The Giants announced Saturday that CEO and president Larry Baer will return July 2 from his unpaid 120-day suspension. Major League Baseball issued a four-month ban to Baer as a result of a public altercation he had with his wife on March 1. Baer wrested the phone from her during a verbal argument, causing her to fall to the ground.
Baer has taken part in a “regular counseling program” during his hiatus, the team announced. He was contrite Saturday, writing as part of a statement: “I’ve been able to take a step back and take stock of myself as a person and as a leader. I am wiser for it, and the work continues. The journey of self-discovery, like so much in life, is ongoing and never-ending.”
Once Baer officially returns to the Giants, he’ll take on a lesser role. The Giants announced that board member Rob Dean, who has been the team’s acting president and CEO with Baer away, will take over as chairman of the franchise and act as its designated control person. He and Baer “will represent the club with MLB,” according to the Giants.
The organization will be run in a “more collaborative manner” when Baer comes back, with other executives taking on some of Baer’s previous duties, Dean told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.
“The Giants will have many faces with one voice, where historically it really was Larry as the one face and one voice,” said Dean.
While Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi used to report to Baer, he’ll now answer to Dean.
