Yesterday we learned about the MLB investigation of the leaks of the Red Sox players placed on waivers. In the initial report, it was said that MLB does not suspect the Red Sox as being responsible for the leaks. Not everyone’s buying that. Like Rich Levine of CSNNE.com:
Um, OK. The evidence Levine has, such as it is, is that the Red Sox have a long rich history of leaking stuff when it suits their needs. Which is absolutely true. I tend to disagree, however, about the incentives, which Levine says the Sox had. Specifically, the incentive to make it clear to fans that they were trying to remake the team.
There was far more risk, it seems, on their big trade to the Dodgers being upset if news of it got out and Dodgers fans and the L.A. media went nuts, realizing how bad a deal it was for them to take on so much salary. Why would the Sox want to queer that deal? Just to show fans they’re trying to do something? The trades themselves were evidence of that a mere couple of days later.
I agree with Levine that the Sox front office has never shown the ability to help itself when it comes to this sort of thing, but there was all kinds of downside to a leak here. And there were 29 other teams who had access to the same information, any one of whom could have done it.
I’d prefer to wait for MLB to investigate before jumping to any conclusions about this.
