New York Mets manager Carlos Beltran must respond to the baseball cheating controversy—that has his name involved—now.
Carlos Beltran is a culprit, according to Major League baseball. The New York Mets have not released a statement about their new manager—regarding his role in the Houston Astros’ scheme of stealing catchers’ signs from opposing teams.
That either needs to change immediately or the manager, himself, must take action. Jeff Lunnow and A.J. Hinch are gone. Alex Cora has been ousted. Beltran remains and Mets fans deserve to hear something, anything regarding the current situation.
Luhnow and Hinch might challenge their terminations in court if neither individual participated in the scheme to steal catchers’ signs from opposing teams.
“If sign-stealing was initiated by the players and Hinch actively tried to stop by destroying the monitors, it does raise the question of what steps a coach must take in similar circumstances and whether he has an obligation to report up the chain,” said David Marroso, a sports and entertainment litigator in the Century City office of international law firm O’Melveny & Myers.
“In this case and these circumstances, it could be important whether the Astros negotiated ‘integrity of the game’ or ‘morals’ clauses with Hinch and Luhnow, and the language of those clauses in their employment contracts,” Marroso explains.
But all of this may not apply to Beltran. He, for now, is still the manager of the Mets, and he is expected to write out the lineup card come Opening Day at Citi Field, March 26.
Beltran is guilty. So are dozens of others among the 2017 Astros and Boston Red Sox players involved with the sign-stealing situation that has rocked baseball.
He was instrumental in discussing the scheme to stealing signs from the opposing pitcher that was attributed to technology.
Yes, technology is the culprit, and so is Beltran.
However, the findings and determination of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “Assessing discipline of players for this type of conduct is both difficult and impractical.”
Manfred added, “I am not in position based on the investigative record to determine with any degree of certainty every player who should be held accountable.”
That statement, though, applies to Beltran. His final year as a player resulted in his first World Series ring, a championship that is now tarnished along with the Black Sox, Pete Rose and steroid scandals that have become a part of baseball annals.
The Mets are not commenting about the status of Beltran and his role in all of this. We could get a statement Thursday morning in Port. St. Lucie, Florida from CEO Jeff Wilpon and GM Brodie Van Wagenen. They are scheduled to officially announce a change to the name of the Mets’ spring training complex.
They could avoid the questions. They could opt for the closure route. But the best closure is to hear from Beltran. Do it now, tomorrow, next week. Don’t let this drag in four weeks when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
The last thing the Mets need, and with a choice of the GM, is a former and popular New York player to let this linger another day.
And we all need to know, is Carlos Beltran in good standing with the Mets’ hierarchy?
He should be safe, though Beltran is a main culprit, who reportedly had major input in this scheme. He has to face the music and those will say confront the similar circumstances of Hinch and what could occur to Cora.
And the last thing the Mets don’t need is for this situation to linger. Modern technology has caused this dilemma, the game of baseball has changed, and that has to be addressed.
Carlos Beltran could survive this, or the Mets can decide to make a statement and reprimand their new manager. In other words, the Mets could have the final decision.
Beltran, not receiving favorable headlines, can deny he was wrong. But the findings of this investigation are saying otherwise.
In the best interest for the Mets and for their fan base, Carlos Beltran must respond and the best approach is to make a statement in front of the cameras and notepads.
There are numerous current and former players associated with the Mets manager and they are not commenting. So we are all in the dark with this.
But Carlos Beltran must respond with that statement we all want to hear. And it should read, “I am guilty and accept the consequences if so.”
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