White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger reports to spring training

One of many largest issues in MLB, and one which extends to different leagues as nicely, is the quantity of stalling that appears to happen when there’s a significant issue. So long as there’s somebody like Mike Clevinger is underneath investigation for home abuse or one thing extra horrible, a workforce is ready for the league to behave, and the league normally leaves it as much as the workforce. And nothing occurs. We initially noticed it with Trevor Bauer, which ought to have been simple for everybody. Bauer was nonetheless an lively member of the workforce and Dave Roberts was going to pitch him even after the information of his alleged misconduct bankrupt – [Editor’snote:[Editor’snote:[Notadeleditor:[Editor’snote:Bauer has denied the allegations.] earlier than MLB stepped in, in a uncommon case of the league coming to its senses. However way more typically, everyone seems to be gazing one another, and followers should take care of the participant being omnipresent.

Clevinger continues to be underneath investigation by MLB for violating the league’s home abuse coverage, which has been in place for about seven months. Clevinger has denied any wrongdoing and has requested everybody to “wait earlier than dashing to judgment.” MLB shuffling to the purpose of setting their sneakers on fireplace left the White Sox to do one thing, which they refused as a result of they assumed MLB would do it. it was not clear General manager Rick Hahn addressed the media after Clevinger’s arrival, and it certainly didn’t help much.

As reported in the athletic:

“We have talked about methods to enhance our background interviews,” mentioned Hahn, who detailed a listing {of professional} contacts the Sox typically discuss to of their vetting course of. “Some questions that maybe would result in different paths that weren’t requested. However once more, I believe it ought to be made clear underneath the phrases of this coverage, there was no means for us to know this details about an open investigation going again to the center of final season.”

in a ESPN article on ClevingerWhite Sox basic supervisor Rick Hahn mentioned the workforce’s “solely possibility” was to permit the pitcher to camp whereas it waited for MLB to wrap up its investigation.

“It’s the sole discretion of the commissioner to self-discipline a participant on the conclusion of an investigation,” Hahn mentioned. “[The] The confidentiality aspect of the investigation is crucial to the success and robustness of the coverage and we’ll proceed to respect that.”

It could appear to most that when you care “maturity issues” for a 32 12 months outdated gamer, and one that everybody is aware of about was the jackwagon that he violated COVID protocols two years ago and was happily thrown under any bus they could find by his Cleveland teammates, you’ll be able to in all probability simply stamp a “PASS” in your pockets and transfer on to another person to fill out the underside of your rotation. Hahn was caught between claiming he did not know concerning the investigation and admitting he knew Clevinger was an fool, neither of which achieves what he units out to do in his press.

This all comes on the heels of the Crimson Sox signing Tony the Russian two years in the past to be the supervisor despite the fact that they knew, however we did not, that he had been arrested for a DUI a second time earlier than being employed. (La Russa pleaded responsible to a lowered cost of reckless driving.) This time, the Sox determined to go plain silly as a substitute of willfully ignorant, cussed and imply.

It positively felt just like the Sox by no means thought MLB would permit Clevinger to report back to camp, they usually received the bag when he did. They’re in all probability proper that whereas he is underneath investigation, the league should not have let him be wherever anybody may see him. However that does not imply the Sox could not, even when it meant a struggle with the union. At the least they might have had some sort of plan. Somebody needed to act, and nobody did. Which gave Clevinger a megaphone of his personal, which he ought to by no means have.

So who wins with this? The Sox do not, as a result of their followers have this shit in spring coaching. Not the league, as a result of they seem like balloon palms. The followers actually do not, as a result of they’ve Clevinger on their workforce. Solely Clevinger, who’s the man who should not be successful, wins.

The Sox did not have a plan, as a result of they did not assume they wanted one. They both did not do their homework, or they did it and thought nobody would discover, or they had been snapped at by MLB first for not figuring out concerning the investigation after which for the league’s inaction. Possibly you would excuse the previous, however you’ll be able to’t excuse the latter. Being silly just isn’t an excuse for doing the incorrect factor.