What Were They Thinking?

I've found myself asking that question a lot recently...about a number of different situations.  It's not like people weren't going to find out about these stupid acts.  And it's not like there weren't going to be consequences for them.  So why even do them in the first place?

One story hijacked the first few days of the World Series.  That was, of course, what former Astros Assistant GM Brandon Taubman did in the clubhouse following the clinching Game 6 of the ALCS.  For some reason, he went up to a group of female reporters (who were covering the postgame celebration as part of their jobs) and repeatedly shouted, "I'm so f------- glad we got Osuna," referring to Houston closer Roberto Osuna, who served a 75-game suspension for domestic violence last season.

This story has been told over and over again, and, really, it gets worse every time I hear it.  Why, in God's name, did he decide, unsolicited, to do this?  Right after Houston won the pennant no less!  What purpose did it serve?  Beyond that, how would this, in any way, be a good look for someone who's trying to move up the ladder and eventually be a Major League GM?

Did anyone seriously think this story wouldn't get out?  And, once it did, why would the Astros condone his actions by not doing the obvious thing and fire him right away?

In fact, the organization only managed to make things worse.  They not only defended Taubman, they made up a ridiculous "explanation" that his outburst wasn't directed at anybody in particular and that he was simply expressing his support for a player.  An explanation that made absolutely no sense considering said player had just blown a save that would've clinched the pennant and was only bailed out by Jose Altuve's walk-off home run.  Sure seems like an odd time to say how much you love the guy!

The most absurd part, though, was that they threw the Sports Illustrated reporter under the bus and accused her of fabricating the story, even though her account was corroborated by a number of witnesses.  The Astros, meanwhile, claimed to have their own witness statements backing up Taubman's version of what transpired, corroborated by no one.  Here's a transcript of that entire "investigation":

• Investigator: "Brandon, were your comments directed at that group of female reporters?"
• Taubman: "No."
• Investigator: "OK.  That's good enough for me!"

Taubman did "apologize," but only after the public backlash grew.  And that apology wasn't sincere at all and was clearly written by the team's PR people, albeit unsuccessfully.  Because all it did was piss off Major League Baseball.

Finally, after almost a week, the Astros did what they should've done immediately and fired Taubman (which MLB was going to make them do if they didn't do it themselves).  How did they not come to that conclusion immediately?  Would they have even come to it at all if MLB hadn't essentially forced their hand?

They did everything wrong along the way.  Even in their statement after the fact, where they finally acknowledged "We were wrong," they never said what they were wrong about.  They were trying to save face.  They weren't admitting they were wrong for what they did to the journalist.  She didn't get her apology until much later, when she received a personal letter from the Astros' owner.  By then, it was too little, too late.

And, frankly, the Astros brought this upon themselves.  They had to know that trading for a guy who was in the midst of a lengthy suspension for domestic violence wasn't going to go over well with everyone.  Yet they did it anyway.  Which was their prerogative.  But if you want to bring on the controversy, you have to deal with the fallout, too.  Which, it seems, is something they don't want to do.

What the Astros would seemingly prefer is that everyone just forgets about the whole domestic violence thing and only focuses on baseball.  Which is easier said than done.  Especially when one of your own employees runs his mouth about how great Osuna is...to a bunch of reporters no less!  One of whom was wearing a purple domestic violence bracelet.  

There will be plenty of professional consequences for Taubman.  He'll likely face an MLB suspension that he'll have to serve once hired by another team, provided another team ever does hire him.  Why would one?  Especially right now?  It's more than likely that he threw away any chance he had at a career in a Major League front office.  And for what?  (Although, I suppose he could always go work for the Knicks.  He'd fit right in with Jim Dolan and Isiah Thomas.)

But Taubman shouldn't be the only one who pays the price for this sorry episode.  Because pretty much everything that happened here is beyond unprofessional.  The team knew the Sports Illustrated story was true, yet released a statement trying to discredit it anyway.  A statement that they knew was untrue.  Yet somebody approved it and somebody sent it out.  Those people should be joining Taubman on the unemployment line.

Major League Baseball needs to send a message that this type of behavior is not OK.  Frankly, Major League Baseball never should've had to get involved.  But that's what happens when a team ignores facts and professionalism in an attempt to avoid firing somebody who deserved to fired.  And that's the irony of all this.  If they'd just fired him in the first place like they should've, this whole thing wouldn't have turned into a "thing" at all.