30 Unknown Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Scott Boras

Scott Boras, the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation that represents roughly 175 professional baseball clients, is named as the "Most Powerful Sports Agent in the World," since 2013. Here are some interesting facts about the American sports agent:

1. According to 2018 edition of the world’s most powerful sports agents, Scott Boras, is ranked #1, representing more than rosters worth of Major League Baseball’s players and negotiation of almost $ 1.9 billion worth of players contract.
2. In his 31 years as a sports agent he has represented hundreds of players on all 30 major league teams and is best described from being ‘baseball’s most hated man,’ from management perspective to a man ‘players can’t afford to live without.’
3. He was born Scott Dean Boras on November 02, 1952, in Sacramento, California, United States.
4. Boras grew up on his parent’s 800-acre farm in Elk Grove, about 30 miles southeast of Sacramento. Boras milked cows and drove tractorsfor family as farm obligation came first.
5. He received baseball scholarship to the ‘University of the Pacific’ in Stockton. After his college career, he played four years in minor league baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs.
6. He had three knee surgeries which shortened his baseball career. As a second baseman he retired with batting average of .288. In 1976, he made it to the Florida State League All-Star team.
7. He was inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 and the baseball team’s annual ‘Most Improved Player’ award is named in his honor.
8. Boras earned a doctorate in Industrial pharmacy at the University of the Pacific in 1977, specializing in antacid tablet. In the off-season during his baseball career, he attended McGeorge School of Law, and earned his law degree in 1982.
9. In 1982, he took up a job as an associate in the pharmaceutical defense department of the Chicago firm ‘Rooks, Pitts &Poust,’ as medical lawyer, while representing infielder Mike Fischlin and pitcher Bill Caudill in his spare time.
10. In 1983, he negotiated one of the largest contracts in baseball history worth $ 7.5 million, which paved way for ‘Boras Corporation,’ the baseball only sport agency. In 2014 it was named as ‘Most valuable Single Sports Agency’ in the world.
11. The Boras Corporation is housed in 23,000 sq. ft. two story, glass and steel building in Newport Beach, California. This includes a kitchen, laundry room, gym, shower, lounge and 15 foot waterfall.
12. The subsidiary companies includes ‘Boras Marketing’ and ‘Boras Sports Training Institutes’ and operates with 75 person staff which includes, former leaguers, MIT-trained economist, NASA computer engineer, three lawyers, five personal trainers, a sports psychologist, an investment team, 14 member research staff and an employee to give feedback about games on daily basis.
13. He was the first baseball agent to sign a contract over $ 50 million in 1997, when he negotiated a five-year deal worth $ 57.5 million contract for Greg Maddux, with Atlanta Braves.
14. He broke the $ 100 million barrier in 1998, when he brokered a deal worth $ 105 million for Kevin Brown, for seven years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, to become the highest paid player then.
15. He negotiated a$ 275 million contract for Alex Rodriguez with the New York Yankees that broke the record for being the most lucrative contract in baseball history.
16. In 1983, he set a record contract for drafted player with just over $ 150,000 from New York Yankees, for Tim Belcher. This contract set the trend from owner’s cheapest way to a system heavily in favor of players.
17. He is known for wide ranging innovative strategy which includes advising draft picks to return to school rather than signing, right to go to salary arbitration hearing and wait for free agency rather than taking hometown discounts.
18. Boras had often forced the ‘Major League Baseball’ to change its rules to counter his claims on multiple occasions. He would often identify rules and leverage them to his client’s advantage.
19. In 1997, the ‘Major League Baseball’ amended its rulewhich is called ‘First Year Player Draft.’ During the MLB Draft, Boras had J.W.Drew, decline the ‘Philadelphia Phillies’ offer of $ 2.6 million and ended up playing for the St. Paul Saints of the ‘Independent Northern League’ because of a loophole in the rules.
20. In 1999, he filed a grievance on behalf of Adrian Beltre, when ‘Los Angeles Dodgers,’ falsified his age and signed him up in 1994. On investigation by the Commissioner of Baseball, Beltre was awarded $ 48,500 in damages and penalized the Dodgers.
21. He is married to Jeanette since June 29, 1985 and they live in Newport. They have a daughter, who is in college and two sons, both of whom play baseball.
22. In December 2001, Boras negotiated a five-year, $ 90 million contract with San Francisco Giants for the 37 year old, Barry Bond, after becoming a free agent. He agreed for salary arbitration and hoped for the least, when teams were wary of his age.
23. Boras surprised many when had Greg Maddux accept salary arbitration from the Atlanta Braves, which he eventually negotiated for a largest record breaking contract for a year worth$ 14.75 million.
24. After finalizing a six year $ 52 million contract for Japanese super star pitcher, Daisuke Matsuzaka, he negotiated a record breaking seven year, $ 126 million contract for Barry Zito, with San Francisco Giants, in December 2006. The contract was the largest ever given to a pitcher in baseball history.
25. Boras was successful in his strategy of advising draft picks like Jason Varitek, J.D. Drew, Stephen Drew, Jered Weaver, Luke Hochevar and Max Scherzer to wait as long as possible to sign in 2007 forced the Major League Baseball to change the rule for the third time with an August 15, deadline.
26. In November 2010, the New York Times posted an article ‘Sports Agent’s Loans to Poor Players Pose Concerns.’ The Boras firm was in question whether the company exploited the prospects like Edward Salcedo of Dominican Republic. Boras dismissed the issue and Salcedo himself disputed the claim.
27. In March 2013, Boras secured an unusual contract for Elvis Andrus with the Texas Rangers. He negotiated an eight year, $ 120 million extension with a vesting option for a ninth year and a player opt-out after fourth year.
28. In July , rapper and novice sports agent Jay-Z mentioned Boras in a song on his new album, referencing the decision by Robinson Cano to go with Jay-Z rather than Boras and accusing him of being ‘over baby.’
29. Boras was criticized for putting clients’ interest over the teams. In 2012,he advised Stephen Drew not to risk his broken ankle and in the process jeopardizing a large contract, when the teams are paying him to win ballgames. Has negotiated 14 nine figure contract with potential for many more.
30. In November 2018, Boras blamed non-competitive teams as cancer to baseball with eight of them finishing with 95 losses and three with over 100 losses. He also noted 17 of the 30 Major League teams saw their attendance decline.
31. Scott Boras Net Worth: $400 Million