Before reading these columns, please read about this Web site.

MANFRED PLAYS IT SAFE IN NEGOTIATED SUSPENSION

By Murray Chass

March 3, 2016

The news media gave baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred generally good reviews for his 30-game suspension of Aroldis Chapman for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. Excuse me if I disagree.

In the first case under the policy, which was adopted last August in joint action with the union, Manfred opted to negotiate a settlement that produced a shorter suspension than he wanted rather than risk losing in a grievance before baseball’s impartial arbitrator.

“It was for substantially more games,” a person familiar with Manfred’s thinking said of the suspension. “He’s saving his powder for Reyes. It’s a cleaner case.”

Jose Reyes, the Colorado Rockies’ shortstop, is scheduled to go on trial April 4 in Hawaii, where he is accused of …

Keep reading...

DETERMINING AND DETERRING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

By Murray Chass

February 28, 2016

More than 20 years ago, before domestic violence became a popular, politically correct issue, I learned a lot about it because my wife was a volunteer worker for a New Jersey organization called Alternatives to Domestic Violence. This was long before professional sports leagues woke up and recognized and acknowledged the threat posed by domestic violence.

Aroldis Chapman, Yasiel Puig and Jose Reyes have learned about domestic violence because they have been accused of committing it and face the prospect of being the first players suspended under Major League Baseball’s strengthened policy against …

Keep reading...

ILITCH AILING FOR WORLD SERIES TITLE

By Murray Chass

February 21, 2016

A year after Tom Monaghan bought the Detroit Tigers, they won the 1984 World Series. They have gone back to the World Series twice since but have lost both times, to St. Louis in five games in 2006 and to San Francisco in four games in 2012.

Mike Ilitch bought the Tigers from Monaghan, his long-time pizza rival, in 1992 and has suffered excruciating frustration during his 23-year ownership. Facing his 87th birthday around mid-season, Ilitch desperately wants to win a World Series before he dies.

That’s why he took the surprising step last August of …

Keep reading...