Rockies SS Jose Reyes "could become the first player subject" to MLB's domestic violence policy after he was arrested last month in Hawaii for "allegedly assaulting his wife in their hotel room," according to Patrick Saunders of the DENVER POST. The policy was agreed to in August by the league and the MLBPA, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is "empowered to discipline players for acts of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse." The agreement allows Manfred to issue penalties for "'just cause,' and discipline is not dependent on a criminal conviction." The deal includes "intervention, treatment and confidentiality provisions" (DENVER POST, 11/10). Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports MLB will conduct a "full investigation" into the Reyes case. MLB has time since the incident occurred during the offseason; players can be "placed on administrative leave for up to seven days in-season" (TWITTER.com, 11/10). Manfred this morning said the league will process the Reyes case "consistent with the new policy we negotiated" with the MLBPA. He added, "We felt good about the policy when we negotiated it. This will be the first test and I think it will stand the test” (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 11/10).
IN A TOUGH SPOT: NBCSPORTS.com's Craig Calcaterra writes Manfred is in a "precarious place" in determining any potential penalties for Reyes. He can "set a strict discipline regime from the get-go without seriously worrying about being overturned or, at the very least, without being overturned absent strenuous opposition from Reyes and" the MLBPA. However, the precedent set with any punishment for Reyes "will be the standard from which all future domestic violence incidents are judged." Calcaterra: "The risk of bad optics are legion, as his counterpart in the NFL can attest. Punish Reyes too heavily and he runs the risk of a battle with the union. Punish Reyes too lightly and he runs the risk of appearing to be soft on domestic violence" (NBCSPORTS.com, 11/10).
