Manfred said the Astros scandal was only the latest in a series of cases in which rules were broken by teamsGETTY IMAGES
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Wednesday convened all 30 team owners on a conference call so he could "address the bitter fallout from his investigation" into the Astros' sign-stealing scheme and "issue a warning about what he has described as a 'culture of cheating' in the game," according to sources cited by David Waldstein of the N.Y. TIMES. Manfred during the call noted that the Astros scandal was "only the latest in a series of cases in which team personnel -- both players and executives -- had broken rules to gain a competitive advantage." The day after the call, Manfred gathered more than 1,000 MLB employees and "explained his decision-making in the investigation and his choice to grant immunity to the Astros players involved." Manfred in an interview on Friday said, "I abhor the fact that we made a decision that evoked this kind of emotion from the players. It's not good for the sport." However, Waldstein noted "many feel Manfred got it right" with the Astros' punishment, including former MLBPA COO Gene Orza. He said of Manfred, "He is far and away the smartest commissioner they've ever had, and he gives everything a lot of thought." Meanwhile, White Sox Chair Jerry Reinsdorf said the Astros "should just shut up and go play baseball." He said that Manfred has "done a 'marvelous job' and praised his handling of the Astros investigation." MLB Commissioner Emeritus Bud Selig said he is "really saddened" by the recent criticism of Manfred "because I think it's unfair" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/23).
BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE: In Boston, Peter Abraham wrote Manfred cannot take away the '17 World Series title from the Astros, but he "still can act." Abraham: "Start with banning the Astros from the 2020 postseason." Manfred also "should cut their bonus money for international signees in half for the next two years" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/23). Rangers President of Baseball Operations & GM Jon Daniels, on whether the Astros' World Series title should be stripped, said, "Personally I don't see the value in doing so. ... It's hard to erase history -- we don't have to celebrate it the same way, but it happened" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/23). However, on Long Island, David Lennon wrote after "hearing so many players throughout the league publicly call for the Astros to be stripped" of their World Series title, it is "not such a crazy concept anymore." Lennon: "Just the opposite. It's a punishment that best fits the crime" (NEWSDAY, 2/23). In Jacksonville, Gene Frenette wrote maybe when Manfred is "threatened with losing his job, he might relent and vacate" the Astros' World Series title. But until then, the "punishment for Manfred and the Astros will be public backlash from stars like Mike Trout, the shame confronting them from fans at many ballparks, and the diminished respect in the eyes of virtually everyone in baseball unless that crown is surrendered" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 2/22).
MEDIA MONITOR: In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote unless they are "empty-headed, MLB's network TV partners will air plenty of Astros games in April, May and June." With the Astros "starring as baseball's villain, it won't just be the local Houston media covering the team." The national baseball media "will be involved in this too" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/23).
PREVIOUS TREPIDATION: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Beaton & Diamond noted MLB owners and execs in '11 "privately wrestled with a difficult question: Should they allow Jim Crane to buy" the Astros. Crane had offered $680M to buy the team, a sum that would "mark the second-highest price ever for a baseball franchise at the time." But sources said that "behind closed doors," owners and execs, including then-Commissioner Selig, were "concerned about Crane's business history." Crane's logistics business "faced allegations of bigotry, sexism and systemic discrimination." His company was "later accused of price fixing and defrauding the U.S. government to profiteer off the Iraq war." The Astros' sale to Crane was "ultimately approved." But now, nine years later, another of Crane's businesses has been "accused of breaking the rules: his baseball team" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/23).
DOESN'T HELP ANYONE: In Boston, Dan Shaughnessy wrote David Ortiz' first day back at Red Sox Spring Training as a team advisor was "not his finest hour." When a member of the Red Sox brass, like Ortiz, calls Astros whistleblower Mike Fiers a "snitch" while the Red Sox are the "subject of an ongoing MLB investigation regarding cheating allegations, it borders on witness intimidation" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/23). Also in Boston, Sean McAdam wrote Ortiz' comments were "regrettable." It is not to say that Fiers "should be in line for the congressional medal of honor for serving as the whistleblower," but he "deserved credit for shining a public light on the Astros' transgressions." He had the "courage to put his name to his comments, the latter of which helped lead to baseball's investigation." The list of MLB officials who have "covered themselves in glory in this mess is a very short one." It is "unfortunate" that Baseball HOFer Pedro Martinez and Ortiz have "focused more on Fiers' refusal to stay quiet and honor the game's silly 'code' than on the bravery he demonstrated." It is "quite likely" that the sign-stealing scandal "would continue to be covered up without the information he supplied" (BOSTONSPORTSJOURNAL.com, 2/22). A's manager Bob Melvin criticized Ortiz for his negative comments on Fiers, saying, "What's the alternative? Just let it continue?" Melvin: "This needed to stop. And this was the only way it was going to happen" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/22).
