Secure with 5-year deal, Clark pushes to make MLBPA stronger

By DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tony Clark has never had more clout as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. The 50-year-old helped the union navigate a tumultuous stretch that included a pandemic-shortened 2020 season and a new labor deal in March that not only saved a full 162-game season but also was viewed as at least a modest win for the players and their pocketbooks. Now, there’s a relative calm during a baseball offseason that hasn’t been seen for a few years. Clark says there’s plenty of work to be done, including helping more than 5,000 new union members who play at the minor league level.