OCTOBER 31: While Hart may avoid disciplinary action, that does not necessarily mean he’ll simply carry forward in his existing position. Both Mark Bowman of MLB.com (Twitter links) and David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter links) suggested today that Hart’s president of baseball operations job is likely still in play.
Indeed, O’Brien noted over the weekend that there’s still some possibility of Royals GM Dayton Moore being a candidate to run the Braves’ baseball ops department, despite the fact that the Royals initially declined to allow him to interview. Other names potentially under consideration (as PBOp and/or GM) include Ben Cherington, Jim Hendry, Doug Harris, and Dan Jennings, O’Brien also tweets. (Bowman tweeted yesterday that Hendry could be a candidate.)
Needless to say, there’s still quite a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Braves’ front office situation. In all likelihood, that will remain the case until after the World Series has concluded.
OCTOBER 30: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports that Major League Baseball will not punish Braves president of baseball operations John Hart as part of the investigation into the Braves’ violations on on the international free agent market and in the June amateur draft. Per Crasnick’s report, the league’s investigation found that Hart did not play a role in the violations committed by former GM John Coppolella and international scouting director Gordon Blakeley (the full extent of which remain unclear).
Crasnick adds that Coppolella and Blakely acted “without knowledge or approval” from Hart or team president John Schuerholz, but the league is still looking into other lower-level Braves employees to determine whether they played a role. Hart, at one point, was reported to have played some role in the Braves’ violations, though there’s yet to be any reported indication of evidence found against him. Crasnick quotes a source that called Hart’s management style “disengaged.”
The outcome of the investigation, particularly the fate of Hart, is of particular intrigue given the uncertainty that presently permeates the Atlanta front office. Crasnick reported over the weekend that the Braves were denied permission to interview Royals general manager Dayton Moore, but even before they were denied, there’d been widespread speculation that Moore would not abandon his post with the Royals to work underneath Hart. If Hart is indeed retained and holds onto his title, that could limit the field of candidates with interest in the job. Certainly, any current general manager would be unlikely to jump ship, as executives will typically only move to a new organization (or even be granted permission to interview) if the move results in a clear promotion. Furthermore, some non-GM execs may not be interested in joining what looks to be a tumultuous front-office structure without the promise of baseball operations autonomy.
The Braves could, of course, still lure a younger exec to work under Hart, as was the hope with Coppolella. Speculatively speaking, it also seems possible that the Braves could yet orchestrate a more dramatic set of changes to the top levels of their baseball operations hierarchy. Hart’s contract, after all, was set to expire upon completion of the 2017 season. And ownership presumably wouldn’t be thrilled to learn that its baseball operations president was oblivious to the numerous sanction-worthy actions that were apparently being committed during his tenure. Some reports since Coppolella’s resignation have suggested that Hart will remain with the organization beyond 2017, though one can imagine that ownership will first want to learn the full scope of the results of MLB’s investigation before making any definitive determination.
Thus far, Moore has been the most frequently linked name to the Braves’ GM vacancy, though that match appears decidedly unlikely at the moment. Former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington (currently working with the Blue Jays), Nationals assistant GM Doug Harris and former Marlins GM Dan Jennings (also with the Nats) have all been linked to the opening. Once the league announces its findings and any further ramifications following the completion of the World Series, other potential candidates figure to emerge thanks to the added level of clarity.
Bull crap he didn’t know
Where did you see John Hart before he went to the Braves? The MLB Network.
Hart is a Commissioners Office level guy like Sandy Alderson with the Mets.
I expect Coppy will be given an undisclosed settlement to get him to stop his litigation and after a time he will be allowed back in.
The core group of owners who do the work on the CBA want to slash the costs of international talent. This is about sending a message to others to collude with each other to drive down signing bonuses.
Well, that’s probably how the MLBPA would describe it.
As a Royals fan this makes me happy
I just want to know exactly what happened instead of speculation. So far a lot of speculations have been a little ridiculous and if they are true violations of international policy then it’s way overblown. He obviously had to do something super serious… just let us know already. It’s a big distraction from the world series only to braves fans. Most of the league probably doesn’t care that much.
Stealing bonus money from talented teenagers is a very serious business for the decrepit old bloodsuckers who own MLB teams.
They are trying to send a strong message to the farm folks that they will break kneecaps of buscones and the parents of prospects alike in the service of fraudsters like Fred Wilpon and Liberty Media or they will pay the price.
CP, please share some of your inside info, if you can?
Right?
This always boggles my mind. Even if he didn’t know his literal job description is overseeing the Braves executive organization. By not punishing him they’re basically implying that Hart is immune to wrongdoing by reason of incompetence.
It’s the same reason with the CEOs should have been prosecuted in the financial crisis. It’s one thing if your low-level employees are responsible, but if your executive team is the one responsible it’s simply to close to your day-to-day field of vision to plead ignorance. Hell, that’s a major reason leadership is paid so much is because they are definitionally responsible for the org.
Weaksuace on Commissioner Manfred Mann’s part.
I don’t want to get too speculative here, but Hart’s contract is also up once the World Series is over. The league can’t really punish him, professionally speaking, if the Braves aren’t planning to give him a longer contract anyway.
Obviously, there are dozens of uncertain factors here, but most should come to light later this week once the World Series is over.
As long as Games 6 and 7 don’t build off last night’s trend and actually run into next week, that is. 🙂
That was an awesome game last night.
I wish there would be two more games to match that.
Yes, Liberty could decide not to bring Hart back, or could have told MLB they would not bring him back as part of a ‘plea bargain,’ if you will.
How could have not have known? If he truly didn’t know that might be worse.
I like Jennings or Anthropolus
Absolutely not on Jennings. This is the same guy who fired the Marlins manager and made HIMSELF the manager and then got himself fired. Just no
He didn’t make himself manager. He was demoted to manager. Still, he’s a horrible choice. He made some awful trades and awful free agent signings. No thanks.
Don’t judge anyone’s actions when Jeffery Loria is holding the strings. Working in that organization isn’t at all indicative of anything other then you need a job.
As a Braves fan, I find it hard to believe that all of this was happening without Hart’s knowledge. With that being said, I hope the Braves can pull Doug Harris away from the Nat’s. He would be a great candidate in my opinion.
As a long term Braves fan I definitely want Hart gone as well. Revamp the front office with someone with a high integrity level and a keen grasp of what oversight really means.
I’d be satisfied with Harris but definitely not Cherrington and his shaky track record.
Absolutely! There is absolutely no excuse for a “disengaged” leader. In my book, if Hart had any integrity left, he’d take ownership of the situation. That’s what a good leader should/would do.
Well said. Hart’s ignorance of the situation is just as bad as his complicity. Braves can and should take advantage of the fact his contract is expiring and simply not offer a renewal. To start with a clean slate you gotta turn over most if not all the front office. ATL needs to get busy establishing their executives with the offseason just a day or two away.
Shaky track record? I’m not expert of Cherington, so I’d appreciate elaboration. I know he was behind the awful Sandoval, HanRam deals, but I thought the farm took a major step forward because of him — or was that in spite of him? He looked more interesting than Dan Jennings and some of the others batted around.
Kind of in a unique position here as a Red Sox/Braves fan. I liked Cherrington. A lot of the “shakiness” was because of ownership meddling (Bobby V, Sandoval – the Hanley deal I’m not convinced is awful, not great, but not terrible). Sox ownership played the same power games (twice!) with Epstein and forced him out (both times! twice!) as well. I think Cherrington would be a good fit in Atlanta, but only if Hart and/or Scheruloz were gone. I’m guessing hes had enough of playing politics in the front office and would rather not dive back into another toxic situation.
Cherrington if I’m not badly mistaken was also at the helm in Boston when their own illegal international signings actually occurred.
If I’m not mistaken Cherrington didn’t resign from the red Sox position until after Aug 17th 2015. Just doing a short bit of research I can see that on July 2, 2015 when Cherrington was the Boston GM Albert Guaimaro was signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent. That means Cherrington was GM when at least one of the illegal signings took place (I didn’t even bother to research the rest of them since one happened under his watch) but all those signings took place during the same July 2nd signing period.
So now do you understand why I said no Cherrington? It doesn’t make sense to come out of the investigation only to hire the guy who was in charge during the previous illegal signings.
I agree with your logic, but if he was a part of bringing in young studs like Bogaerts, Betts and more – I’d be willing to take a chance. He obviously doesn’t like to be managed considering he resigned when Dombrowski became his boss. It seems when BOS brass left him the freedom to make decisions and not hire a manager like Valentine (something top brass made him do, evidently) then he could be worth it. I just hope there’s more oversight and not a head of baseball ops that would ever be characterized as disengaged.
Cherington’s being out of MLB is outrageous. He should have been hired by the Phillies instead of The Intern Klentak, but Cherington never got an interview.
I would love to see Cherington take command in Atlanta and dump that pitch, pitch, pitch garbage in the dumpster. N.L. Least baseball is unwatchable.
I suspect that’s why Cherington will never be a GM in the N.L. Least.
Umm….what? Good pitching is impossibly to come by, and impossible to afford.
And we’ve got studs. Look at the AFL. Braves prospects are 1, 2 and 4 in OPS.
I hope somebody in the organization has a plan and knows what they are doing. Anxiously waiting to find out the punishments
Until MLB announces something, we really know nothing other than a few people resigned and rumors. I don’t like guessing so I’ll wait and see what it is and what MLB is planning on doing about it.
A great sports writer in Fort Worth referred to Hart as “the empty golf shirt” during his time with the Rangers. Guess he was on to something.
Hart innocent or not will be gone after the World Series
The Braves needs to talk to the Rangers and Hire John Daniels. He will fit right in with the Braves front office
Jim Hendry? I seriously can’t believe he would be a candidate. I don’t want Dayton Moore (not analytical enough, history of bad trades and bad free agent signings), but would much prefer him to the complete failure that is Jim Hendry. Bowman has lost it.
IMHO, the Braves should ask John S. to resign and stop letting him influence all of the decisions. He still thinks baseball is the same game as it was 50 years ago. Give McGuirk the $$$$ to go out and hire a REAL president of baseball ops. Let that person hire a solid analytical GM with a history of working with a rebuilding team. The last thing the Braves need is another team’s failed GM.
See that’s where you are wrong, baseball as we know it has existed since at least 1901. Fads come and go, but the game has remained basically the same. John, as well as Bobby have done more for this franchise since it’s days in Atlanta then anybody else. John S. is not the problem, the problem lies with absent ownership.
To summarize, then, there’s no meaningful differences between how teams construct a rosters and develop players between 1901 and 2017.
In other words, Hart is in with the right people to avoid punishment.. Part of life’s story..
Out of the box idea, how about Joe Girardi as new GM. He seems like a good mix of old school and new school of thought to make a gradual change in the organization. I’m not a believer in the analytical tools but it’s where the game is going. I think he could make the gradual change in the organization from the old school thought process.
Not really out of the box. I’ve seen Mariner fans suggest Joe replace Jerry.
Not gonna lie, curious to see Joe’s transition to FO, but as of right now, I think he still has his heart set with managing.
Joe would be an interesting candidate if MLB ever progresses to the NBA model of 1 person being a coach and executive. Obviously much more is involved in MLB but having a manager be the PBOp and bringing in an experienced GM to do most of the grunt work would be interesting. Let girardi have the final say, manage his team, and not do a lot of the day to day stuff.
a la Greg Poppovich (SA Spurs, NBA) Bill Belicheck (NE Patriots, NFL) Pete Carroll SEA Seahawks, NFL) Dan Quinn (ATL Falcons NFL- Final say over 53 man roster, still a rarity for coaches in the NFL)
There’s more but feel you
I’d rather Joe become commissioner of baseball. Rob Manfred and his idiot friend Bud Selig have been horrible for the game of baseball.
So is the punishment coming out like tommorow if the Astros win tonight, or will it be a long process that takes all winter?
MLB May still be interviewing people but news will surely start to leak tomorrow
The difference between ignorance and complicity is mostly irrelevant out here in the real world when stuff like this happens. Either you weren’t overseeing your people or you were involved. Either way, it seems it’s time for new leadership.
Amen. Hart needs to go, and take McG with him.
Can we assume for a hypothetical moment, that the Braves FO knowing the odds they lose, say Maitan, decide to trade his rights for assets at winter meetings…
Thoughts? Is this possible, and how might it affect the leagues disciplinary action?