Rob Manfred had to answer questions about the Astros’ punishments last week while enduring criticism from players.getty images
After a week in which he acknowledged his own misstep and endured scathing criticism from typically reserved MLB stars as well as a global superstar in LeBron James, the prevailing message that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred received from baseball’s other 29 clubs was this: Houston Astros owner Jim Crane is the person most responsible for the sport’s ongoing public relations mess.
“It’s really been, ‘I know it’s been tough for you — you’re taking a hit for Crane,’” according to an industry source close to Manfred.
Manfred was taken aback by Crane’s tone when he and the team attempted to apologize publicly on Feb. 13 for the sign-stealing scandal that has dominated recent discussion of the sport. Crane’s comment that the team’s elaborate scheme during their 2017 World Series-winning season had no impact on the outcome of games was, in particular, widely panned as tone deaf and defiant. What made the owner’s display even more striking was the fact that the organization has been working with an outside firm on crisis management and had exactly one month from the time Manfred issued his nine-page report to craft an appropriately contrite public response.
The Astros’ perceived lack of remorse wasn’t the only source of outrage among MLB players. They were equally united in their displeasure with Manfred’s comment in an ESPN interview that called the World Series trophy “a piece of metal.” Manfred later apologized, calling the remark a mistake, but that has not tamped down calls from MLB players to punish the Astros players — who were given immunity for cooperating with the investigation — or strip the franchise of the 2017 title.
That is a path Manfred is reluctant to travel, because it would establish a precedent for taking away other championships and awards that may have been tainted by cheating methods, including the use of performance-enhancing drugs. However, it is a topic unlikely to go away any time soon, especially with a ruling expected as early as this week on MLB’s investigation into sign stealing by the 2018 Boston Red Sox, who also won the World Series. The source close to Manfred said he is not planning to revisit the issue of vacating either championship.
If nothing else, MLB has a new villain for opposing fan bases to pay attention to. Whether that affects business metrics such as ticket sales when the Astros come to town is still to be determined. The Texas Rangers, for instance, don’t put single-game tickets on sale until late next week, but it will be worth watching whether there’s a sales impact to the three series this year against the Astros. The Rangers will host Houston for the first time April 10 at the new Globe Life Field, but the weekend date, the in-state rivalry and the new stadium could all contribute to an increase in ticket sales. Last year for a comparable April weekend set against Houston, the Rangers averaged 33,836 fans at Globe Life Park.
