Beverly Hills Sports Council
Beverly Hills Sports Council is a sports agency based in Los Angeles that represents baseball players. BHSC agents include Rick Thurman, Danny Horwits, Josh Borkin, Nate Heisler, Mark Leinweaver and Cesar Suarez.[1]
History
The company was founded by Beverly Hills life insurance agent Dennis Gilbert[2] and former minor league player Rick Thurman[3] in 1984.[4] Early clients included George Brett, Jose Canseco, Danny Tartabull, Bret Saberhagen and Rickey Henderson. Gilbert remained at the company until his retirement as a sports agent in 1998 and he later joined the Chicago White Sox as special assistant to Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.[5] BHSC continued to be run by partners Thurman, Jeff Borris, Dan Horwits and Dan Lozano.[6]
In May 2010 agent Dan Lozano left Beverly Hills Sports Council, where he had been since 1989, and announced he would continue representing several players including Albert Pujols and Jimmy Rollins in a new agency.
In July 2013, Forbes.com listed the "World's Most Valuable MLB Agencies" based on dollar amount of contracts under management and BHSC was 10th on the list with $136.8 million.
Negotiations
1989 - 90's
In 1989, Beverly Hills Sports Council negotiated Bret Saberhagen's three-year, $8.9 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid player in baseball.[7] Three more times in a 30-month span, a player represented by the company became the highest-paid player in baseball based on average annual salary:[8] Jose Canseco with the Oakland A's in 1990, averaging $4.7 million a year,[9] Bobby Bonilla with the New York Mets in 1991, averaging $5.8 million year,[10] and Barry Bonds with the San Francisco Giants in 1992, averaging $7.3 million a year.[11]
In 1991, BHSC client Mike Piazza signed a 7-year, $91 million contract with the New York Mets, making him the highest-paid player in baseball at the time.[12]
2000
In January 2000 Bobby Bonilla's agent Dan Horwits negotiated his release from the New York Mets with general manager Steve Phillips, which involved undisclosed deferred payments to give the team flexibility to sign additional players. Later these payments were reported to be $1.19 million to be paid every year from 2011 to 2035 with Beverly Hills Sports Council and the Mets agreeing to an interest rate of 8 percent. The idea for the deferred payment was conceived earlier when BHSC partner Dennis Gilbert negotiated a similar deal with former Mets general manager Al Harazin for Bret Saberhagen in which the team would pay annual deferred payments of $250,000 for 25 years starting in 2004. In 2013 Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com revealed that there was an earlier arrangement with Bonilla from his first, record-setting 5-year, $29 million contract in 1991, in which BHSC and the Mets agreed on a 25-year payment plan for $500,000 a year that started in 2004 and goes through 2028.
2004
In 2004, BHSC client Albert Pujols signed the biggest deal in St. Louis Cardinals history with a 7-year, $100 million contract, and with only three years in the big leagues, made him the fastest player to receive a $100 million contract.[13]
2011
In February 2011, Beverly Hills Sports Council defeated the Houston Astros in baseball salary arbitration[14] when Hunter Pence won his hearing. It was the Astros' first loss in arbitration since 1996.[15] It improved Beverly Hills Sports Council's arbitration record to 4-4 over the past decade, believed to be the best of any agency during that period.
2014
In April 2014, BHSC negotiated Jason Kipnis' 6-year $52.5 million contract extension with the Cleveland Indians after having discussions previous offseasons.[16] On August 4, 2014, BHSC added 2-time All-Star Salvador Pérez of the Kansas City Royals to its list of clients.[17]
2015
It was reported in March 2015 that BHSC and agent Rick Thurman had rekindled talks of a long-term contract extension with the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Gregory Polanco, after talks from the previous May were tabled that would have made the player the highest-paid player with no Major League service time.[18] These extension talks were again put on hold in April 2015 with the two sides agreeing to revisit after the 2015 season.[19] Chris Tillman and his agent Dan Horwits also discussed a long-term extension with the Baltimore Orioles during spring training in March 15[20] but talks ended with an Opening Day deadline.[21]
Horwits also was in talks with the New York Mets regarding an extension for slugger Lucas Duda during the same time in spring training[22] but a similar Opening Day deadline passed without any deal being finalized.[23]
In August 2015, BHSC added 2014 All-Star Henderson Alvarez of the Miami Marlins to its growing Latin division, to be represented by Rafa Nieves.[24] On September 7, 2015, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported that Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval had joined Beverly Hills Sports Council.[25]
2016
In 2016, Pablo Sandoval changed his representation to build his new relationship with Beverly Hills Sports Council.[26]
Active All-Star Clients
- Henderson Alvarez, Miami Marlins
- Dee Gordon, Miami Marlins
- Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians
- Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
- Hunter Pence, San Francisco Giants
- Salvador Pérez, Kansas City Royals
- Pablo Sandoval, Boston Red Sox
- Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles
Retired clients
- Brady Anderson
- Kevin Appier
- Rod Beck
- Barry Bonds
- Bobby Bonilla
- George Brett
- Jose Canseco
- Scott Erickson
- Keith Foulke
- John Franco
- Brian Fuentes
- Tom Gordon
- Brad Hawpe
- Rickey Henderson
- Trevor Hoffman
- Jason Isringhausen
- Mike Piazza
- Arthur Rhodes
- Bret Saberhagen
- J.T. Snow
- Danny Tartabull
- Ryan Theriot
- Todd Zeile
References
- ↑ "About Us". Beverly Hills Sports Council. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
- ↑ Verducci, Tom. "Big Deals". Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ "Richard Thurman Register Statistics & History | Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Pallarino, Richard (November 20, 2014). "Interview With The Agent: Rick Thurman – Sports Agent Blog". Sports Agent Blog. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ "Chicago White Sox: Front Office". chicago.whitesox.mlb.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ "CASHING IN HIS BONDS: DENNIS GILBERT CALLS IT QUITS". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. February 5, 1998. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ STEWART, LARRY (1989-11-18). "Saberhagen Gets 3-Year Extension Worth $8.9 Million From Royals". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Verducci, Tom (June 14, 1993). "Big Deals". Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Times, Leonard Koppett, Special To The New York (1990-06-28). "Canseco Gets His Pitch: $23.5 Million From A's". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Chass, Murray (1991-12-03). "BASEBALL; How Bonilla Got Mets to Empty Their Pockets". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Chass, Murray (1992-12-06). "BASEBALL; Giants Make Investment: $43 Million in Bonds". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Hill, Thomas (October 25, 1998). "MIKE GETS WHOLE PIAZZA METS' $91M MAKES CATCHER BIG CHEESE". New York DailyNews. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Gannam, Tom (February 19, 2004). "Pujols, Cardinals complete $100 million deal". usatoday30.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ "Pence wins salary arbitration case against Astros". 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Hoynes, Paul (April 4, 2014). "Jason Kipnis agrees to contract extension with Cleveland Indians". www.cleveland.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ "Beverly Hills signs catcher Perez; Kauffman to rep Ewing". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. August 4, 2014. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Adams, Steve (March 30, 2015). "Pirates Discussing Extension With Gregory Polanco". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Adams, Steve (April 6, 2015). "Pirates, Gregory Polanco Table Extension Talks". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Encina, Eduardo (March 26, 2015). "Orioles starter Chris Tillman 'always open' to possibility of contract extension". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ "Orioles Tillman Dont Reach Extension By Deadline - RealGM Wiretap". baseball.realgm.com. April 6, 2015. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Short, D. J. (March 28, 2015). "Report: Mets talking contract extension with Lucas Duda". HardballTalk. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Carig, Marc (April 5, 2015). "Deadline passes for Lucas Duda deal". Newsday. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Bradshaw, D'Bria (August 5, 2015). "On To The Next One: Henderson Alvarez". Sports Agent Blog. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Todd, Jeff (January 7, 2016). "Pablo Sandoval Joins Beverly Hills Sports Council". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ Boyle, Tim. "New Agent for Pablo Sandoval, Beverly Hills Sports Council". Inningseaters.sportsblog.com. Retrieved 28 November 2016.