Larry Baer has officially been suspended by Major League Baseball following a widely publicized March 1 altercation with his wife in Hayes Valley.
Baer, who took a leave of absence from his role as President and CEO of the San Francisco Giants on March 4 following a public outcry, will now have that leave of absence converted into an unpaid suspension through July 1.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred issued a statement Tuesday morning saying, "Based on my review of the results of this investigation, I have concluded that Mr. Baer’s conduct was unacceptable under MLB policies and warrants discipline." Manfred added, "In determining the appropriate level of discipline, I find that Mr. Baer should be held to a higher standard because as a leader he is expected to be a role model for others in his organization and community."
Commissioner Manfred announced today that @SFGiants President & CEO Larry Baer has been suspended without pay through and including July 1, 2019. Baer’s leave of absence, which commenced on March 4, 2019, will be converted to an unpaid suspension. pic.twitter.com/AhyIjr5AQP
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) March 26, 2019The Giants then issued a statement in response, saying, "The Commissioner has imposed what we believe to be appropriate disciplinary measures and we will work with Major League Baseball and Mr. Baer to ensure that all aspects of the disciplinary program are completed."
The team also thanked the "hundreds of Giants employees for their tireless work, integrity and professionalism during this trying time."
Statement from the Board of Directors of San Francisco Baseball Associates, on behalf of the #SFGiants Ownership Group: pic.twitter.com/WHtevnKK1m
— San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) March 26, 2019In the incident, in which an argument escalated into Baer appearing to drag his wife to the ground while trying to pull a cellphone out of her hand, Pamela Baer claims she was not injured.
Nonetheless, many people including Mayor London Breed, made public cries for Baer to face the sort of discipline that any rank-and-file player would face if a similar incident came to light. "Major League Baseball needs to send a message that any and all acts of violence against women is unacceptable," Breed said.
Baer issued his own statement of contrition Tuesday, as CBS SF reports, saying, "I made a serious mistake that I sincerely regret and I am truly sorry for my actions. My unacceptable behavior fell well short of what must be demanded of every person, particularly someone in my position and role in the community."
Below, the original TMZ video.
Previously: Giants CEO Larry Baer Takes Leave After Domestic Incident Caught On Video [SFist]
