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On To The Next One: Fernando Rodney

A number of baseball players have left baseball agency ACES in the past few months.  As documented in the article, “How The Melky Cabrera Chaos Is Affecting ACES Baseball Agency,” the company owned and managed by brothers Sam and Seth Levinson lost clients Nyjer Morgan and Shane Victorino in the wake of MLB and MLB Players Association investigations concerning the involvement of a person associated with the agency in covering-up Melky Cabrera’s drug use.  Jonny Gomes also departed from ACES in the recent past.  And as reported by ESPN.com writer Jerry Crasnick, yet another player has made a switch.  Fernando Rodney is now represented by Dan Lozano.

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/jcrasnick/status/275640800359100416″]

It is impossible to know whether or not all of these players have left ACES due to the negative press concerning the company’s relationship with Cabrera (unless any players publicly announce why they chose to find new representation).  However, even in an industry flooded by players constantly switching agents, the number of high profile players to leave ACES in such a short amount of time must be particularly troubling for the agency.

The loss of Rodney is tough, especially after he had a stellar 2012, keeping his ERA below 2.00.  On Halloween, the Tampa Bay Rays picked up their 2013 option on Rodney, which will cost them $2.5 million.  In 2014, he becomes a free agent.

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.