credit espn.com

 

The Florida Marlins have been fined a "substantial" amount by Major League Baseball for failing to follow minority-hiring guidelines when they replaced manager Jeff Torborg with Jack McKeon, ESPN's Jayson Stark reports.

 

Major League Baseball wouldn't confirm the fine Thursday, but a spokesman told Stark that "the matter's been handled."

 

Commissioner Bud Selig has the power to fine teams up to $2 million.

 

In 1999, Selig sent a letter to teams requiring them to notify him about certain job vacancies, including manager. Teams are to provide a list of minority candidates, and the commissioner's office reviews the names before anyone is hired.

 

Marlins president David Samson said earlier this month he was not concerned about the investigation because the team takes into account "all candidates for all positions."

 

The Detroit Tigers failed to consider minority candidates before hiring manager Phil Garner in 2000. But the team escaped punishment by creating a five-member community advisory board to work on minority employment and contracting issues, as well as on public relations.

 

The 72-year-old McKeon, who replaced Torborg on May 10, is the oldest manager in the major leagues and third-oldest in history. He has managed four other major league teams, most recently Cincinnati from 1997 to 2000.

had a feeling this was coming.....another bad mark on this front office.

 

Marlins president David Samson said earlier this month he was not concerned about the investigation because the team takes into account "all candidates for all positions."

 

Samson kept saying this... Well Mr. Samson, "taking into consideration" isn't what the rules say. You have to literally interview some people. I can't believe how clueless they are sometimes. How difficult would this have been to just give someone an interview? Were they in that much of a rush to fire Torborg? If they knew McKeon was their guy, why not give a throwaway interview to Ozzie Guillen and be done with it?

 

Unbelievable. :banghead

This is money we need to keep players with and it will be wasted on this.

I know some don't agree with it but they got what they deserved by breaking that rule which they knew about.

I feel this is all ridiculous. I must be living in a sheltered bubble with rose colored glasses on(holy cliche, Batman) because it seems to me racial bias is non existent in most places. I actually think the country is working its way backwards, yet in a different direction. Confused? Think about it.

 

Let the best man/woman get the job

 

If you know who you would like working for you, you should be allowed to hire that person, no questions asked. There is no oppression here.

There was nothing stopping the Marlins from hiring whoever they want. The rule didn't say they HAD to hire a specific person. Just that they needed to at least give consideration to a minority. Whether it's a good or a bad idea, it was a rule and they blew it.

More stupid moves by the Fish.... :confused :angry

Chefbob-

 

I agree 100% with you philosophically/politically, but the rule was in place (however illogical it may be) and our FO should have followed the it. I am totally against the rule, but it was dumb of the FO to ignore it.

 

On a side note, anybody think that the reason they have not disclosed the amount and instead called it, "Substantial" is because the fine was not at all substantial?? Maybe I am off on this, but I have a hard time believing Selig would fine the fish substantially knowing their situation, unless of course you take an even more conpiratorical view and say he doesn't want baseball to succeed in S. Florida.

he fined them a buck and said, now dont do that again and just say you had to pay a 'substantial sum'

 

 

:hat

This is ridiculous.....

 

Granted, rules (even ambigious and vague rules from Bud) are rules.

 

But how likely is it that the front office could of sought out, interviewed, negotiated and signed a quality minority candidate (who is probably employed at the MLB level with another team mid-season) in the span of the 12 hours it took from Loria impulsively making the decision to fire Torborg and Sampson doing it?

 

The Marlins needed a caretaker, and quick. McKeon was sitting on his couch reading the monthly AARP newsletter. Bingo, there's your short term, cheap and uncontroversial skipper to ride out the season.

 

Further, it's not like the Marlins possess a long record of not hiring minorities. Their MLB and farm clubs are full of latin coaches. Anyone remember Tony Perez?

 

McKeon will be history soon enough, then it'll be time to judge the Marlins on their hiring practices - when they have a full off-season to conduct a thorough search.

 

And by the way, "substantial undisclosed amount" usually means not very much. Just throwing a very small bone at the media to make sure the issue doesn't blow up on them.

It took a lot longer than 12 hours to make this impulsive decision as you say. If it was so impulsive, then why were Loria and Samson meeting with Mckeon in North Carolina the week before the firing took place? Its becasue they were thinking about it and checking out candidates. Whether or not you like rule or the rule is counter-productive like it is, you still have to follow it.

But how likely is it that the front office could of sought out, interviewed, negotiated and signed a quality minority candidate

What's to say that their are a lot of quality white males out their to coach.

 

To say that their is not quality coaches out there that are minorities is pathetic.

 

Three of the most successful coaches this year Pena, Alou, and Robinson have all done great jobs and last time I checked they were not shopping in The Flannel section of Sears.

Sorry, but there is racism in this country top to bottom and if can digest that blacks were discriminated against openly as late as the 70's it might be easier to believe. This rule may not be fair if you think of it by itself, but couple in the more than a century of subjugation its the best we can do to be fair. I'm a college student at the University of Florida which gives admission to minorities students who don't even come close to the standards set by the institution. It bothered me greatly at first, but I have come to realize that most of these students do want to achieve but circumstances out of their control has held them back. I know this is not a political forum but felt I had to say something after all the ignorance aired above.

 

:plain

All things equal this rule is not needed.

 

 

 

However all things are not equal. If you think racism does not exist in America still today you are fooling yourselves greatly.

 

 

I hate these rules....but something must be done....is this perfect? No. Is it better than the same old crap? Yes.

 

 

I hope the Marlins got fined 2 million.

I concur. Thought I was the only progressive minded person on the board.

 

:plain

No i try to hide my progressiveness because so few are open to it.

People fear change and thinking for themselves.

 

:plain

However all things are not equal. If you think racism does not exist in America still today you are fooling yourselves greatly.

You are right, there is racism in this country....

 

And it is torwards the "majority" of this country who are discriminated against and also to the "minorities" that feel they may have gotten a job due only to their race. Would you be happy if you were hired that way? I sure wouldn't.

 

Maybe we should move this topic to "Off Topic" due to how it went of track...

However all things are not equal. If you think racism does not exist in America still today you are fooling yourselves greatly.

You are right, there is racism in this country....

 

And it is torwards the "majority" of this country who are discriminated against and also to the "minorities" that feel they may have gotten a job due only to their race. Would you be happy if you were hired that way? I sure wouldn't.

 

Maybe we should move this topic to "Off Topic" due to how it went of track... Lets not get into this topic because is very sensitive topic that will lead to a big argument.Lets just say your argument has a valid point but is far from the truth.