MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred "made a strong statement" yesterday by issuing a 30-game suspension for Yankees P Aroldis Chapman for "domestic violence allegations stemming from an October incident at his Miami home," according to Mark Feinsand of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. The suspension is effective Opening Day, and Chapman "will be able to participate in spring training and preseason games and activities." A source said that MLB and the MLBPA "agreed to the suspension last week, but there was confusion among Chapman’s camp as to whether the penalty was 30 games or 30 days." The two sides "cleared up the issue, which included Chapman’s vow not to appeal the suspension through an arbitrator." The 30 days of lost service time "won’t stop him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/2). USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale cites a source as saying that Manfred "was ready to issue an even longer suspension last week, 35 to 40 games," until Chapman and his legal team "negotiated a lesser penalty throughout the weekend." Manfred with the suspension has "made it clear baseball will have no tolerance on domestic violence abuse cases, after years of neglect." Nightengale: "Baseball took a powerful stand" (USA TODAY, 3/2). In N.Y., Joel Sherman writes Manfred "delivered a significant precedent-setting penalty under his new domestic abuse policy." That Chapman "cooperated with MLB’s investigation and agreed not to appeal the penalty certainly kept Manfred from imposing a larger penalty of 40 or even 50 games" (N.Y. POST, 3/2).
SIGNIFICANCE OF NO APPEAL: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jared Diamond writes Chapman's decision not to appeal "comes as a surprise" after some earlier comments he has made. The length of the suspension "ensures that he will still reach free agency" after the '16 season, which "perhaps played a role in his choice." Since players "don’t accrue service time while suspended, a ban of more than 45 days would have delayed Chapman’s free agency for another year, enabling the Yankees to keep him next season" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/2). ESPNW's Sarah Spain wrote the fact that Chapman will not appeal "makes a strong statement about the partnership" between MLB and the MLBPA on the issue of domestic violence. That the ruling was "handed down and agreed upon without incident sets the stage for further rulings and establishes that both sides are on the same page" (ESPNW.com, 3/1). ESPN N.Y.'s Andrew Marchand wrote avoiding the appeals process keeps the MLBPA "from the uncomfortable position of having to publicly defend one of its members accused of domestic violence and poor judgment with a gun" (ESPNNY.com, 3/1). ESPN's Tony Kornheiser: "It's a very big win for Rob Manfred because there's no appeal. What we've seen in football time after time after time is everything is appealed, and very often the NFL loses on appeal. Rob Manfred, I would say, skillfully negotiated this with Chapman and with the Yankees, and it's a big win" ("PTI," ESPN, 3/1).
STRIKING A BALANCE: In N.Y., John Harper writes Manfred "recognized not so much an opportunity as a responsibility to do right by the sport’s new policy on domestic violence." While 30 games for Chapman "may not sound terribly dramatic, it carries significant weight considering that no charges were filed in his case." Harper: "You have to say that Manfred did get this right, all things considered." Manfred "had to find a number that would make it clear there is no place for this ugliness in baseball ... yet avoid a grievance and a potential legal battle from the players union looking to protect one of its own." Manfred "worked behind the scenes to make sure this first ruling would have a clean outcome" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/2). ESPN.com's Jayson Stark wrote the NFL had drawn "a clear picture of what not to do, of how not to handle" a domestic violence case. So there was "never any doubt among baseball people who know him that Rob Manfred was going to send as clear a signal as he could that this sort of behavior is not tolerable." The suspension "tells us that when it comes time for the commissioner to rule" on Rockies SS Jose Reyes' case later this season, it "would no longer surprise anyone if the suspension for that offense was somewhere in the vicinity of 100 games" (ESPN.com, 2/29). SI.com's Cliff Corcoran wrote the message sent to "not only other players, but to fans of baseball ... by the Chapman suspension is far more important than the precise appropriateness of the suspension itself to Chapman’s case." The clear message is that MLB "will no longer tolerate such incidents involving its players" (SI.com, 3/1). SNY's Jonas Schwartz said Manfred "looks very strong here." But the N.Y. Daily News' Frank Isola said, "The test case will be Reyes, because that one is a trial" ("Daily News Live," SNY, 3/1).
SETTING A PRECEDENT: In N.Y., Billy Witz writes Manfred "established a strong precedent with the first case under his new policy" by arriving at a number of games "that everyone could live with." In particular, he "established an immediate contrast with the chaos the NFL has encountered in trying to devise a coherent policy on domestic violence" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/2). On Long Island, David Lennon writes, "Manfred got it right -- or as close as he could reasonably hope for" (NEWSDAY, 3/2). FOXSPORTS.com's Ken Rosenthal added, "It is a win for a sport trying to send the proper message on domestic violence. ... Baseball sent a message. Baseball got it right" (FOXSPORTS.com, 3/1). But SNY's Chris Carlin said Manfred needed to be "harsher when it's the first one out of the gate to send a message." Carlin noted MLB's policy is "basically all-encompassing, allowing Rob Manfred to act as judge and jury." Carlin: "In essence, what Manfred did here was to decide, 'I'm going to put this behind us as quickly as we can,' as opposed to making a major statement" ("Loud Mouths," SNY, 3/1).
PUIG UNLIKELY TO FACE SUSPENSION: ESPN's Pedro Gomez cited sources as saying that Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig is "not expected to be suspended for an alleged domestic violence incident involving his sister." MLB's investigation is "not closed and a final decision might take some time." However, sources said that "nothing has been uncovered that would warrant a suspension" (ESPN.com, 3/1).
