MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred yesterday announced Rockies SS Jose Reyes was "placed on paid administrative leave" as the league "completes its investigation of Reyes under its new domestic violence policy," according to Patrick Saunders of the DENVER POST. The joint domestic violence policy with the MLBPA "permits the commissioner to impose a paid suspension pending resolution of the legal proceedings or an investigation." The commissioner may "place an accused player on leave for up to seven days while allegations are investigated." Reyes is "scheduled to go on trial April 4, the same day as the Rockies' regular-season opener." Manfred is also "expected to make a ruling" on domestic violence cases involving Yankees P Aroldis Chapman and Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig. Saunders notes that under the policy, there "is no minimum or maximum penalty, and punishment is not dependent on whether the player is convicted of a crime or pleaded guilty." If a player "is suspended, the player would not be paid and would not accrue major-league service time." The team is not "allowed to issue punishment to the player, unless the commissioner defers to the team" (DENVER POST, 2/24). YAHOO SPORTS' Chris Cwik noted even if Reyes is found not guilty or the case is "resolved prior to his trial date, Manfred can still choose to suspend Reyes" under the new policy. After the legal proceedings have concluded, Manfred "also has the option to convert Reyes' paid leave to an unpaid suspension" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/23). In DC, Barry Svrluga writes Manfred's move "shows both the teeth the new policy could have and the potential problems in preventing players from reporting to their teams while their cases are sorted out" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/24).
DECISIONS IN OTHER CASES COMING SOON? ESPN's Buster Olney expects a decision regarding Chapman and Puig will "come sooner" than Reyes, because the facts in those cases "may be as established as they are going to be." Olney said MLB has the "high ground on the domestic violence issue right now, because they have been proactive in this." The league "came up with a policy before they had any incidents." However, the Chapman case is "difficult for them, because they have a player who has been cleared of charges." Olney: "They have to determine what exactly is fair” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 2/24). The N.Y. Daily News' Anthony McCarron said the Chapman case is "kind of looming over camp a little bit." McCarron: "This is just a process that everybody is sort of waiting for the outcome for the commissioner to make his ruling and decide on the suspension. ... We have got to figure at some point this week -- maybe any day -- we could hear what Chapman's suspension may or may not be" ("Daily News Live," SNY, 2/23).
