Categories
Dynasty Athlete Representation

8/9/09 News & Notes

I’m not a big fan of writing posts on the weekend, and rarely churn out two News & Notes pieces on consecutive days, but Dynasty‘s boys have been performing extremely well at a pivotal point of the season.  With all teams past their All-Star breaks and lots of cuts being made, Dynasty’s boys are shining.  Here are some highlights from last night:

  • Sometimes, even we forget that we have clients that aren’t pitchers.  Ben Billingsley, currently with the Everett Aquasox of the Seattle Mariners organization, hit a homerun last night, which is his 3rd of the season.  Not bad for the guy who is known for his defense and speed on the bases.  Billingsley had a short stint in Triple A earlier in the year.
  • On the other side of the country, Eric Valdez, got the save for another Seattle Mariners affiliate (Pulaski).  In 1 inning of relief, he struck out two batters.
  • Kyle Gunderson, usually inserted as the closer, came into a tight 3-2 game between the Jupiter Hammerheads and St. Lucie Mets.  He pitched a perfect inning to pick up his second hold of the season.
  • Last night, the Potomac Nationals moved into a tie for first place in the Carolina league.  The P-Nats won the league last year, with Dan Leatherman being a major contributor in the playoffs.  Leatherman is once again pitching great in the latter half of the season.  Last night, he pitched the 9th inning, giving up no runs.  His ERA is now a very impressive 3.13 in 54.2 innings pitched (highest amongst P-Nat relievers).
  • While Kyle McPherson was charged with the loss in last night’s game against the Hudson Valley Renegades, he did pick up his fifth quality start in his last six outings. McPherson went 6 innings and gave up only 3 runs, 4 hits, and struck out 2.  He did not give up a single walk, improving his K/BB ratio: 39/6.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.