Photo credit: @KNBR

by Jeremy Harness

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer has released a statement that he will be taking a leave of absence the leave of absence started on Monday following last week’s physical altercation with his wife Pam in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley. The two were recorded when Baer reached for his phone which Pam was holding. Baer stood up to get the phone out Pam’s hands and she fell over in the chair she was seated in. Baer stood over his wife and walked away in the video.

Here is the statement released by the San Francisco Giants and Baer today: “The Board of Directors of San Francisco Baseball Associates is closely monitoring the matter involving Giants President and CEO Larry Baer. Pursuant to League policy, Major League Baseball is taking the lead in gathering all facts surrounding the situation. The organization is cooperating fully with the process. Mr. Baer has acknowledged that his behavior was unacceptable, apologized to the organization and is committed to taking steps to make sure that this never happens again. He has also requested, and the Board has accepted, his request to take personal time away from the Giants beginning today (Monday). The Board has asked the Giants executive team to manage the day-to-day operations of the Club during this period, reporting directly to the Board. As leaders in the community, we at the Giants hold ourselves to the highest standards and those standards will guide how we consider this matter moving forward. We have no further comment at this time.”

MLB has suspended MLB players in the past Adroldis Chapman pitcher of the New York Yankees and Jose Reyes of the Colorado Rockies for domestic violence. The talk of a double standard was starting if baseball or the Giants didn’t do anything to Baer to discipline him for domestic violence in a public place. There has been talk about Baer stepping down from his CEO post and MLB suspending him, which is to be determined. If Baer were to step down he would most likely remain a minority owner, but he will not have input on the day to day operations of the club.

The Giants have had some other bad off-the-field issues during the off season the Giants majority owner Charles B Johnson donated $2700 to Republican Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s political campaign. Hyde-Smith had said in front of a group of supporters that she would want a front row seat to a public hanging and she was photographed with a Confederate army hat on holding a Confederate rifle.  The blow back forced Johnson to request his money back from Hyde-Smith, while Johnson pleaded that he had no knowledge that Hyde-Smith was a racist.

The Giants family suffered the loses of some key high profile people first with the death of former Giants radio play-by-play announcer Hank Greenwald, followed by former Giants superstar Hall of Fame slugger first baseman Willie McCovey, and most recently, the death of Giants partner owner Peter Magowan.  The Giants had replaced former General Manager with Bobby Evans with Farhan Zaidi after Evans took what same say the blame for the teams woes over the last two seasons. Former Giants first baseman and Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda fell at a golf course and had a close call, but has recovered.

The Giants have suffered losing records for the last two seasons. As a result, it has been grueling on Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who announced his retirement concluding this season. Since the Baer altercation, none of the players, coaches, or front office people have made a statement regarding Baer or his situation. Only Bochy would say that Baer is a friend and has respect for the work he has done for the organization.

Jeremy Harness is a San Francisco Giants beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com