Categories
Dynasty Athlete Representation Headline MLB Players Performance Analysis

Making A Case For Clint Robinson

Let me preface the following bullet points by saying that I am in no way suggesting that Clint Robinson starts next season on an MLB roster.  In all likelihood, the Kansas City Royals will be protecting Robinson on their 40-man roster by the middle of November 2010, preventing Robinson from being grabbed by another team in the Rule 5 Draft.  The club wants him to play on a Royals heavy Puerto Rico Baseball League Winter Ball team, thereafter.  Robinson will likely then attend Major League Spring Training, but probably start next season in Triple-A, even if it is solely because of team arbitration strategy.

There is a huge distinction between being a player who has not yet reached arbitration eligibility and one who has.  That’s why many players hope to become super-twos and become arbitration eligible one year earlier than most of their colleagues.  Teams are smart, though, and may limit a star player’s MLB time when he is young, to prevent him becoming arbitration eligible as a super-two.

There are quite a few teams heading to the playoffs that would want to test his bat in the big leagues right now.  My case for Clint Robinson is to let his résumé speak for itself.

  • Triple Crown – The third player in Texas League history to hit for the Triple Crown.  He finished the 2010 season with a .335 AVG, 29 HR, and 98 RBI.  His HR and RBI total set new records for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (homerun record previously held by current Major Leaguer Kila Ka’aihue).
  • In addition to winning the Triple Crown, he led the Double-A Texas League in doubles (41), total bases (298), slugging (.625), and on-base-plus-slugging (1.035).  Clint was also 2nd in the league in hits (160) and runs (90).
  • Texas League Player of the Week three times and Texas League Player of the Month twice.
  • Selected to the Mid-Season All-Star Team and Post-Season All-Star Team.
  • Named Northwest Arkansas Naturals Player of the Year.
  • Named Northwest Arkansas Naturals Unsung Hero in 2010.
  • Broke the Northwest Arkansas Naturals hitting streak after hitting safely in 20 consecutive games.
  • Had a high AVG against right-handed pitchers (.341) and left-handed pitchers (.326) and also high on-base-plus-slugging against right (1.074) and left (.967) handed pitching.
  • He is a clutch hitter.  His OPS is highest when there are runners in scoring position (1.080).  He also averaged a homerun per 14.6 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
  • From August 6-12, 2010, he hit a homerun in five consecutive games (six homeruns in all).
  • Led the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals to a first half and second half division title, and the most wins ever by a Royals affiliate.
  • Recipient of the 2009 Mike Sweeney Award, which is awarded to the player that best represents the Royals organization both on and off the field.

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.