I'd appreciate your feedback...

I've been mulling this over for more than a week, ever since it was announced that Padres GM A.J. Preller had been suspended without salary for 30 days by Commissioner Manfred for maintaining two separate books on the injury status of Padre players--one set for only the team, and the other set to be shared with all other ML teams. The shared set, of course, was the one seen by teams the Pads traded with. At least two of the latter complained when it was discovered that two SD pitchers had suffered serious injuries that had not been disclosed. The Padres actually undid one of the trades, with the Marlins, but not the one with the Red Sox. It was also revealed that the dual bookkeeping had been arranged between the team's new head trainer and Preller. The team owners stood behind Preller (who had been fined previously for an ethical violation when working for another team).

I confess that I'm a Padres fan, live in San Diego, and had season tickets for many years. But it really bothers me that I'm forced to believe the team got off way too leniently. There are too many unanswered questions that have not been asked, even locally. A 30-day suspension for what amounts to blatant cheating? Why only the GM, and not the head trainer? Why only a short suspension? And what about the team? If the owners were aware of the separate books, why wasn't the team punished--like a hefty fine or the loss of a draft pick or two? If they were unaware, why wasn't Preller fired instead of apparently being allowed to continue as GM after his suspension ends?

How serious, in essence, is lying to teams to whom you're trying to trade players? Maybe not as serious as throwing a World Series, to be sure, or maybe not even betting on games as a manager. But it's still cheating.

Whether you think this is a big deal or not, I'd like to hear your opinions. If nothing else, it would help me to stop wondering where are the Judge Landises when you need them?

Thanks.

Of course, I'm a Red Sox fan. I think, and I'm serious, that the Padres should have to take the Pablo Sandoval contract to complete the trade. Though Preller was punished, the Red Sox were not remedied for Preller's machinations. The Red Sox get to keep Pomerantz, the Padres get to keep the highly regarded prospect Anderson Espinosa, but something needs to swing the trade in Red Sox favor; either another Padres prospect to Boston, or, as I said earlier, make the Padres take Sandoval's bloated contract.
With Sandoval, Preller might want to have THREE or FOUR different injury status books.....

I am a Tigers fan. I don't like the Red Sox but I think that Espinosa should be returned to Boston. The GM of San Diego should be suspended for a year. The trainer should be suspended a year. The Padres should receive a huge fine and lose their 2017 first round draft pick to Boston.

These light penalties need to stop. If I am a GM, I look at a 30 day suspension and I think its worth it to offload a player with a hidden injury so we can get a top prospect.

You don't send a message with a fastball behind the batter. You send a message by drilling the batter in the back.

First, might be time to reread Veeck As In Wreck. Bill Veeck told a story about having a so-so player, outfielder I think, who lost the middle three toes on one of his feet. Veeck got four doctor evaluations. Two said that having the outside toes would be good enough to maintain function with the foot. Two said the player would not do well. Veeck threw away the negative reports and shopped the player, trading him. In a while, the player developed cysts where he lost the toes and came up lame. The new team released him. Veeck picked him up, had the cysts removed, and the player thrived. Traded again. Cysts formed again. Lather, rinse, and repeat. Veeck pulled the stunt a few times.

Second, might be time for Padres fans to start picketing the owner, demanding a change. Preller cheats and still has the team a half game out of last place in the worst division in the league and two games better than the worst record in the league. Looks like the owner showed poor judgement hiring a GM.

Cheating has always been a part of baseball. They seem to be trying to clean it up but it's a slow process. There are other, higher, priorities for the grand pooh-bah's of the game too. Such as fixing the international free agency process, unifying the rules between the leagues, and finding a better way to deal with the team revenue inequalities.

That being said, this was many times worse than St. Louis's hacking into the Astros' scouting database. And Preller's punishment seems to be much lighter. Of course, there is the unofficial "punishment," Preller is totally discredited as a GM and will be unable to make anything close to an equitable trade in the future. I'd be surprised if he lasts the off-season. Padres' ownership is going to see the results of the unofficial embargo (that is, if they're inattentive enough to realize that it's already inevitable), and the franchise has much work to do.

I agree that MLB has higher priorities, all of which could take years to settle. But Preller's case should have been a slam dunk--no committees, no consultation with all owners and no hesitation. If the evidence clearly indicated cheating, as it must have, send a message that this will not be tolerated. And the best way to guarantee this is by hitting the ball club where it hurts. Preller's baseball career indeed could (and should) be over, but I still believe the team should be punished as well.

I have always thought the Tigers had knowledge about Fielder's neck that was not provided to the Rangers. But since Rangers did not pursue that it is a dead end and moot point.

Personally, I think the type thing Preller did should be dealt with by lifetime bans for all who can be shown to have had knowledge of what was being done.

Let us not forget that Padres made a trade with another team that had to be adjusted because that team would not let the Padres deceit stand.