Did former Yankees manager Joe Girardi slip up regarding the cheating scandal?
The state of baseball continues to degrade amid financial negotiations regarding a potential 2020 regular season. The New York Yankees and the rest of Major League Baseball remain in a stagnant state, waiting for the MLBPA and team owners to find a resolution for their differing opinions on prorated contracts.
At this point, the regular season seems unlikely, with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred stating that negotiations are up in the air and things seem tumultuous. Manfred wants the MLBPA to drop any grievances against the league, which would spur a potential start of the season. Waving all liability for the players seems like a terrible mistake for the union, who obviously has their health and financial security in mind.
It seems as if Manfred could be waiting things out to try and reduce the number of games played, which would ultimately save the league money this year. However, while all of these negotiations are taking place, the Yankees are once again being investigated for a potential cheating scandal back in 2017.
Looking into information and evidence from three years ago is never a sign of clarity. Available information does not indicate the Yankees had anything to do with cheating, but former manager Joe Girardi slipped up on live television (MLB Network) several days ago.
Girardi stated that he “was part of a system where it came from upstairs, to someone in the dugout, to the guy on second base…” This would indicate that the Yankees were utilizing an illegal method to relay signs to players that would detail what pitches were coming.
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A judge in New York is attempting to unseal the document with potential evidence of cheating. The Yankees are filing a grievance to keep the letter sealed and tucked away from the public. The Yankees believe it would hurt their image significantly, and any indication that they were involved in illegal procedures would be a huge blow to the team and baseball.
With that being said, Girardi’s comments were poorly timed and phrased given the current state of the league and the aftermath of the Houston Astros scandal.