Newly-acquired Yankees reliever Aroldis Chapman has been hit with a thirty-game suspension arising out of an investigation into domestic violence allegations, Billy Witz of the New York Times reports (links to Twitter).
The power lefty will not appeal the decision, which is the first issued by commissioner Rob Manfred under the domestic violence agreement entered into between MLB and the player’s association. In a statement, Manfred said that he determined Chapman’s behavior on the night in question to be “inappropriate …Â particularly his use of a firearm and the impact of that behavior on his partner.” He also expressed that he is pleased that Chapman chose to take responsibility and forgo an appeal.
In his own statement, Chapman confirmed that he will not appeal. (Via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, on Facebook.) He continued: “I want to be clear, I did not in any way harm my girlfriend that evening. However, I should have exercised better judgment with respect to certain actions, and for that I am sorry.” In deciding against appeal, said Chapman, he sought “to minimize the distractions that an appeal would cause the Yankees, my new teammates and most importantly, my family.”
The outcome represents an important marker as Major League Baseball seeks to be proactive in addressing the types of domestic violence incidents that have recently plagued the NFL. Certainly, it sets a notable precedent as the league goes on to consider the case of Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes, who is currently set for trial after allegedly striking his wife. Reyes was recently placed on paid leave while his case is resolved.
For its part, the MLBPA expressed support for Chapman’s “decision to forgo his right to an appeal” in a written statement. It noted that the union “and its members do not condone the mistreatment of others by playing or non-playing personnel,” but nevertheless “remains committed to protecting and ensuring the rights granted to Players” in the domestic violence policy.
Needless to say, it’s been an eventful winter for the Cuban fireballer, who was reportedly ticketed for the Dodgers until the swap was scuttled. Reports later emerged that he had been involved in a dispute with his girlfriend at his residence. He was not arrested at the time, and charges were not brought, but the league pursued an investigation under its new protocol.
Chapman was ultimately shipped from the Reds to the Yankees at a discounted rate. He avoided arbitration for $11.325MM, but he’ll lose $1.856MM of that sum over the life of his punishment. The length of the suspension will not, however, be enough to prevent the ace reliever from qualifying for free agency after the coming season. Chapman will be eligible to participate in Spring Training games, per the report. He will, however, be required to submit to ongoing meetings with a treatment board and could be required to submit to counseling and forfeiture of weapons (including firearms).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sweep, sweep, swept under the rug.
How does a 30 game suspension in a case where no charges were filed constitute as sweeping it under the rug?
the man beat his girlfriend then terrorized her by shooting his gun 9X. what kind of punishment is that? you get more punishment for smoking pot. unbelievable.
I get what your saying but he wasn’t charged. The punishment can’t be excessive when no charges were filed.
Can it be excessive if the player accepts the suspension and issues a public apology for his behavior besides?
MLB does not test for THC, so unless you are already suspected of it and on a rehabilitation agreement, you do not get suspended for smoking pot.
If you are, the penalty for a first time offender is 15-25 games. So no, a MLB player does not get more punishment for smoking pot.
EDIT: the punishment is escalating fines, unless you are deemed to meet certain criteria***
I believe they concluded it was misreported on the 9 shots and that it was actually just one shot. 30 games is fair for a first time offender who wasn’t charged and did not assault his girlfriend by both accounts. Yes, he should not have fired a weapon, but that is fairly common in Mexico and Cuba, etc. Sounds like he fired a shot in the air to blow some steam off in the garage or yard while she was inside the house. I’m not excusing or condoning, but until he puts his hands on her or is waving the gun around at her, it seems relatively reasonable. It sounds more like a moment of poor judgment as opposed to blatant disregard for doing the right thing.
It’s a privilege to play in MLB. How close was this incident to Another Ray Carruth or OJ Simpson or Aaron Hernandez. I know they are different but this could have turned out tragic. I support it, regardless of the law or no charges. When you are employed in a profession that is constantly in the public eye you are and should be held to a higher standard.
Wait, so this could be some other incident, but those are different? What does that even mean? Sounds like you are grasping at straws.
Lots of things that players do could have turned out tragic. Do you want to punish every one of them for everything that could be tragic, too?
He was held to a higher standard. No legal charges were filed against him, but he is still facing a penalty of 30 games and whatever that translates to in an economic loss
It means some of these guys facing actual legal cases should be scared. Chapman gets 30 days without an legal involvememt…what’s that mean for Purgatory or Reyes?
ya ikr if your going to suspend for 30 games you should charge them
Your comment makes no sense. The punishment handed down by MLB is completely independent of charges brought on by the police.
Why isn’t he being charged
A lot more than I expected. Also surprised he isn’t appealing.
Manfred statement on Chapman:
“I asked my staff to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the incident involving Aroldis Chapman on October 30, 2015. Much of the information regarding the incident has been made public through documents released by law enforcement. Mr. Chapman submitted to an in-person interview with counsel present. After reviewing the staff report, I found Mr. Chapman’s acknowledged conduct on that day to be inappropriate under the negotiated Policy, particularly his use of a firearm and the impact of that behavior on his partner. I am gratified that Mr. Chapman has taken responsibility for his conduct, that he has agreed not to appeal the 30-game suspension, and that he has agreed to comply with the confidential directives of the Joint Policy Board established under the parties’ Policy to ensure that a similar incident does not occur in the future.”
Appealing only drags it out for minimal gain. With FA looming the further this is in rearview mirror, the better it is for Chapman
I predicted five games, so I am somewhat surprised by the length. But I also predicted that whatever the penalty is, it would be one the player essentially bought into and would not be appealed. That, and the fact that the commissioner and the MLBPA took a firm stand for their policy, are the keys. That makes it a good day for baseball.
Embrace yourself, the butthurt Yankee fans are coming
Not butthurt
Honestly, when I made this comment I thought of you as an exception because youve been very logical and unbiased in other threads, unlike a number of other commentors
Why thank you.
If I was a Yankees fan I’d rather it be 50 games so you get that extra year of team control
If it had been any amount that would have delayed his FA then there would have been a legal fight. MLB and the Players Union can’t afford potential bad press with rumors that the latest collective bargain agreement could get intense.
I’m sure both sides kept that number in their head….because not qualifying would have kept the story going for MONTHS bc of the appeal and talking head shows.
The year of control is 46 Days. Not Games. Maybe they can hope for a bunch of rainouts this year in April
That would require 8 rainouts I believe
They already said rainouts will not affect his suspension. He’s allowed back May 9th regardless of games played.
It’s also days on the 25 man roster/MLB DL, not just days on the Calendar. Rainouts or injury won’t get the Yankees more control. They’d have to send him down to the minors after his suspension for a couple weeks. That means an actual demotion, not a rehab assignment.
Wait i thought dl time didnt count as service time… If it didnt the yankees could get te extra year of cotrol for a finger blister… Which i think they had hoped for when trading for him
You embrace yourself!
So much for innocent until proven guilty.
Chapman said his actions were against the agreement. The suspension might be a little long, but he definitely deserves a suspension.
That has never applied in the workplace and I don’t think anyone minds in the case of domestic abuse
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Domestic violence is an incredibly difficult charge to prosecute. More often then not people tend to get convicted on lesser charges or weapon charges. Add to it he’s a rich celebrity and the variables change so much more. MLB and the Union are at least trying to add a small deterrent.
I agree, it appears like if there’s police action and clearly an incident occurring, then MLB is going to jump in and suspend no matter what. Which is fine, I just wish they’d make this more general and applicable for any player who gets arrested or has a police incident. I can’t help but think about Miggy getting pulled over with a bottle of tequila falling on the ground as he got out of the car and his whole “You know who I am” rant – that should get a year suspension, imo. Drunk drivers murder people.
MLB is a private company who don’t have to follow decisions made in a court of law.
Doesn’t admitting guilt and accepting the decision qualify as proven guilty? When an accused pleads guilty, they don’t hold a trial.
Will that make him arb eligible for another year?
Unless 1 out of every 3 games is a rainout in April, then no. He will be a FA.
I thought he said he would appeal any suspension they gave him?
*forgo an appeal is what I assume you meant
Ifbim not mistaken, doesn’t this now give the Yankees another season of team control?
Never mind. I am mistaken. The suspension would have had to be 45 games
No, it still counts since he’s on their official roster, just on there suspended list, it’s like a disabled list
That’s not true. Service time is not accrued while being suspended. However, as OP answered himself, this suspension isn’t enough to prevent Chapman from getting another year of service time.
Why hasn’t puig been suspended yet?
Puig doesn’t necessarily fall into the category of “domestic violence”. (I do not know exactly how mlb defines that term). Based on what I do know – the vast majority of states require that domestic violence occur between two individuals that share a single family home, a family member that has resided in a single family home with the assailant, or between two individuals that have a common child.
Puig and his sister don’t fall into any of those general categories.
That makes sense, that is ok to hit a women if its your sister. But if its your wife or girlfriend, then its wrong.
Brothers and sisters can have physically violent-looking relationships without there being real violence at hand. Siblings physically fight all the time, but if one is bigger than the other, they usually don’t go into it like its a UFC battle. Do you honestly think Puig doesn’t know how big he is? Come on.
Also Puig was booked due to the end of the incident, where a bunch of thugs who knew who he was saw him and his sister going at it, and then jumped him, trying to get on TMZ. If it was serious his sister would have had injuries.
TMZ, and only TMZ, reported that Puig “pushed” his sister once, and when bouncers intervened, fighting began. This being the TMZ that published, then retracted, purported video of the brawl. Puig was not charged after the bouncers declined to press charges. Based on what we know, how many games should he get for that under a “domestic violence” policy?
It’s never ok to hit anyone. But because it was his sister, whom I believe hasn’t recently resided in the same home as puig and since they don’t have a child together this does not fall into the category of domestic violence.
Puig’s case hasn’t been decided by the commissioner yet, as far as we know. Based on the (very) little we know about his incident, I think he deserves a few days off to think about how to behave like a grownup.
It’s still being reviewed by the commissioner.
A 30 day suspension is good. If it was around 50 games then there probably would have been a legal fight. Anything less than 10 would show the domestic abuse policy was a joke. A 30 game deterrent probably won’t stop the abusers themselves but it will force teams and their own players to police themselves.
Due to the no charges, I was only expecting 10-15
If this got 30 games, I can’t imagine how many Reyes will get
Wonder what Puig gets. 0-5?
Part of it is political and necessary. Chapman’s case is the first real high profile test of the domestic abuse policy that MLB was eager show that they were on top of a issue. They had to lower the hammer or the policy would seem like a joke.
In my mind, if Chapman got 30, Reyes should expect a minimum of 50. Puig shouldn’t even be suspended. it seems like the case was misreported and most likely was a bit of drunken chest-beating and tough guy antics toward a bouncer. If anything, maybe 5-10.
If Chapman got 30, I think Reyes who Was charged and is going to trial, will probably get 100+ Maybe 162.
I heard a reporter say Chapman was going to get 45 and appeal. They reduced it to 30, and he agreed to that.
Would they really go that far? I’m not saying I personally think its too harsh, but considering that a steroid suspension is 80, I would be shocked if his suspension exceeded that. Perhaps it could match that length however? Boy Reyes is screwed though. Killing his salary, could he even be facing issues regarding his ability to get a work visa to play in the MLB again? No pity though.
I think Puig gets 5-10 because his case seemed pretty weird and more like a nightclub fight between him and people who knew who he was who were looking for any reason to go at him. I’m not sure he really needed to be dragged into this group with Reyes and Chapman, but from MLB’s standpoint they need to lock this down and go after anyone who makes the news for having outside police action.
Reyes, who’s case is very real compared to Puig’s, probably gets 100-162, which could also mean deportation and ending his career. Huge stakes with him.
I heard something today (I think on sportscenter) that said there is a very good chance Reyes faces some jail time. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he is suspended all year
The only person who ever managed to play much baseball in the cooler was Steve McQueen.
Yankee fan. And I’m not butt hurt. There are a few things I found interesting:
1 – manfred/mlb mentioned the involvement of a firearm. I had a feeling that the involvement of the firearm was going to be a factor. I am glad that they came out and said it.
2 – I find it curious that there is no appeal to the arbitration panel as set forth in the August domestic violence policy. I understand that mlb has noticed the backlash other sports have received concerning domestic violence and wanted to take a strong position with its first matter under the new policy but I find it odd that there is no appeal.
3 – Reyes is going to be looking at probably a year suspension – minimum.
4 – I’m glad mlb came out of the gates strong regarding their domestic violence policy. Though I don’t know if this was the choice case to set precedent under said policy.
Chapman only drags it out by an appeal. The further the situation is behind him the better
This seems like something that was probably discussed between MLB and some member/s of the Chapman camp before it was issued. I imagine that this is why there is no appeal.
Instead of gambling on reducing his punishment and drawing it out and potentially losing FA status; Chapman bit the bullet and took 30 games.
Both parties have hedged their bets. It’s sort of like a player agreeing to an extension that buys out FA years. He could be losing out on some money in the free agent years (fewer games suspended in this case), but he gets the certainty of a payday (not losing enough service time to miss FA in this case).
I wish the NFL and NFLPA would take note of this. Heck I wish all sports leagues would take note of this.
Why? 30 games really isn’t THAT much when you consider how long a baseball season is. Factor in that he’s a reliever, and he’s really not missing that much time at all… 30 games in the MLB is the same as 3 games in the NFL (only 1 more than Ray Rice originally got).
Over the last 5 years, Aroldis has pitched in about 38% of games played. Using that average, he’s actually only missing about 11 appearances out of the 30 game suspension. Even if we up it to 20 appearances (which is a HUGE jump), that equates to a whopping 2 games in the NFL, the exact same as what Rice got…
The MLB is lucky that they play so many games in a season. A 30 game suspension sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t, especially when you’re dealing with a pitcher.
Good for Commissioner Manfred for taking the issue of domestic violence seriously and not giving Chapman just a token suspension.
I saw a note from one writer that mentioned that had Chapman not agreed to the suspension that it may have been longer and subsequently impacted his FA status. Very good point as we all know there is no way that he would take the suspension without some discussions
I read that too. I think they originally were going to rule 45-50 games, and he would have appealed.
The exact number of games most expected. Had to be less than 35 due to the service time issues. Missing 18.5% of the season (which amounts to a little over 2 million in lost salary too btw) seems to be a reasonable punishment.
oh man you are changing the story. It said he shot it in his garage, not at his fiance. Im a Jays fan, and im happy hes suspended, but this is way more than a slap on the wrist, probably more than he shouldve got
Agreed, restninpeacebraves is being pretty ridiculous here. Chapman was arguing with his girlfriend then went into his garage and shot his gun off at things in the garage out of frustration, not at her. Like the findings showed, she was not injured nor attacked. It was a pretty psychotic and immature move by a frustrated guy who probably lost an argument he expected to win. I like how MLB is making players act like normal or else.
But I was expecting 10 games for Chapman, not 30. A slap on the wrist would have been 3 games.
in chapmans original statement to police he said he hit his girlfriend shot once in the garage and eight more outside. his girlfriend also said that he hit her.
Sorry just another fan but your the one being ridiculous. Imagine getting into an argument with someone much larger and stronger than you and they proceed to get their gun and shoot multiple times. Whether it’s at the person or not it does not matter. Any normal person is probably going to fear for their life. Emotional abuse is just as bad as physical.
Actually, whether you shoot at a person or not matters quite a great deal.
Tjeck, you need to read the police report. The facts that have been reported by witnesses, from both sides, paint a very different story than the one you seem (which I could be wrong) believe happened. He showed bad judgment and a suspension is warranted.
They probably let him decide: a) X games and you delay free agency and we enter legal battle b) 30 games and you agree not to appeal and everyone looks better in the end.
Fair deal. Yankees got him on the cheap knowing this.
I’m just curious why they are coming down on domestic violence and not DUIs too. Miggy should have gotten a year suspended for what he did a couple years ago. DUIs are threatening other people’s lives, they are an act of terrorism in a way, MLB needs to step up on that too.
Glad It’s finally over. Now we can get back to business of teams playing baseball. I think justice was served.
It ain’t over yet
Maybe I missed it but does his suspension start now or when the regular season starts? I personally dislike Chapman after reading his story about leaving his pregnant girlfriend in Cuba without telling her and later pulling a gun on her but I have to commend him for not appealing this. Nice to see an athlete in this day and age stand up and acknowledge his mistake and take the punishment like a man. Smart move by MLB to make it a reasonable suspension that doesn’t impact his free agency. Finally a major sport doing something right.
It starts when the regular season starts.
Yankee fan here. This seems like a well-thought-out resolution. It’s sufficient to sed a message, elicits contrition, and doesn’t involve a drawn-out appeal. For the Yankees the price of acquisition just went up (loss of playing time) but if he does well in limited time, he will probably be a QO. And the Yankees had to know that when they made the deal.
Wait…. Is this a comment that makes sense? Well done
@Rustypee….LMAO at your comments…..now he fired his gun at his g/f.????….you’re a joke…way to attempt to skew the story w/ false info….
We all get that you’re trying to be all hard on domestic violence and I don’t think anyone on these boards is for domestic violence…but you’re way over the top….
I think 30 games is fair b/c he did act recklessly during that event…..Part of his punishment should be anger mgt also to help him work thru the desire to fire off his gun in anger in the heat of the moment b/c next time someone could get hurt/killed…
As for Puig I expect him to get less of a punishment then AC b/c there wasn’t a gun involved and neither were charged….
As for Reyes I expect him to get a minimum of 80-100 games but should get a full year b/c there was enough evidence to legally file charges….in his case a MLB sanctioned punishment shouldn’t happen until after his legal trial is over(acquitted or guilty)
He also has to go to counselling and forfeit any weapons, including firearms, which goes over and above just the game of baseball. And he agreed, pretty smart move on his part.
He didn’t fire the weapon at his girlfriend. Don’t change the facts. Go back and read the details.
Neither is changing a story to fit your narrative.
It’s good to see MLB setting things straight with Chapman in a manner that is tough, but fair.
Also, comparing this case to Reyes, that guy is screwed.
This makes sense. They were going to threaten 45 and make Chapman hedge his bets, so Chapman accepted 30, guaranteed free agency and MLB took away his rights to an appeal by him waiving it.
That’s good negotiation and it’s good for MLB’s image since 30 games for no evident physical violence comes off pretty harsh. I predicted 25, but 30 isn’t much different. For the Yankees, not much of an impact. If you subscribe to them winning between 85-90 games, they probably are in a position to win in about 17 of these games and probably require a save situation in 10-12 of those. Miller blew only a few last year and they have plenty of arms who could step up for a month to replace WIlson’s innings, so this will impact the Yankees by maybe one or two games. Then they get a fresh Chapman who at least completed all of spring training.
Really good decisions all the way around.
Good trade Yankees! Ray Rice 2.0
Tell me you wouldn’t want him on your team…
No I wouldn’t the guy is malcontent.
Not sure about you guys, but the suspension I’d receive at my job would be a bit more permanent than the one chapman received. He also does not lose the ability to become a FA at season’s end. All in all, I’d say he’s pretty lucky. What remains to be seen is what the Yankees plan to do with him. If they fall out of contention, do they flip the buy low investment and sell high to a contender, or do they look to extend him and keep that bullpen together for a few years?
I applaud the commissioner’s precise reply. Maybe I am ignorant, and regardless of what hapened, I think it shows a certain level of thoughtfulness in mentioning his approval of Chapman’s decision to not appeal. It often seems like players reply every single appeal, regardless of circumstances, and to be fair…he’s right…it’s a good reflection in deciding not to appeal and admitting your mistakes. With that said, time will tell how long Matt Bush can stick around
I know it likely will not happen but I am very curious – are the Yankees ALSO allowed to suspend Chapman?
If he gets into any brawls or anything else that the team could potentially deem “suspendible,” what stops them from abusing the power to delay Chapman’s free agency by 1 year with something else later on in the year? All it takes is a 12-15 game suspension.
The MLBP union
A team imposed suspension would not delay his free agency. He would have to be sent down to the minors, meaning demotion not a rehab assignment.
Police arrest on a “probable cause” standard, which simply means more likely than not. Florida has a zero tolerance policy on DV. That means that trained police officers, with a mandate to arrest where they think it’s more likely than not that DV occurred, did not act. Yet the Commissioner decided, months after the fact, that on the very same info that the police had at the time of the incident, that a suspension is appropriate. Insane!
Which totally explains the joint policy jointly adopted by the MLB and MLBPA, the player’s agreement to accept the penalty, and his public apology for his behavior. Not.
That explains why the mlb didn’t want him to take an appeal. The appeal process as set forth in the August domestic violence policy press release and the cba state that the appeals are heard by an arbitrator and the “just cause” (higher than prob cause) standard is to be applied and the burden is on the mlb to meet that standard.
The player admitted to his behavior and it’s also documented in the police reports, so you can forget the just cause argument, in this instance at least. I am certain MLB and the MLBPA were equally interested in a penalty that wasn’t going to be appealed and I suspect the MLBPA exerted some pressure on the player to accept the penalty and apologize for his behavior.
I know there were no charges filed against Chapman (though him not appealing at all shows there was something there I imagine, but that’s mere speculation) so I hope this isn’t MLB’s standard 1st suspension for domestic violence. If you get 30 games for DV and 50 for steroids the 1st time, I see a major flaw in the system. Now again, I understand no charges were filed so maybe that’s why it’s only 30 and MLB hasn’t come out and said this will be their standard 1st suspension for all DV cases. I’m just merely stating that I hope this isn’t their standard for 1st time wife beaters. Honestly, I’d like to see a guy straight up lose a season for DV if found guilty because there is absolutely no place for DV in any way, shape or form in life at all.
A player doesn’t have to be “found guilty” of anything for his behavior to be covered by the policy, because this isn’t a trial, it’s a policy governing off-field player conduct. That should be clear to everyone by now. By his own admission, Chapman’s behavior was violent in a domestic situation. Every case is going to be different, but in this one the commissioner could rely on information already on the record. If he failed to act on the evidence, the policy would turn into a joke on its very first test. Nobody, neither MLB nor the MLBPA, wanted that to happen. The player accepted the penalty, apologized publicly for his behavior, and moved on. So should we. The next case will be different because the facts will be different. The only standard being set is the message that the policy is real and will be enforced.
Mlbtraderumors should post the policy so that their readers can have immediate access to it. It’s short, only about 4 pages. It would provide clarity for a lot of the commenters. Also the police report is public records, that should also be posted. Jeff Todd – you should know how to easily get those.
Jeff passan in a yahoo sports article posted the police report.
Riveraveblues posted the press release with the domestic policy attached.
Google it.
Side note: I’m interested in seeing the document from mlb that defines the term “domestic violence”
I provided links to a bunch of the history on Chapman in the post, and if you follow those links (and look at posts tagged with his name) you can readily access all of the relevant info.
We covered the policy when it was announced and linked to it there, and have frequently linked to the original post on it.
But I agree that everyone with interest should read it all before running off with opinions.
I’ve posted a direct link to the policy any number of times, but doing so changes surprisingly little of the discussion. Anyway, here it is again:
sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/mlb-ann…
First of all, I commend the MLB for taking a hard & fast stand on such a public & controversial topic. It is high time that sports, especially male dominated sports, publicly support the safety of women everywhere.
Regarding Chapman, he had to be suspended for a reasonable amount. It is the first instance of the rule and as such, Manfred is showing his strength and commitment. Now the players are aware that the MLB is serious, this isn’t a joke like drug testing was in the beginning. The message being sent: keep your hands off women, keep your anger in check. Hitting a woman is WRONG….ALWAYS.
The future doesn’t look good for Reyes. But then again, Reyes hasn’t been himself since he was traded to the Rockies. He went a little crazy in the Rocky Mountain air.
Chapman and the Yankmes will be fine. I highly doubt he will change his ways at all. Arrogant men lije him, who admit no wrong, rarely change their behaviour. Chapman will be as arrogant as ever on the diamond and slide into the protective, arrogant bosom of the Yankees. It’s a perfect fit.
Suspended 30 games for what was allegedly self-defense? Come on, man.