Former major leaguer Julio Lugo charged with kidnapping in the Dominican Republic - MLB

Julio Lugo, who played for seven teams in a 12-year career, was once arrested for slamming his wife’s head into the hood of a car and who was widely discussed as having attitude problems wherever he played has run into some legal trouble in the Dominican Republic.

D-Rays Bay has the story. Short version Lugo and some friends are alleged to have kidnapped a man and his girlfriend and held them hostage at gunpoint over some sort of business disagreement. The details, translated from the Spanish language reports, can all be read over at D-Rays Bay. For what it’s worth Carlos Jose Lugo, an executive with the Tigres del Licey (no idea if he’s related to Julio) says that I/we should not take this report at face value:

@craigcalcaterra And you should be Craig. I would not take that report at face value.

— Carlos Jose Lugo (@carlosjlugo) April 23, 2015

@craigcalcaterra Let’s say that not all of the “facts” alleged by the affected person, are exactly clear. Although, there was an incident.

— Carlos Jose Lugo (@carlosjlugo) April 23, 2015

So who knows. But I know this much: getting arrested for kidnapping and holding people hostage at gunpoint is not a good thing and that’s still the case even if you didn’t do it.

NEW YORK – Minor league players reached a historic initial collective bargaining agreement with Major League Baseball on Wednesday that will more than double player salaries, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details were not announced.

As part of the five-year deal, MLB agreed during the contract not to reduce minor league affiliates from the current 120.

The sides reached the deal two days before the start of the minor league season and hours after a federal judge gave final approval to a $185 million settlement reached with MLB last May of a lawsuit filed in 2014 alleging violations of federal minimum wage laws.

Union staff recommended approval and about 5,500 minor leaguers were expected to vote on Thursday. MLB teams must also vote to approve and are expected to do so over the next week.

Minimum salaries will rise from $4,800 to $19,800 at rookie ball, $11,000 to $26,200 at Low Class A, $11,000 to $27,300 at High Class A, $13,800 to $27,300 at Double A and $17,500 to $45,800 at Triple-A. Players will be paid in the offseason for the first time.

Most players will be guaranteed housing, and players at Double-A and Triple-A will be given a single room. Players below Double-A will have the option of exchanging club housing for a stipend. The domestic violence and drug policies will be covered by the union agreement. Players who sign for the first time at 19 or older can become minor league free agents after six seasons instead of seven.

Major leaguers have been covered by a labor contract since 1968 and the average salary has soared from $17,000 in 1967 to an average of $4.22 million last season. Full-season minor leaguers earned as little as $10,400 last year.

The Major League Baseball Players Association took over as the bargaining representative of the roughly 5,500 players with minor league contracts last September after a lightning 17-day organization drive.

Minor leaguers players will receive four weeks of retroactive spring training pay for this year. They will get $625 weekly for spring training and offseason training camp and $250 weekly for offseason workouts at home.

Beginning in 2024, teams can have a maximum of 165 players under contract during the season and 175 during the offseason, down from the current 190 and 180.

The union will take over group licensing rights for players.

Negotiating for players was led by Tony Clark, Bruce Meyer, Harry Marino, Ian Penny and Matt Nussbaum. MLB Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem headed management’s bargainers.