San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer puts MLB policy on the spot
By David Hill
The actions of San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer on Friday leave Major League Baseball in a difficult situation.
On Friday, reports surfaced that San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer was involved in an altercation with his wife while the pair were having coffee. They had been engaged in an extended argument before video footage showed Baer trying to take a phone from his wife’s hand. During the altercation, her chair tipped over, leaving her on the ground.
A second video does not put Baer in a much better light. That one, while not containing any of the same action, shows Baer telling his wife to stop before walking away. However, witnesses indicated that Baer had knocked her from the chair, then grabbed her as he stood over her.
These actions, and the video evidence, leave Major League Baseball in a difficult position. While the San Francisco police department is investigating the incident, the league is aware of what happened. According to a spokesperson, MLB “is aware of the incident and, just like any other situation like this, will immediately begin to gather the facts. We will have no further comment until this process is completed.”
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Over the past few years, MLB has positioned itself as a league that takes a stance on domestic violence. They have issued harsh penalties, even when charges were not forthcoming from the police. Over the past three years, 11 players were investigated for domestic violence, with nine players having been suspended. Two of those players, Hector Olivera and Derek Norris, essentially saw their careers come to an end due to their actions.
Given the fervor in which MLB issues suspensions when players are involved, they have to act regarding Baer. That Domestic Violence Policy also applies to team officials, giving the league the latitude needed to punish Baer.
That is the problem. Major League Baseball has that authority, and has been more than willing to, at the very least, place players on administrative leave with less evidence than the videos that were taken. They have to do something in regards to Baer, otherwise, a double standard will appear to be applied to the players.
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The actions of San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer put Major League Baseball on the spot. They have to take some sort of action; otherwise, the league would look hypocritical when it comes to the punishments handed out to the players for similar actions.