training camp for free agents at IMG Academy in Florida, as spring training camps have opened and those players without teams still need a place to get into game shape. At least one Major League Baseball team is confused about the purpose of this endeavor, as they tried to get one of their employees there to scout the free agents.

Maybe you find yourself not being sure what’s wrong with this picture, or even agreeing with the unnamed executive. Here’s the thing, though: this is not a tryout camp. This is much closer to a gym, where players still hoping to get a job in 2018 are working hard to prepare themselves for the season, like they would were it November or December instead of the middle of February.

Teams have no inherent rights to watch these free agents, just like they don’t get to go to Jake Arrieta’s gym to watch him do squats in November in case he does something super impressive that seals the deal on making a contract offer. This team sent a special assistant to the camp for one of two reasons: because they’re idiots who don’t know the difference between a tryout camp hosted by a team and a private workout, or because they want the players to look like the reason that teams aren’t signing free agents.

This isn’t Tim Lincecum hosting a workout so that some team, any team, will be convinced to sign a guy who has seemingly pitched himself out of the league. This is the remaining free agents, of which there are dozens and dozens and dozens, getting together to run drills, throw baseballs, stretch, run, lift, scrimmage, whatever so that they don’t fall behind on their spring routines while waiting for the Red Sox to admit they need J.D. Martinez more than they’ve let on, or for the Twins to give Arrieta money, or for someone to realize that Lance Lynn and Alex Cobb are the kinds of arms that could completely change a team’s rotation. And if any teams want a private workout? That can be arranged.

The response of the teams so far? Again, either they don’t know what words mean or understand the purpose of this camp, or they’re hoping you don’t. Either way, don’t fall in line with this confused executive who thinks this training camp is to help him design a better baseball team. All the clubs know the stats, they have the scouting reports, and if they want to see what’s going on with one of the players spending their February at IMG Academy, well, they should probably call up their agent and figure something out.

Instead, we’re going to end up with more stories like this from incredulous front office types because, again, they’re either dumber or more disingenuous than you think.