Tim Anderson has changed his representation once again.
According to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal, the Chicago White Sox shortstop has signed with Excel Sports Management. He is being represented by the agency’s baseball division led by partner and MLB agent Casey Close.
Established in 2002, Excel Sports Management is described as “an industry-leading management and marketing agency that represents top-tier talent, blue-chip brands, and marquee properties.” The group is based in New York City and has offices in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, and London.
Tim Anderson made headlines in June 2020 when he previously hired Klutch Sports Management for representation. At the time, Forbes ranked the group 27th overall on their 2019 World’s Most Valuable Sports Agencies list, with notable clients including LeBron James, Anthony Davis, John Wall, Alex Bregman, and Marcus Stroman. It’s unclear what led to his departure or when it occurred exactly, but Spotrac has his most recent agency listed as Reynolds Sports Management – which still is displaying a photo of Anderson on their website’s home page.
Of course, Excel Sports Management doesn’t come without recent controversy.
In free agency last offseason, Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman made shockwaves in the industry after he left his long-time team for the Dodgers. It was later revealed that the process left Freeman very frustrated with his agent, Close, who led negotiations. The fallout led to Freeman describing his representation as a “fluid situation,” with reports saying that Close and Excel Sports Management would likely be dropped.
There was also an added layer to all of this, as Fox Sports host Doug Gottlieb said in a deleted tweet that Close never told Freeman of Atlanta’s final offer.
“Casey Close never told Freddie Freeman about the Braves final offer, that is why Freeman fired him. He found out in Atlanta this weekend. It isn’t that rare to have happen in MLB, but it happened – Close knew Freddie would have taken the ATL deal.”
Close would sue Gottlieb for libel saying that he had falsely defamed him. Later in July, Gottlieb retracted his statement and admitted that he “simply got it wrong.”
Anderson, 29, previously reached a long-term deal with the White Sox back in 2017 that guaranteed him $25 million over six years. The contract also included club options worth $12.5 million for 2023 and $14 million for 2024 with a $1 million buyout.
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Featured Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
I wouldn’t trust Doug Gottlieb as far as I could throw him.
He has a history of poor character moments. He got kicked out of Notre Dame because he stole wallets/money out of lockers of his fellow basketball players. His defamation of Casey Close was another classic!!!
I hope Tim Anderson is happier with the new representation.
Now if he could only stay on the field for a prolonged time.