Shyam Das fired by MLB

[zzzmanwitz]

MLB has fired Shyam Das.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7929521/report-mlb-fires-shyam-das-arbitrator-milwaukee-brewers-ryan-braun-case

[brwrsfan]

This just screams sour grapes to me. He's been in this role almost 2 decades and by all accounts, has done a great job. He's supposed to look at everything objectively and the one time he rules against MLB (which by all accounts was probably the right decision), they promptly fire him.

 

It's fine to disagree with his decision if you want, but to fire the guy over properly enforcing a chain of command issue and then pouting about it is a joke. I wish the players union would call them out on it but that will never happen. It just makes them look really poor in my opinion. He's great until he doesn't agree with us 10000% of the time, then he's useless and fired.

[burnzy24]

Firing Das makes MLB look like a kid who didn't get his way so he took his ball and went home. Its funny how the MLBPA could have fired him too at any time and for 13+ years and up until Braun (that we know of), he never ruled with the the MLBPA, but they never chose to fire him. Now he rules against MLB twice and he is fired. How pathetic.

[pebadger]

First MLB quashes the written decision, which means that the unconfirmed speculation that this case was about "nothing more" than procedural errors is allowed to continue to exclusively dominate media reports.

 

Next, MLB fires a the very highly respected "independant" arbitrator who cast the deciding vote in the case.

 

Think about that: MLB has the ability to fire the "independant" arbitrator.

 

I think it's fair to say that MLB at the very least looks like it has something to hide and very well may have something to hide here. Even if they don't, this action exposes the appeals process for the sham that it is, mostly by revealing what it isn't. It's not a judicial process that is any way interested in a search for truth; it's a mostly meaningless construct that is there for public appearances more than anything else. It's that fact that makes Braun's victory so improbable.

 

The entire post-award chain of events, from the way the decision was predictably attacked all the way through today's events just serves to continue to confirm everything I've posted here since December about the integrity, or disturbing lack thereof, of this process.

[fondybrewfan]

Could Das speak publically about the Braun case now that he is no longer employed by MLB? I am guessing not for fear of getting sued by MLB but I guess a man can hope.

 

He is hearing the Bounty Gate appeal for the NFL as well; the guy is very highly respected at what he does. MLB could spin the firing any way they want but everyone knows why they did it.

[burnzy24]

Think about that: MLB has the ability to fire the "independant" arbitrator..

 

Yes, but to be fair, the MLBPA has that same authority. They just haven't exercised it yet.

[Outlander]

MLBPA has had the ability to but did not because they must have felt he was still an independent arbitrator. Something stinks when MLB fires him the first time the independent arbitrator disagrees with them.

[Thurston Fluff]

It's their right to do but the next one has to be approved by both sides? I see no reason the union would allow anyone who more management friendly than Das was. If I was MLB I'd be more worried about the next one than the last.

[TheCrew07]

Think about that: MLB has the ability to fire the "independant" arbitrator.

 

I think it's fair to say that MLB at the very least looks like it has something to hide and very well may have something to hide here. Even if they don't, this action exposes the appeals process for the sham that it is, mostly by revealing what it isn't. It's not a judicial process that is any way interested in a search for truth; it's a mostly meaningless construct that is there for public appearances more than anything else. It's that fact that makes Braun's victory so improbable.

 

Actually didn't I read that other side can fire the arbitrator? I'm not sure why the Player's Association ever would though, as it would be a PR nightmare.

 

The way a new arbitrator is selected if the 2 sides aren't able to agree is actually kind of funny as you're simply the last man standing after both sides alternate turns striking names off a list.

[Invader3K]

It's amazing that Braun isn't serving a suspension right now, given how rigged against him the entire process apparently was. MLB needs to be called out on this, but ESPN will never say a word so about 99% of baseball fans won't hear about this.

 

I hope Shyam Das releases his opinion now, and that we get the real word on what happen. I'm really surprised that Bud Selig didn't do a better job handling this situation.

[pebadger]

Yes, the athlete in these cases can strike names from the list of third party arbitrators, but that doesn't mean a whole lot given the way these things work.

 

Basically, the police get to pick the jury, and they can fill the jury with policemen. If the defendant complains and gets rid of one, they just get another policeman. If the defendant keeps holding up the procedure by striking jurors, he's the one who ends up looking bad and he looks bad already by virtue of the fact that he's there.

[pebadger]

It's amazing that Braun isn't serving a suspension right now, given how rigged against him the entire process apparently was. MLB needs to be called out on this, but ESPN will never say a word so about 99% of baseball fans won't hear about this.

 

I hope Shyam Das releases his opinion now, and that we get the real word on what happen. I'm really surprised that Bud Selig didn't do a better job handling this situation.

 

The sad/scary thing is that MLB's process is MORE fair than the process used in Olympic sports.

[DuWayne Steurer]

MLB needs to be called out on this, but ESPN will never say a word so about 99% of baseball fans won't hear about this.

.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7929521/mlb-fires-shyam-das-arbitrator-milwaukee-brewers-ryan-braun-case

 

 

It's actually on ESPN's front page of baseball news.

 

I never can understand the absolute hatred some people have for ESPN.

[1992casey]

Actually didn't I read that other side can fire the arbitrator? I'm not sure why the Player's Association ever would though, as it would be a PR nightmare.

Here's the pertinent information from the AP article about the hiring/firing procedure:

 

Baseball's collective bargaining agreement says the arbitrator can be removed by the players' association or management at any time with written notice.…

 

The sides will now try to select a successor. If they cannot agree, baseball's collective bargaining agreement calls for them to ask the American Arbitration Association for a list of "prominent, professional arbitrators." The sides would then alternate striking names from the list until one remains.

[GB12]

MLB needs to be called out on this, but ESPN will never say a word so about 99% of baseball fans won't hear about this.

It'll get mentions, but most people are going to take it as Braun is more guilty than the MLB being childish.

[HiAndTight]

MLBPA has had the ability to but did not because they must have felt he was still an independent arbitrator. Something stinks when MLB fires him the first time the independent arbitrator disagrees with them.

 

 

Despite ruling AGAINST them on every single case that we know of.

 

The Players Union should just fire the next couple guys who rule against the player.

 

If you're going to fire a respected guy like Das, who, incidentally is going to be arbitrating another issue that directly impacts the state of Wisconsin with the Saints bounty-gate issue(Hardgrove our FA DE that we signed), then who do you deem worthy? Someone who's just going to go along with you no matter what?

[HiAndTight]

MLB needs to be called out on this, but ESPN will never say a word so about 99% of baseball fans won't hear about this.

It'll get mentions, but most people are going to take it as Braun is more guilty than the MLB being childish.

 

 

People do this so often. As if it's anti-Brewer. It's not sensational. It's MLB's arbitor who I would venture to guess that 95 pct of baseball fans wouldn't know by name, and that's probably very conservative.

 

So the story now becomes, "MLB fires arbiter who ruled for Braun fired."

 

And there's no more information to discuss. That's essentially it. MLB has that right. There isn't likely to be any dirt coming out as Das is a professional and a respected professional, and he hasn't shown in any way whatsoever that he's lacked professionalism in any way.

 

So write the story?

 

The defending MVP gets suspended for 50 games and then it gets overturned? Yeah, that's the story of the off-season, at least one of the main stories. But people just won't care about this and as such, does ESPN have a responsibility to do anymore than simply report it for a news cycle?

[HiAndTight]

MLB needs to be called out on this, but ESPN will never say a word so about 99% of baseball fans won't hear about this.

.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7929521/mlb-fires-shyam-das-arbitrator-milwaukee-brewers-ryan-braun-case

 

 

It's actually on ESPN's front page of baseball news.

 

I never can understand the absolute hatred some people have for ESPN.

 

I didn't see your post when I posted mine.

To me, it really comes down to this. It's almost popular to...crap on ESPN for lack of a more elegant way of articulating it.

 

This ESPN bashing is just over the top at times. There isn't much of a story there OUTSIDE of the hardcore, obsessive baseball fans which most of us on here are. Honest to god, I worked for the Brewers for a couple years out of college([sarcasm]I was the GM for the Brewers during the 90's and early 2000's....you know, an entry level position for the Brewers at that time[/sarcasm]). Seriously though, I worked there and still know guys who work there who honest to god wouldn't have a clue who Brooks Hall is, who wouldn't know who...hell, honestly don't know who Tyler Thornburg is, or at the very least didn't coming into this year. Who know of a handful of minor league players and that's it.

 

So lets step back and evaluate the target audience. They're not talking to HighAndTight, BrewCrew07(or whatever), Ender,Bruce, Adambr,Endaround Briggs, or the rest of this board where the uninformed consist of those who don't know if Burgos throws 89-90 still or if he's now throwing 91-92. I mean....c'mon, how many people are that hardcore baseball fans?

 

 

My point is people want more than they're ever going to get from a network that caters to the other 99 pct of fans out there. Heck, this is a board that forms it's own prospect rankings on their own.

[Invader3K]

I get that most people aren't as obsessed as the folks on this forum. My point is that MLB should be taken to task over this, and ESPN should be the ones to do it since they originally broke the story about Braun's failed drug test in the first place.

[hawing]

My point is people want more than they're ever going to get from a network that caters to the other 99 pct of fans out there. Heck, this is a board that forms it's own prospect rankings on their own.

Brewerfan.net: Catering to the 1% (of Brewers fans) since 2001. OK, sorry. Please carry on.

[JohnBriggs12]

"Seriously, I worked there... still know guys..who honestly don't who Tyler Thornburg is..."

 

What does Bill Schroeder have to do with a discussion of the relative merits of ESPN?

[Ennder]

To be fair ESPN was completely irresponsible in the way they handled the Braun news in the first place so people are a bit more jaded about them than normal. They openly bashed him constantly in the first few weeks of the story.

[Dragonbait]

alrgiht.... I finally made it to the 1%........

 

(couldn't resist)

[Schlitz001]

Does MLB have to cite a reason for firing Das? I would like to hear them try and explain this. I just wonder how much is related to the Eliezer Alfonzo case. Is MLB afraid that Ryan Braun has opened the flood gates for "chain of custody" and other procedural objections. Maybe they think the only way to restore order is to find a new arbiter to set a new precedent.

[monty57]

Does MLB have to cite a reason for firing Das?

 

I doubt they plan on citing a reason, which is where a good reporter would press them on it. Since most sports networks are more interested in finding a person who can come up with a cool saying and look good while reading a teleprompter then they are interested in finding someone who knows anything about reporting, I doubt anyone will press MLB on why they would fire Das. It certainly looks like they are only firing him because he disagreed with them, and that makes the whole system look pretty bad.