Category Archives: Discipline

February 2, 2023

Dodgers Speak on Bauer

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The Dodgers spoke to reporters about the release of Trevor Bauer. Here they address why they took two weeks to reach their decision:

“There were no games we were playing,” Kasten said. “We had the time. Check all our bases, get all the info you could get to make a decision, which we did, and that included hearing from Trevor because we had not spoken to him since the beginning of this. And because we had the time, we took the time to get as much info as we can to be sure we were making the right decision. That’s what we did. We feel like we made the right decision. And we’ll move on.”

ESPN.com

That’s fine. No one can accuse them of not listening.

January 24, 2023

Clevinger Investigated

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MLB is conducting an investigation into a charge of domestic violence brought against Mike Clevinger:

Olivia Finestead publicly revealed the allegations in an Instagram post Tuesday. Clevinger, a 32-year-old right-hander and a six-year major league veteran, agreed to a $12 million, one-year contract as a free agent that was announced on Dec. 4.

“MLB opened an investigation after learning of these allegations,” the team said in a statement. “The White Sox were not aware of the allegations or the investigation at the time of his signing. The White Sox will refrain from comment until MLB’s investigative process has reached its conclusion.”

Chron.com

Another woman noted that Clevinger was a lot like former teammate Trevor Bauer.

About the time of her first sexual encounter with Bauer, the woman said in a message to her cousin: “Trevor is a wackadoodle like Clev.” 

So this investigation does not come as a shock.

December 23, 2022

Bauer Back

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The Dodgers have another arm for their rotation:

An arbitrator reduced pitcher Trevor Bauer’s record suspension from 324 games to 194 games on Thursday, clearing Bauer to return to Major League Baseball after the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher missed all of 2022 serving a ban for violating the league’s domestic violence policy.

Bauer’s appeal of the suspension was partially successful, as he’ll be immediately eligible to play and will retain most of his $35.3 million salary in 2023.

AZCentral.com

The Dodgers now have two weeks to decide if they want to reinstate him. If not, they can release him for $22 million. What happens then is anyone’s guess. Teams do take runs at supposedly toxic players, as the Yankees and Cubs did with Aroldis Chapman.

October 9, 2022

Chapman Dropped

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The Yankees dropped Aroldis Chapman from the ALDS roster for disciplinary reasons. He missed Friday’s workout:

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sunday that the former All-Star closer was in Miami rather than at Yankee Stadium and did not provide an acceptable excuse.

ESPN.com

Chapman did not endear himself to Yankees management over the tattoo infection. While he may no longer wish to remain with the Yankees, these antics are not going to help him gain a lucrative free-agent contract this winter.

July 30, 2022

Another Anderson Suspension

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MLB issued a three-game suspension against Tim Anderson for making contact with an umpire Friday night.

Anderson, 29, was unhappy with a first pitch strike call by Mahrley in the bottom of the seventh inning. The two had words before Mahrley ejected Anderson who then approached the umpire, making contact between his helmet and Mahrley’s cap.

ESPN.com

This is the second suspension imposed on Anderson for making contact with an umpire. Maybe the White Sox should take some action to prevent this in the future. They are better off with him in the lineup. In addition, MLB has been promoting Anderson as a star. If this keeps happening, that star will be a bit tarnished.

June 27, 2022

Brawl Suspensions

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MLB came down hard on the participants in the brawl between the Mariners and the Angels on Sunday:

Los Angeles Angels interim manager Phil Nevin was suspended 10 games and Seattle Mariners outfielder Jesse Winker received a five-game ban from Major League Baseball for their roles in a benches-clearing brawl during the second inning of Sunday’s game.

Nevin and Winker were two of 12 players or coaches suspended between the teams, according to an MLB release Monday night.

Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford received five games, Angels pitchers Ryan Tepera and Andrew Wantz were suspended for three, and Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez, Angels reliever Raisel Iglesias and major league interpreter Manny Del Campo received two games.

Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon, who is out for the rest of the season after undergoing wrist surgery, will be suspended five games when he returns from the injured list. For now, he is prohibited from sitting on the bench for the next seven games.

ESPN.com

The coaches will server staggered suspensions. I assume the players will appeal, but I assume they would be staggered as well.

June 26, 2022

More on the Brawl

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Matt Calkins of the Seattle Times mostly blames the Angels and the umpires for today’s nasty brawl between Seattle and LAnaheim. He does, however, point out that the Mariners are in plenty of trouble:

All that said, the Mariners were hardly angels in their fight with the Halos. Shortstop J.P. Crawford, who was throwing legitimate punches, was tossed and will likely face a lengthy suspension. Angels broadcasters weren’t wrong when they suggested that the Mariners looked intent on keeping the altercation going. And when Winker flipped two birds toward the crowd in Anaheim after coming off the field, he forfeited most, if not all, the sympathy he might have garnered after absorbing Wantz’s 91-mph fastball.

SeattleTimes.com

Note that the benches were warned after starter Andrew Wantz threw behind Julio Rodriguez. Winker could have taken the hit on the hip and walked to first base knowing the pitcher and the manager Phil Nevin would be ejected and likely disciplined. Now the Mariners, on a winning streak, face discipline also.

June 7, 2022

Astros Suspended

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MLB suspended pitcher Hector Neris and manager Dusty Baker of the Astros for Neris throwing at Eugenio Suarez of the Mariners Monday night:

Houston Astros reliever Hector Neris was issued a four-game suspension Tuesday for intentionally throwing behind Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez’s head Monday after both teams had been warned following a benches-clearing skirmish.

Astros manager Dusty Baker was suspended one game by Major League Baseball for Neris’ actions, and both were fined an undisclosed amount.

ESPN.com

Good. There’s no excuse for intentionally throwing at batters. Someone is going to get killed.

May 28, 2022

Pheast or Pham-ine

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Tommy Pham agreed to a three-game suspension for slapping Joc Pederson. Friday’s game counted toward the suspension. Pham also gave his side of the story, and it was not just about football:

It seems Pederson said mean things about the 2021 Padres, which included Pham.

I’m just glad Pederson wasn’t wearing his pearls, as they might have scattered all over the outfield.

May 23, 2022

Suspended and Ill

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Josh Donaldson had a bad day. The Yankees placed him on the COVID illjured list, and MLB suspended him for one game for his antics Saturday:

“MLB has completed the process of speaking to the individuals involved in this incident. There is no dispute over what was said on the field. Regardless of Mr. Donaldson’s intent, the comment he directed toward Mr. Anderson was disrespectful and in poor judgment, particularly when viewed in the context of their prior interactions,” Hill said in a statement.

“In addition, Mr. Donaldson’s remark was a contributing factor in a bench-clearing incident between the teams, and warrants discipline,” he said.

Chron.com

Donaldson will appeal the suspension.

In better news for the Yankees, Aroldis Chapman underwent an MRI on his Achilles tendon. The results were negative, but the Yankees may put the closer on the IL to let him rest and recover.

May 17, 2022 May 2, 2022 May 1, 2022

Warned or Not?

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The Mets were plunked for the twentieth time this season, and when Yoan Lopez came out to pitch the ninth inning with the Phillies down 10-4, he tried to hit batters. The benches appeared to warned, but when Lopez landed a pitch on Alec Bohm, no one was ejected. The ESPN crew didn’t understand it, so we’ll wait for an explanation from the umpires.

The Mets took the game 10-6.

April 30, 2022

Due Diligence

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Here is a quote from when the Dodgers signed Trevor Bauer:

Back then, Bauer told reporters, “I’m doing my best to be better.” And Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, said the team’s due diligence focused on talking to Bauer, his former teammates and previous organizations.

“We came away from it feeling good about it,” Friedman said at the time. “Now, obviously time will tell, but I feel like he’s going to be a tremendous add, not just on the field, but in the clubhouse and the community.”

Chron.com

When the Mets fired Jared Porter over sexual harassment, it came out that in doing their due diligence, the team never spoke with any women. It looks like this may be the case with the Dodgers, even though Bauer’s social media gave them reason to do so. It might be a good idea to put a sign up in the office of everyone in MLB who hires that says, “Talk to women.”

April 29, 2022

Two for Trevor

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MLB suspends pitcher Trevor Bauer for two years:

Major League Baseball announced a 324-game suspension for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer on Friday, the equivalent of two full seasons and by far the most severe punishment handed out under the sport’s domestic violence policy.

…

Bauer’s suspension, if it holds through the appeal process, would last until the 19th game of the 2024 season, by which point his three-year contract with the Dodgers will have expired. The Dodgers will not be paying Bauer, who stands to lose around $28 million this year and $32 million next year. While he is suspended, Bauer will not be able to report to the team unless an arbitrator rules that his appeal is successful. 

MLB announced the suspension with a short statement that did not provide details of its findings, adding: “In accordance with the terms of the Policy, the Commissioner’s Office will not issue any further statements at this point in time.”

ESPN.com

Bauer will appeal the suspension and denies he violated any of the league policies. He is the first player to appeal this kind of suspension.

Previous suspensions showed that a player does not need to be held liable in a legal sense for a suspension to be imposed. I don’t see any comments from the MLBPA on the suspension, and I wonder if they will help Bauer with the appeal. I suspect not.

Update: Another woman came forward with similar allegations against Bauer.

April 28, 2022

HBP Discipline

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MLB came down on players involved in the shoving match between the Mets and the Cardinals Wednesday:

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado and pitcher Genesis Cabrera have each received suspensions from Major League Baseball for their roles in the benches-clearing brawl in their 10-5 win Wednesday over the New York Mets at Busch Stadium.

ESPN.com

Three other players will pay fines.

April 11, 2022

HBP Suspension

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MLB suspended Keegan Thompson of the Cubs for intentionally hitting Andrew McCutchen of the Brewers:

Thompson was seemingly retaliating for several hit batsmen by Milwaukee pitchers, including Cubs catcher Willson Contreras getting hit in both of the first two games of the series. Earlier in the game, Cubs outfielder Ian Happ had to leave Saturday’s contest after getting hit in the knee by Brewers reliever Trevor Gott.

ESPN.com

Good. I am very much in favor of long suspensions for intentionally hitting batters. It’s too dangerous.

November 1, 2021

The Bauer Situation

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The Los Angeles Times answers questions about the state of the Trevor Bauer investigation:

If the district attorney decides not to charge Bauer with a crime, then what happens?


Baseball’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy, collectively bargained between the commissioner’s office and the players’ union, empowers Manfred to suspend a player for violating the policy. A player need not be charged or convicted.

LATimes.com

Most of the suspensions MLB handed down came when charges were dropped or never prosecuted.

September 10, 2021 July 19, 2021

Too Much Aruging

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Luis Rojas just received some extra vacation:

New York Mets manager Luis Rojas was handed a two-game suspension and an undisclosed fine by Major League Baseball on Monday for “excessive arguing” with umpires during Sunday’s 7-6 win over Pittsburgh.

Rojas will begin serving the suspension during Monday’s game at Cincinnati.

ESPN.com

He argued a fair-foul call that was not reviewable. Having replay means you can’t argue long, even if the play does not involve video. A suspension seems a bit harsh, however.

Update: A reader indicated that Rojas likely bumped an ump. That’s very different. Excuse my Emily Litella moment.

June 22, 2021

Hit Suspension

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Via BBTF, Alek Manoah of the Blue Jays receives a five game suspension for intentionally hitting Maikel Franco of the Orioles with a pitch:

Manoah was ejected from Saturday’s game for hitting Franco after surrendering back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. After allowing a two-run homer to Ryan Mountcastle and a solo homer to DJ Stewart — his third and fourth allowed in the game — Manoah plunked Franco on the left shoulder on the first pitch, prompting the benches and bullpens to empty, though no punches were thrown. Once the situation cooled down, the umpires conferred and ejected Manoah.

ESPN.com

If MLB really thinks a pitcher is throwing at a batter, the suspension should be much longer. Someone is going to get killed otherwise.

May 26, 2021

Callous Callaway

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Mickey Calloway felt the wrath of MLB discipline today:

Mickey Callaway has been placed on the ineligible list through the end of the 2022 season following Major League Baseball’s investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct, details of which were originally shared by The Athletic.

In a statement that was issued Wednesday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred wrote that the investigation “concluded that Mr. Callaway violated MLB’s policies and that placement on the ineligible list is warranted.”

The Los Angeles Angels issued a follow-up statement announcing they are firing Callaway as pitching coach, adding: “We appreciate Major League Baseball’s diligent investigation and support their decision.”

ESPN.com

I hope this long suspension sends the proper message.

May 2, 2021

Alomar Banned

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I am sorry I missed this Friday. MLB placed Roberto Alomar on the ineligible list:

Roberto Alomar, who had been serving as a consultant to Major League Baseball, has been placed on the league’s ineligible list after an investigation into a 2014 sexual misconduct allegation, while the Toronto Blue Jays, who had retired his number, also cut ties with the 12-time All-Star.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement Friday that an independent investigation by an external law firm was conducted into a baseball industry employee’s allegation made earlier this year.

“Having reviewed all of the available evidence from the now completed investigation, I have concluded that Mr. Alomar violated MLB’s policies, and that termination of his consultant contract and placement on MLB’s Ineligible List are warranted,” Manfred said.

ESPN.com

He is staying in the Hall of Fame, however.

I used to hear rumors about Alomar’s personal life, not about harassment, just an unusual lifestyle. I always took those with a grain of salt, but you always wonder.

April 16, 2021

Cubs Suspensions

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Cubs pitcher Ryan Tepera, manager David Ross, and coach Mike Borzello received suspensions for Tepera relatiating against Brandon Woodruff by intentionally throwing behind Woodruff. The Brewers were issuing quite a few HBPs to Cubs batters, and David Ross is upset about the suspensions. As Brew Crew Ball points out, however:

MLB’s stance on the suspension is that since the throw at Woodruff was intentional, the suspensions are warranted. However, the pitches that hit Contreras were not intentional, so no suspension was issued. The Cubs have even admitted that those pitches were not intentional, and are arguing more about a suspension for a pitch that didn’t hit a batter. It’s a fair argument by the Cubs, but MLB is focusing on the intent over the result.

BrewCrewBall.com

That’s right. Pitched balls get away, and that’s bad enough. Intentionally throwing at someone is risking injury for no good reason. I’m glad MLB is now regularly issuing suspensions for that kind of behavior.

March 12, 2021

Puig’s Problem

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ESPN details the sexual assault lawsuit against Yasiel Puig. The case is keeping teams from signing the outfielder:

“Nobody wants the headache,” the front-office source told ESPN.

ESPN.com

MLB’s investigation is tied up in the anonymity of the accuser. Until the law suit plays out, or the accuser comes drops the anonymity, the owners effectively suspended Puig by not signing him.

November 27, 2020

The Arozarena Situation

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Mexican authorities released Randy Arozarena from jail after the mother of his child reached a settlement with the Rays slugger. Unfortunately, we don’t know what actually happened, other than it seems to involve a custody battle over the child. MLB started an investigation into the matter, and if history is any guide, MLB tends to come down on the suspension of the player in these cases. It’s highly likely that the Rays start the season with Arozarena on the roster.

November 6, 2020

MLB and Justin Turner

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Major League Baseball will not punish Justin Turner for returning to the field after the Dodgers World Series victory.

The above contains a statement from Rob Manfred on the investigation, an apology from Justin Turner, and a statement from the Dodgers. Turner’s teammates wanted him to come out for the picture, MLB did not make it clear that he shouldn’t, and there were other miss-communication of facts.

October 28, 2020

Turner in Trouble

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Justin Turner returned to the field after the Dodgers won the World Series in violation of MLB protocols and in defiance of MLB security. MLB removed him from the game in the seventh inning after testing positive for COVID-19:

“While a desire to celebrate is understandable, Turner’s decision to leave isolation and enter the field was wrong and put everyone he came in contact with at risk. When MLB Security raised the matter of being on the field with Turner, he emphatically refused to comply.

“The Commissioner’s Office is beginning a full investigation into this matter and will consult with the Players Association within the parameters of the joint 2020 Operations Manual.”

LATimes.com

If the MLBPA brings a grievance over the imposition of a sixty game season, I suspect MLB will fight back with examples of players breaking protocols and putting the season at risk.

The article also discusses the possibility of calling the game at the point of learning there was a positive test:

“They were unlikely to continue to spread it that much by finishing that game, certainly from the Dodgers to the Rays,” Binney said. “You would expect that any transmission from Turner to other people in the organization had happened both recently and already, so that playing the rest of the game arguably would not result in more spread among the Dodgers.”

I hope that Turner stays asymptomatic and has an easy time with the disease.

August 31, 2020 August 30, 2020

The Chirp

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The second game of the Cubs at Reds doubleheader turned out to be chock full of protocol violations are the mangers argued with umpires and both benches cleared in reaction to pitches near the heads of batters. Tejay Antone buzzed Anthony Rizzo after Rizzo hit two home runs in game one. Then, Cubs pitcher Adbert Alzolay buzzed Shogo Akiyama. There should be a number of suspensions coming down from the commissioner’s office.

What fascinated my, however, was one of the reasons for the unrest:

Antone said things actually began to escalate after the Cubs chirped at him for grunting after striking a couple of players out.

“After the [second] inning, I gave them another grunt,” Antone said. “Just part of the game. They were chirping at me, so I gave them a grunt back and let them know I’m here to strike them out.”

The Cubs tend to make more noise in their dugout than most teams, and without fans in the stands, not much goes unheard. Antone was asked if they “chirp” the most.

“One hundred percent,” he responded. “They chirp the most, for sure. When they’re down, they get quieter.”

ESPN.com

We usually don’t get a window to the psychological warfare aspect of the game. If you can get under someone’s skin, you might throw off their game. I wonder if there will soon be a no chirping rule?