Jonathan Papelbon Files Grievance Against Nationals

[ShoelesJoe]

"Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon has filed a grievance against the Nationals challenging the team's decision to impose a suspension without pay for the final four games of the 2015 season, WEEI.com's Rob Bradford reports. Papelbon received the ban for his role in a dugout scuffle with star outfielder Bryce Harper."

What a putz.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

[Moose Milligan]

Man, he's really insufferable.

[InsideCoroner]

Which, even on a $13 Mil salary, amounts to about $80,000. Clown move, bro.

[ShoelesJoe]

Which, even on a $13 Mil salary, amounts to about $80,000. Clown move, bro.

$80,246 per game. Times four game suspension = $321,000.

[InsideCoroner]

You're right, faulty math. Still an absurd thing to do given that he hauled in almost $12.7M for the year *and* choked the league MVP.

[DrungoHazewood]

You're right, faulty math. Still an absurd thing to do given that he hauled in almost $12.7M for the year *and* choked the league MVP.

If he can't enforce his own set of unwritten rules then who will? Won't you think of the children who have to grow up in a world without unwritten rules arbitrarily enforced by egocentric nutjobs?

[Frobby]

You're right, faulty math. Still an absurd thing to do given that he hauled in almost $12.7M for the year *and* choked the league MVP.

I don't know what the rules are for when you can suspend a player without pay, but it would not surprise me to learn that teams don't have authority to do that, or can only do it in some very limited circumstances. So I don't necessarily fault Papelbon for contesting this, even though his actions were unjustified.

[DrungoHazewood]

I don't know what the rules are for when you can suspend a player without pay, but it would not surprise me to learn that teams don't have authority to do that, or can only do it in some very limited circumstances. So I don't necessarily fault Papelbon for contesting this, even though his actions were unjustified.

Slightly different universe, but in 1895 the Giants fined Amos Rusie $200 of his $2500 annual salary for somthing like not trying hard enough (threw 393 innings and led the league in Ks by 40%), and maybe thumbing his nose at psychotic owner Andrew Freedman. The fine stuck, and Rusie refused to play until the money was returned. He held out all of 1896. Ths is a clear HOF pitcher. The other owners got together and collected $200 plus $5k for '96 and got him to return for 1897.

[InsideCoroner]

I don't know what the rules are for when you can suspend a player without pay, but it would not surprise me to learn that teams don't have authority to do that, or can only do it in some very limited circumstances. So I don't necessarily fault Papelbon for contesting this, even though his actions were unjustified.

I'm also fairly certain he's well protected with the collective bargaining agreement holding sway. And a lawyer somewhere is surely worried it will set a precedent. But let's say I got drunk and threw up in the punch bowl at an after-hours office party and my boss said he wasn't going to pay me for that day as a result. I could probably fight it and win, but should I, if I didn't want to further alienate myself with my co-workers and clients? Probably not. Not that Papelbon seems to have any concerns about what anyone thinks of him (bless his heart).

[ShoelesJoe]

Papelbon physically attacked a co-worker while the both of them were on the job. He did so without provocation in front of several million witnesses. If there is such a thing as "conduct detrimental to the organization" then this was it. IMHO Papelbon's actions were worse for the game than a player taking PEDs and should have resulted in a similar punishment. If he wins this grievance then the Nats should do everything in their power to sabotage his career going forward.

[DrungoHazewood]

If he wins this grievance then the Nats should do everything in their power to sabotage his career going forward.

EEO training, first one or two slides: if you retailiate against an employee who has filed a greviance you're going to find yourself in a worse position than the person filing the grievance inside of, like, 25 seconds.

[Frobby]

EEO training, first one or two slides: if you retailiate against an employee who has filed a greviance you're going to find yourself in a worse position than the person filing the grievance inside of, like, 25 seconds.

It's also counterproductive to winning. The Nats' management should try to get the best performance out of Papelbon that they can in 2016. He is a jerk and what he did was wrong. Whether the team has the legal right to suspend him without pay is a separate issue. Harper seems to have gotten over it. http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25363477/beef-squashed-bryce-harper-jonathan-papelbon-are-reportedly-fine