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Monday, January 09, 2023

MLB reinstates former Braves GM after ‘lifetime ban’: Everything to know

John Coppolella will likely have to seek new employment elsewhere given the Braves currently have Alex Anthopoulos as their general manager, but new opportunity awaits.

The former Atlanta general manager was well known for his exploits in international markets, but it was that same flirtation which eventually led to his undoing. Coppolella broke MLB rules by offering players a higher signing bonus to sign in Atlanta. Rob Manfred himself suspended Coppolella for “circumvented international signing rules from 2015 through 2017.”

“We can confirm that Mr. Coppolella has been reinstated, given the more than five years he spent on the ineligible list, the contrition he expressed and the other steps he took in response to this matter,” MLB said in a statement, via The Athletic (subscription required).

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 09, 2023 at 11:31 AM | 15 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: braves, john coppolella

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1. Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMc Posted: January 09, 2023 at 05:52 PM (#6112588)

MLB reinstates former Braves GM after ‘lifetime ban’

Now do Pete Rose. (And Shoeless Joe.)

2. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: January 09, 2023 at 06:09 PM (#6112593)

Now do Pete Rose. (And Shoeless Joe.)

Let's not.

3. John Reynard Posted: January 09, 2023 at 09:20 PM (#6112624)

Now do Pete Rose. (And Shoeless Joe.)

The crimes done are not the same scale. I'd rather not reinstate Rose when he's flaunting that he still bets by doing #### like "making the first legal bet in Ohio, on the Reds" thanks.

4. a brief article regarding 57i66135 Posted: January 10, 2023 at 12:02 AM (#6112637)

The crimes done are not the same scale. I'd rather not reinstate Rose when he's flaunting that he still bets by doing #### like "making the first legal bet in Ohio, on the Reds" thanks.

i think it's reasonable to assume that rose's history of gambling is not what's keeping him on MLB's ineligible list.

5. Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMc Posted: January 10, 2023 at 02:51 PM (#6112714)

The crimes done are not the same scale.

Maybe not, but if you're cancelling a "lifetime ban", then ya gotta cancel 'em all, yes?

6. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: January 10, 2023 at 03:06 PM (#6112717)

Maybe not, but if you're cancelling a "lifetime ban", then ya gotta cancel 'em all, yes?

Why? When a murderer gets pardoned that doesn't mean we pardon all murderers.

7. Pat Rapper's Delight (as quoted on MLB Network) Posted: January 10, 2023 at 03:22 PM (#6112721)

Why do so many people think Rose has a "lifetime ban," therefore the Hall will gladly vote him in as soon as he dies?

What Rose has is "permanent ineligibility," which maybe MLB would revisit once Rose is dead (I'm sure Manfred would consider it) but it is by no means fait accompli.

8. Lassus Posted: January 10, 2023 at 03:24 PM (#6112724)

Why?

Because he's trolling.

9. Cris E Posted: January 10, 2023 at 04:02 PM (#6112731)

I have this vague sense of impending Goodfellas stuff coming down soon. "We're all pleased to announce Mr. Coppolella is a made man, let's give him a hand."

10. Zach Posted: January 10, 2023 at 06:56 PM (#6112763)

To be fair, a lifetime ban was pretty severe punishment for breaking an internal rule.

11. jmurph Posted: January 11, 2023 at 07:59 AM (#6112790)

To be fair, a lifetime ban was pretty severe punishment for breaking an internal rule.

What's this? Like you're using this language to try to minimize the infraction, obviously, but what is odd to you about an entity banning someone for violating their rules? That seems pretty straight forward. If I violated company policy and got fired, it would be pretty weird for me to protest "it was just an internal rule!"

12. Greg Pope Posted: January 11, 2023 at 08:01 AM (#6112791)

Why? When a murderer gets pardoned that doesn't mean we pardon all murderers.

First, this.

Second, it's right there in the excerpt:

the contrition he expressed and the other steps he took in response to this matter

If Rose had done that, we could talk.

13. Zach Posted: January 11, 2023 at 12:14 PM (#6112824)

Like you're using this language to try to minimize the infraction, obviously, but what is odd to you about an entity banning someone for violating their rules?

A lifetime ban for offering higher signing bonuses just seems very extreme to me.

The actions weren't criminal, immoral, or of the kind that would otherwise cast the organization in a bad light (like gambling on baseball). They violated an internal agreement that had the goal of keeping costs down.

14. Never Give an Inge (Dave) Posted: January 11, 2023 at 12:47 PM (#6112828)

Why do so many people think Rose has a "lifetime ban," therefore the Hall will gladly vote him in as soon as he dies?

I don't think anyone has used the term like that in this thread. (I mean, there was explicit mention of Shoeless Joe who is long dead and still ineligible.)

A lifetime ban for offering higher signing bonuses just seems very extreme to me.

The actions weren't criminal, immoral, or of the kind that would otherwise cast the organization in a bad light (like gambling on baseball). They violated an internal agreement that had the goal of keeping costs down.

Arguably, the latter is worse from a business standpoint. He violated an agreement with the other 29 teams, so he shouldn't be surprised they don't want to hire him afterwards. At the time, he reportedly wouldn't acknowledge any wrongdoing which is one reason MLB came down so hard on him.

(Also there were a number of other allegations against him and the Braves organization besides skirting the international bonus rules -- tampering, signing international players prior to age 16, offering players off-the-books compensation to sign below slot value.)

15. jmurph Posted: January 11, 2023 at 01:31 PM (#6112833)

A lifetime ban for offering higher signing bonuses just seems very extreme to me.

The actions weren't criminal, immoral, or of the kind that would otherwise cast the organization in a bad light (like gambling on baseball). They violated an internal agreement that had the goal of keeping costs down.

This is a very charitable way of describing what took place.

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Monday, January 09, 2023

MLB reinstates former Braves GM after ‘lifetime ban’: Everything to know

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