Atlanta Braves: Front Office Scandal Dragging On
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Braves are still in the midst of a scandal that has left John Hart as the Braves’ current general manager and the team facing fines and possibly loss of prospects.
The Atlanta Braves are still being investigated for cheating and will almost certainly be facing fines and possibly loss of prospects. The front office has already forced their general manager to resign leaving John Hart the president of baseball operations and the current GM.
It has been reported that Hart will be interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation and was very unlikely to have been an innocent bystander. With that in mind the Braves should move on from Hart and force him to resign.
The fact that he is still a part of the front office is embarrassing and will only prolong the issues that the Braves’ front office has.
Major League Baseball’s investigation is unlikely to conclude until the end of the World Series when fines and possible loss of prospects will be announced. That will hurt the Braves not only as a franchise but as buyers this winter and their ability to bring in more talent.
Keeping John Hart around would be a mistake for the Braves. They need a fresh perspective and someone bringing in players who know how to win. Hart will hurt the Braves’ ability to do that with his ties to the former General Manager.
To be clear that is not to convict John Hart, we have no proof that Hart was aware of what was happening. Meaning at best he was clueless to what was happening within his own front office at worst he was a part of the collusion and cheating.
The only excuse for keeping John Hart in charge of the Braves’ front office and player decisions is if the Braves plan to let Hart go once the punishments are announced. If the Braves plan to keep Hart in charge and continue to allow him to make decisions it is a decision that they will regret.