Grand Jury Looking Into MLB Practices in Latin America, Braves Involved

[Hulavol]

^^^^^ pure brilliance ^^^^^

[50PoundHead]

Since the Braves didn’t sign HO I don’t see how Braves could be penalized. Sounds like the Dodgers should be worried.
Does this mean we will get Wood and Peraza back?
Didn’t the pursuit of HO start under Wren?

Olivera defected after Wren was let go by the Braves, so no to that one.

I thought I posted on this earlier, but it looks like the technosphere swallowed my post. Anyway, curious to see what happens here. Coppolella only has one lifetime that can be banned, but maybe he won't be allowed to even watch baseball. Clearly, if there are more shenanigans here (only this time relating to the Dodgers), it may lead to some radical changes in the international market. May be time for that international draft idea that's been kicked around seemingly forever.

[Deester11]

Funny that the Braves have been punished for doing what will probably be revealing for the "big spending" international teams. (Yankees /Dodgers). As hard as the Braves were hit, there should be nothing less for offending teams. This could have been lessened by an international draft...at least I think so.

[zbhargrove]

Yeah it is very bizarre to me how anyone could think this will hurt us more

[Horsehide Harry]

Mr. Coppollela, looking at this complimentary hotel map from the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, we notice that you have scrawled the words "boof" and "devil's triangle" in the margin. Please tell the committee about that....

[goldfly]

Without Olivera we would have never traded for Kemp. Then Kemp was traded for Culberson. So the Wood for Olivera trade was just and elaborate chess game hatched by Coppy in order to ultimately steal Culberson away from the Dodgers in 2018 when we needed him.

was playing 5d maybe even 6d chess

[bravesfanforlife88]

Sounds like the Dodgers figure prominently in the investigation according to MLBtraderumors article on it today...

Link

The Dodgers, according to SI, “went so far as to develop a database that measured the perceived “level of egregious behavior” displayed by 15 of their own employees in Latin America.” The Dodgers used a 1-5 scale to measure whether an employee was an “innocent bystander” or a “criminal,” per Wertheim, who adds that five of their 15 employees received a criminal rating. One of those employees, whose focus was on the Caribbean and Venezuela, was “unbelievably corrupt,” SI relays.

[bravesfanforlife88]

More interesting facts about this investigation

Link

"Sources told SI that the probe began when a whistle-blowing MLB insider provided the FBI with information last year during spring training. The case eventually landed in Washington D.C. where the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice is headquartered. Those prosecutors oversee enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which outlaws the bribing or inducement of foreign officials to commit acts in violation of their lawful duties. The law also bans the use of corrupt efforts to secure an improper advantage to obtain or retain business. "

Could that have been Coppy? It's possible. The article mentions

" Among those efforts to circumvent, the dossier includes a transcript of a Nov. 21, 2015, text message conversation between two Dodgers executives in which they discuss the need to “shred” a contract signed with a player before MLB had approved the document. There are also indications that dates on other official documents were doctored before they were forwarded to the MLB office."

Of note, both Andrew Freidman (president) and Gabe Kapler (yes that one) were with the Dodgers at the time. Kapler being the director of player development from 2014 to 2017....most of this sounds like it took place in 2015

[50PoundHead]

More interesting facts about this investigation

Link

"Sources told SI that the probe began when a whistle-blowing MLB insider provided the FBI with information last year during spring training. The case eventually landed in Washington D.C. where the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice is headquartered. Those prosecutors oversee enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which outlaws the bribing or inducement of foreign officials to commit acts in violation of their lawful duties. The law also bans the use of corrupt efforts to secure an improper advantage to obtain or retain business. "

Could that have been Coppy? It's possible. The article mentions

" Among those efforts to circumvent, the dossier includes a transcript of a Nov. 21, 2015, text message conversation between two Dodgers executives in which they discuss the need to “shred” a contract signed with a player before MLB had approved the document. There are also indications that dates on other official documents were doctored before they were forwarded to the MLB office."

Of note, both Andrew Freidman (president) and Gabe Kapler (yes that one) were with the Dodgers at the time. Kapler being the director of player development from 2014 to 2015....most of this sounds like it took place in 2015

Philly fans probably hoping he's found guilty and banned for life.

[Horsehide Harry]

Philly fans probably hoping he's found guilty and banned for life.

Soon we will have the USBBfLL or the United States Baseball Banned for Life League - Commissioner: Pete Rose

[Tapate50]

Seems early, but this could be more damaging than our transgressions . Better drop the hammer mlb

[bravesfanMatt]

Seems early, but this could be more damaging than our transgressions . Better drop the hammer mlb

probably hard cap them at only being able to spend 215 million in payroll every year.. plus 2 extra amatuer draft picks.

[50PoundHead]

Soon we will have the USBBfLL or the United States Baseball Banned for Life League - Commissioner: Pete Rose

I'm betting Coppolella will be the commissioner and Pete is taking those odds.

[Horsehide Harry]

I'm betting Coppolella will be the commissioner and Pete is taking those odds.

I thought he would start out as "Commissioner in waiting" and grow into the job after which Pete would step aside, play and bet on golf, and interfere all the time...

[50PoundHead]

I thought he would start out as "Commissioner in waiting" and grow into the job after which Pete would step aside, play and bet on golf, and interfere all the time...

We all need to chip in and buy Pete a pair of fancy suspenders.

[Horsehide Harry]

We all need to chip in and buy Pete a pair of fancy suspenders.

Maybe some overalls in case he loses his shirt

[Coredor]

Maybe the feds will do something but MLB won’t. I guarantee they won’t be as rough on anybody else as they were on us. That still makes me mad. The stuff we were caught on is rampant and I hope Manfred drops dead.

[Pacheaholic]

Maybe the feds will do something but MLB won’t. I guarantee they won’t be as rough on anybody else as they were on us. That still makes me mad. The stuff we were caught on is rampant and I hope Manfred drops dead.

MLB won't have a choice if other teams are caught doing what the Braves did or worse. A huge lawsuit will come their way from Atlanta if they refuse to punish teams.

[Jaw]

I suspect that MLB would be very creative in finding a way to not punish any of the NY/Chicago/LA/Boston cash cows. Very creative.

[NYCBrave]

I suspect that MLB would be very creative in finding a way to not punish any of the NY/Chicago/LA/Boston cash cows. Very creative.

Agreed. Unfortunately that's what makes good business sense for MLB.