Red Sox miffed over Padres justice
By Rick McNair
The Boston Red Sox apparently have some issues regarding the way justice is dispensed by MLB. A slap on the wrist for the San Diego Padres.
The Boston Red Sox have a bone to pick with Major League Baseball and the San Diego Padres organization.
Red Sox chairman Tom Werner recently spoke out regarding the Drew Pomeranz trade in which the Padres were less than forthcoming in the exchange of medical records.
"“We were extremely disappointed in the decision,” said Werner. “We felt that some wrong was committed and that it’s important to have a level playing field. The Padres didn’t play on it.” – Tom Werner"
Baseball has a unique justice system that is not unusual in sports since justice is dispensed by the commissioner for various infractions. With player discipline, the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) provides a framework for doling out suspensions – most notably for violations of drug policy.
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Major League Baseball contains individual competitors with each franchise that is also part of the larger structure that is MLB itself. MLB is an economic enterprise with mutual interests. The most visible display in the application of television, cable and radio contracts that are done both on an individual team basis and as a collective.
Baseball is also exempt from the pesky and intrusive (to them) anti-trust laws – the only professional sport so designated. The roots of that can be traced back almost a hundred years to 1922 and the United States Supreme Court has upheld that decision several times.
Recently the Padres felt the hammer of justice over their own questionable practices regarding the dispensing of medical information. Each player has entered into their medical biography the most mundane of applications. An aspirin is even noted, as is a visit to the whirlpool. When a player is traded this goes with him for examination of the receiving team’s medical staff.
Trades often have an attachment that states “Pending a physical examination.” The examination also contains a review of medical records to ensure that damaged goods are not being traded. The process is supposed to be open and the reasoning is obvious. This is not the closeout shelf at Wal-Mart, but meat on the hoof that can represent seven, eight and even nine figures in money being exchanged.
What happens when you cheat? Apparently very little. That hammer was made of Jello.
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The Padres and Red Sox are the focus of this since this is a Red Sox site, but the Padres certainly established a behavior pattern with the dispensing of vital medical information. Or I should say “lack of” dispensing information. This is not the organization’s first and only lack of transparency in being honest with their associates in major league baseball. The Padres were cooking the books.
The team had two sets of records – external and internal. The external was the one submitted to MLB and other teams and the internal was for their use only. Try doing that with the Internal Revenue Service. The Padres were guilty and have admitted it. No question. Done.
The “justice” dispensed was at the level of a parking ticket, as Padres general Manager A.J. Preller copped a thirty-day suspension without pay. I will state unequivocally that Peller will not have a plastic cup and be propped up in front of PetCo Park begging for spare change.
Padres manager, Andy Green, in a shocking development jumped into the fray and defended his GM and the organization. I am sure that in Green’s convoluted thought process or lack of this makes reasonable sense – at least to Green. I also imagine Green believes the moon is made of green cheese and unicorns and quite real.
"“Malicious intent to deceive anyone in the process” – Andy Green – Padres Manager"
The Red Sox are certainly not novices and innocents in the manipulation of the rules. The organization was held accountable to a high standard for their recent skullduggery in attempting to circumvent international signing rules. The price was exorbitant in certain quarters, but I found it rather reasonable. However, the Padres apparently are held to a different standard.
So what type of pound of flesh should be extracted from the Padres?
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None – since the decision has been rendered and as unpalatable as it is the Red Sox have to abide. Werner and the rest of the organization can toss a temper tantrum and it will not change the decision. I would certainly say this gives free reign to other executives in baseball to be as shady as possible so when they are eventually nabbed can say: “Just treat me like A.J. Preller.”