Padres hid medical information from trading partners

[gunnarthor]

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17554327/san-diego-padres-face-discipline-hiding-players-medical-information-mlb-database

 

Pretty big problem. "In a significant deviation from standard practice within the sport, San Diego Padres officials instructed their organization's athletic trainers to maintain two distinct files of medical information on their players -- one for industry consumption and the other for the team's internal use, multiple sources have told ESPN.

Trainers were told in meetings during spring training that the distinction was meant to better position the team for trades, according to two sources with direct knowledge of what was said."

 

The old medical trainer was fired and the Padres hired Mark Ragow from the Dept of Defense.  "After Rogow's hiring, there were a handful of meetings during spring training with the organization's athletic trainers, for the major and minor leagues.  .... According to the two sources with direct knowledge of the meetings, the athletic trainers were told that by splitting the medical files into two categories, the Padres would benefit in trade discussions.  At the annual get-together of athletic trainers at baseball's winter meetings in Nashville, Tennessee, in December, MLB officials had informed those in the room that they wanted more medical documentation. Months later, when the Padres' directive to split the documentation was handed down, some Padres staffers were uncomfortable, according to sources, and some expressed that discomfort, with athletic trainers saying there would be backlash for this type of filing system.  According to sources, the Padres reached midseason with dramatically fewer medical entries on their players. An average number of entries for a given team might be in the range of 60 by the All-Star break. The Padres had fewer than 10."

 

The article also notes the Padre's GM has a history of violating rules.  "A.J. Preller is the Padres' general manager and oversees baseball operations for the franchise. He previously worked for the Rangers and, when Preller was overseeing their international operations in 2010, he was suspended for violations of baseball rules regarding signings.  .... Shortly after Preller took over the Padres, the team was reprimanded by MLB for conducting a workout contrary to industry regulations."

 

No idea what the punishment will be.

[Vanimal46]

Creating 2 separate medical files just to try and gain some advantage in a trade is pretty low. Can't imagine anyone willing to trade with the Padres now that this information is out there until some changes are made in their organization. 

Shouldn't there be some standard practices implemented in the MLB as far as taking medical notes? The way it's discussed in the article you linked, each team has their own methods and standards for medical note taking. 

[Mr. Brooks]

Maybe there is still more coming, but a 30 day suspension at a time of year when there isn't much for a GM to do anyways seems pretty weak.

[Thrylos]

 

Maybe there is still more coming, but a 30 day suspension at a time of year when there isn't much for a GM to do anyways seems pretty weak.

 

Any suspension for the GM is weak.

 

They got to take away draft picks and/or the ability to sign IFAs plus fine them an amount that they will feel (let's say $10M minimum)

 

Anything else is a slap on the wrist.

[Vanimal46]

Maybe there is still more coming, but a 30 day suspension at a time of year when there isn't much for a GM to do anyways seems pretty weak.

That's just for the Pomeranz trade alone. The hammer has to come down later on for the organization.

 

As Thrylos said, taking away draft picks, international bonus money, and a team fine should be a minimum for their punishment.

[nicksaviking]

Ha, that is awful! The Padres should and probably will get penalized back to the Stone Age. The commissioner's office will have no choice if they wish to prevent other clubs from doing this.

 

I think AJ Preller is about to become available for the POBO gig. Who's interested?

[Mr. Brooks]

 

 

I think AJ Preller is about to become available for the POBO gig. Who's interested?

He doesn't sound very loveable.

[nicksaviking]

What did they think would happen post trade? Did the Padres really think they could get the guys they just traded to tell their new team that their hamstring injury happened just now as I got off of the plane! So stupid. I so wish this had been the White Sox instead.

[TheLeviathan]

Damn that's shady.  I can't believe how light he's getting off!

 

And the "I take ownership of this, I wasn't doing anything deliberately, etc." nonsense only makes it worse. 

 

I can only hope the suspension is immediately followed by a pink slip.

[biggentleben]

As much as he was led by ownership into trading the farm for "win now" and then to tear apart that team to rebuild, once again by ownership, I honestly wonder how much Preller is taking the brunt for an ownership that really directed this behavior.

 

Regardless, I always thought he was an odd fit for a GM chair. He's a brilliant scouting mind, especially on the international market, and I could absolutely see him quickly getting a job the second he's let go due to that, but I don't know that he truly was behind these acts based on a lot of what I know of him and the people I know in the business who know him and have worked with/for him.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Damn that's shady. I can't believe how light he's getting off!

 

And the "I take ownership of this, I wasn't doing anything deliberately, etc." nonsense only makes it worse.

 

I can only hope the suspension is immediately followed by a pink slip.

I think that has to be the working assumption at this point, that Preller was/is going to be fired anyway.

[wsnydes]

 

Damn that's shady.  I can't believe how light he's getting off!

 

And the "I take ownership of this, I wasn't doing anything deliberately, etc." nonsense only makes it worse. 

 

I can only hope the suspension is immediately followed by a pink slip.

Pink slip indeed.  I'm a little surprised that that wasn't one big story - suspension and firing.  I can't see an owner being okay with this one bit, let alone enough to allow the guy to retain his job.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I can see an owner being OK with it if said owner is lacking in things like ethics, and plenty of people have no problems flirting with the gray lines there.  That said, I agree with Thrylos, MLB needs to come down hard on this type of thing.

[wavedog]

They are also investigating Padre trades with the White Sox and Marlins - so there could be further penalties.    I can't see how he is not either suspended for a year and/or fired.   Who would want to deal with the Padres after this?    If a player gets caught cheating by using a banned substance they are gone for half a season.   

[Mike Sixel]

The lack of ethics in many big businesses is very sad indeed.

 

I think MLB still hasn't announced what they are doing to the Cardinals for stealing information have they? I mean, that was a federal crime....and still nothing, right?

[gunnarthor]

 

Ha, that is awful! The Padres should and probably will get penalized back to the Stone Age. The commissioner's office will have no choice if they wish to prevent other clubs from doing this.

I think AJ Preller is about to become available for the POBO gig. Who's interested?

I wonder if he's burned too many bridges in baseball to be a head guy anymore?  If I was a rival GM, I wouldn't trust him at all and I'd never deal with him unless I absolutely had to.  Certainly wouldn't do him any favors.  

[TheLeviathan]

 

The lack of ethics in many big businesses is very sad indeed.

 

I think MLB still hasn't announced what they are doing to the Cardinals for stealing information have they? I mean, that was a federal crime....and still nothing, right?

 

You mean Astros right?  (I'm making sure I didn't miss some other scandal)

 

And I imagine this effectively ends his career in baseball.  I can't imagine any team wanting to deal with a team that employs him.

[ashbury]

Ha, that is awful! The Padres should and probably will get penalized back to the Stone Age.

Relegation right back to the PCL where they came from seems about right to me. Oklahoma City is having a good season; promote them as the replacement.

[gunnarthor]

Deadspin had a sort of funny take on Preller - http://deadspin.com/disgraced-san-diego-padres-gm-a-j-preller-certainly-se-1786711969

[d-mac]

 

You mean Astros right?  (I'm making sure I didn't miss some other scandal)

 

And I imagine this effectively ends his career in baseball.  I can't imagine any team wanting to deal with a team that employs him.

 

It was the Cardinals hacking the Astros and stealing their information. 

[Vanimal46]

“It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but you can lose it in a minute.” - Will Rogers

That quote certainly rings true for Preller. The guy tarnished his image, and will take years working out of the public light to build up again. For what? To get a slightly better prospect back for Pomeranz and Colin Rea? Hope he enjoyed being GM while it lasted. 

[TheLeviathan]

 

It was the Cardinals hacking the Astros and stealing their information. 

 

Wonder how, over time, I got that reversed in my head.  Weird.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Wonder how, over time, I got that reversed in my head.  Weird.

I did the same thing.

[USAFChief]

1. Stay on topic please.

 

2. Take comments about TD moderation to the proper forum.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I see that Edwin Jackson is starting tonight for the Padres. I can only assume that is another MLB-mandated punishment?