By Agence France-Presse
The Houston Astros have fired an executive who taunted a group of female reporters about a member of the team who had been banned for domestic violence, the Major League Baseball franchise announced Thursday.
In this file photo taken on October 19, 2019 Roberto Osuna #54 of the Houston Astros reacts after the ninth inning against the New York Yankees in game six of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. Houston Astros assistant general manager Brandon Taubman yelled toward three female reporters during the team’s playoff victory celebration in what the team called “supporting” relief pitcher Roberto Osuna. (Photo by ELSA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
In a statement, the Astros said the team had sacked assistant general manager Brandon Taubman after an investigation found he had targeted one or more journalists during a bizarre locker room rant last Saturday.
“We have terminated Brandon Taubman’s employment with the Houston Astros,” the team said.
“His conduct does not reflect the values of our organization and we believe this is the most appropriate course of action.”
Taubman had admitted yelling support for relief pitcher Roberto Osuna as the Astros celebrated beating the New York Yankees to win the American League crown.
The Astros trail Washington 2-0 in the World Series.
According to Sports Illustrated, Taubman had turned, unprompted, to the women — one of whom was wearing a domestic violence awareness bracelet — and yelled six times: “Thank God we got Osuna. I’m so fucking glad we got Osuna.”
Another Astros team staffer later apologized to the women for the rant.
Astros president of baseball operations Jeff Luhnow said Taubman’s behavoir “was inappropriate and not representative of who the Astros are and our culture and what we stand for.”
He also said the team was wrong in an initial statement describing Taubman’s actions as being supportive of Osuna while he faced tough questions over his play — when other reporters confirmed no such situation existed when Taubman’s rant began.
“That original reaction by the Astros was wrong and we own it as an organization,” Luhnow said. “There were many people involved in reviewing that and approving that. And I’m not going to get into the details of that. It was wrong. It was the Astros’ decision and that’s where I’m going to leave that.”
The Astros first statement had slammed Sports Illustrated journalist Stephanie Apstein’s account of the exchange as “misleading and completely irresponsible.”
“Our initial investigation led us to believe that Brandon Taubman’s inappropriate comments were not directed toward any reporter,” the team said.
“We were wrong. We sincerely apologize to Stephanie Apstein, Sports Illustrated and to all individuals who witnessed this incident or were offended by the inappropriate conduct,” the team statement said. “The Astros in no way intended to minimise the issues related to domestic violence.”
“Our initial belief was based on witness statements about the incident. Subsequent interviews have revealed that Taubman’s inappropriate comments were, in fact, directed toward one or more reporters.”
Pressed on the first club statement, Luhnow added, “It was an organizational statement. There was nobody’s name on it… it was wrong, it was incorrect. It should never have been sent out. We’ve learned a lesson about it.
“There’s nothing about that first statement that was correct or that’s defensible. And we take accountability for it, we take ownership of it, and it was wrong.”
Taubman had reportedly clashed with one of the reporters in the past over the Astros’ controversial recruitment of Osuna.
The 24-year-old pitcher was suspended for 75 games in 2018 after allegedly assaulting the mother of his child. He was later signed by the Astros from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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