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Comparing Josh Hamilton’s Response to Brian Cashman’s


By Mike Silva ~ February 3rd, 2012. Filed under: New York Yankees, Outside the Apple, Sports Gossip, Sports Media Commentary.

Even though the primary focus on this site is the game of baseball, there are issues that happen off the field that become a part of the conversation. Yesterday, two such issues came to light with Yankees GM Brian Cashman and Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton.

Back in September, Deadspin reported on a story regarding Brian Cashman having an affair with an unnamed woman. At the time, I noted how no other media outlet other than Deadspin ran this story. In doing some research, I was told one of the major news outlets in this town elected to pass on the story for fear of repercussions by the Yankees. Deadspin has no such concerns, since they don’t need clubhouse access (which the Yankees won’t grant anyway) to conduct their business.

I figured the story would “die” as the power of the Yankees brand has a way of making “things go away.” To my surprise, it resurfaced, and the details of the affair were out there for everyone to see; shared voicemails, text messages, and a recommendation letter. Even worse, Deadspin has promised to report some “pillow talk” Cashman had with the woman.

You could make the argument that Deadspin crossed the line. Personally, I stay away from stories that involve families. It’s one thing to criticize someone for the job they do with respect to baseball; it’s another when you report information that could impact the lives of said individual’s wife and children. This is what Deadspin does, and whether you agree with it is a whole separate debate. I’m an op-ed site, and now that the story is public, it’s my obligation to comment on it. This is especially the case when I see the line of media and league/team start to blurry.

The mainstream media’s response was interesting. At 5:45 PM on Thursday, February 2nd, the woman in the Deadspin story was arrested and charged with grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, stalking, and aggravated harassment.

If you don’t read Deadspin, the narrative the mainstream is painting to the public is that an “a woman was arrested for stalking Brian Cashman.” There’s mention of the affair, but the overarching theme is that Cashman’s the victim. Mind you, charges against the woman only happened after the Thursday, February 2nd Deadspin story ran. This isn’t current news; it’s been in Deadspin’s possession for months. The relationship Cashman had with the woman has reportedly been going on since April of last year. Deadspin teased this story in September of 2011.

The same day Deadspin ran the Cashman story, ESPN reported that Hamilton suffered an alcohol addiction relapse earlier in the week. This isn’t the first time this has occurred, as Hamilton fell to his addiction back in 2009. It’s important to note that Hamilton did pass a drug test after the incident.

The response by the Rangers and the Hamilton family was the exact opposite of Cashman and the Yankees. Hamilton already had reported the incident to the team; his wife, Katie, posted a couple of messages on her Twitter account thanking everyone for their support.

Earlier this afternoon, Hamilton held a press conference to apologize to the team, fans, and his family. Despite his demons, Hamilton didn’t hide from the public. As far as I know, the Rangers haven’t tried to ruin the lives of the individuals who were involved in this incident. I am sure ESPN won’t be denied any sort of access for reporting it, either.

A week ago, I wrote over at Sports Media Watchdog about the “tweet” that led to Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Tony Grossi being removed from the Cleveland Browns beat. “He is a pathetic figure, the most irrelevant billionaire in the world,” Grossi tweeted about Browns owner Randy Lerner.  The tweet was later deleted, but not before it made its rounds. Despite Grossi’s bad judgment, I didn’t see why expressing an opinion should get someone removed from reporting on the team. Then I remembered how there are multiple conflicts of interest as leagues partner with networks that own news outlets that hire reporters that are paid to cover said league with objectivity. It’s called “follow the money trail,” as power and greenbacks have a way of stifling journalism. That’s why it’s no surprise that reports surfaced the Plain Dealer met with Cleveland before their decision on Grossi.

Two stories, two separate responses. What’s even more interesting is how the narrative differed between Deadspin and the mainstream outlets. Remember, the same mainstream outlets that partner with the Yankees and Major League Baseball.

Would you be surprised if ESPN was given the Hamilton scoop so it didn’t fall into the wrong hands (read Deadspin again), and they could get ahead of the story. Again, leagues partnering with major news outlets.

In the end, the Hamilton story is far more serious than Cashman. Josh is fighting some personal issues that threaten to not only end his career, but take his life. I highly doubt Cashman was “stalked,” since it appears he willingly spent time with the woman since last April. If it was such a big issue, why press charges hours after the Deadspin story ran? Shouldn’t this have been done months ago? Seems suspicious to me. It also sounds like they don’t want more birdies talking.

Two off-the-field incidents, two diverse ways of handling the aftermath.

It would have been nice to see Cashman come clean, admit his mistake, and move on - like Josh Hamilton.

Mike Silva is a freelance writer and radio host since March of 2007. This website is his own personal "digest" of New York Baseball He's also hosts NYBD Radio on Blog Talk Radio and 1240 AM WGBB. Check out his sports media commentary at www.sportsmediawatchdog.com. Check out his official website, www.mikesilvamedia.com
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17 Responses to Comparing Josh Hamilton’s Response to Brian Cashman’s

  1. Brien Jackson
    February 4th, 2012 at 9:15 am

    Wait, what? The woman in question has had actual charges of stalking, harassment, and extortion filed against her, and that mainstream outlets focused on that rather than merely the fact that Brian Cashman had sex with her (which is, you know, legal) that’s proof that they’re conflicted, rather than that Deadspin and Dalueiro got burnt by their tabloid tendencies?

    Oooooooookaaaaaaaaaay….

  2. Mike Silva
    February 4th, 2012 at 10:09 am

    So you pay for a woman’s rent months ago, but today she is stalking? This was clearly the gulag’s way of “covering up” the real story, which is his affair. Say what you want about Steve Phillips, but he stood up and took a beating.

  3. Brien Jackson
    February 4th, 2012 at 11:26 am

    “So you pay for a woman’s rent months ago, but today she is stalking?”

    Well no, it’s extortion. Or at least that’s what it’s alleged to be in this case.

    “This was clearly the gulag’s way of “covering up” the real story, which is his affair. ”

    That doesn’t make an ounce of sense. Aside from the fact that your contention requires us to believe that the Yankees got the state of New York, by way of the local authorities, to file unfounded criminal charges against someone for telling embarrassing details about their GM to Deadspin, which isn’t exactly believable to begin with, there’s the little matter that making a story even more salacious is generally a really crappy way of covering it up.

    And that’s to say nothing of the fact that there isn’t any denial of the affair, so far as I know.

  4. Mike Silva
    February 4th, 2012 at 12:03 pm

    Let’s follow along students

    Cashman affair - April

    Deadspin story - Sept, teasing more info

    Months of silence

    Morning of Feb 2nd - Deadspin story runs w/ more info and potential pillow talk on Posada and team

    5:45 THAT SAME DAY she is arrested and charges are filed

    Stalking and extortion are kind of a grey area (work for a big company and you prob get extorted daily- legally) - was the issue Deadspin or stalking?

    Plus not a mention of this story by Michael Kay and YES Network or it’s blogs - not a mention!!

    I am not saying these are false charges, just another example of how this team works

    Randy Levine worked for City Hall - you think he plays fair or doesn’t use power for advantages

    NYY couldn’t stifle story with Deadspin (they tried) like they do with mainstream publications (this I know as well)

    That’s the real story, and the crime IMO

  5. Chuck Johnson
    February 4th, 2012 at 1:12 pm

    “NYY couldn’t stifle story with Deadspin (they tried) like they do with mainstream publications..”

    Because Deadspin isn’t media credentialed, the Yanks can’t threaten to take something away they don’t have.

    Hamilton unquestionably did the right thing, essentially killing a non-story before it became a story.

  6. tnt
    February 4th, 2012 at 2:35 pm

    i bet all the yankee fans who made fun of mets with phillips are in hiding now….and totally off topic ,giants lose 100-0 and rex still better get his ass in the bowl next yr.

  7. Brien Jackson
    February 4th, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    “I am not saying these are false charges, just another example of how this team works

    Randy Levine worked for City Hall – you think he plays fair or doesn’t use power for advantages ”

    Dude, listen to yourself. This isn’t some PR issue or managing a story game, these are *actual criminal charges filed in real life criminal court.* You really think the Yankees can get the DA to do that? Seriously? Putting aside the fact that a DA could risk ethical proceedings if there isn’t actually any evidence to support the charges, if it’s found out that someone directly conspired with the Yankees to knowingly falsify charges against her, they’re looking at actual jail time themselves for perjury and violating her civil rights.

    So even to keep a cynical perspective on this: you really think there’s someone in the DA’s office who’s willing to expose themselves to losing their law license forever AND going to jail for the purpose of helping the Yankees cover up a story that doesn’t involve any wrong doing by Cashman and, oh by the way, brings MORE attention to the story in the process?

    Yeah, that makes sense.

  8. Mike Silva
    February 4th, 2012 at 6:57 pm

    The timing is the issue - if this was such a dangerous situation, why wait? That is the question we have to ask. I think the woman is clearly crazy, but couldn’t Cash make her go away?

    This was her “punishment” for not going along with the Yankees- plain and simple.

    You are looking at this from the wrong angle. I never said there was a conspiracy, just that I don’t think the Yanks file charges if she doesn’t go to Deadspin. If they squash Deadspin story, as they did the mainstream outlet, she is a free woman and its not an issue.

    As for the corruption of a DA, you have heard of the Duke lacrosse case? Not related, but sorry if I don’t hold lawyers, politicians, or other people in power in high regard.

  9. Steve S.
    February 5th, 2012 at 8:46 am

    Mike, the reason why the Cleveland reporter had to be taken off the beat is the very definition of his job description. He is there to report the news, not editorialize. When a reporter starts giving opinions, he loses credibility as an objective source for news and becomes an editorial columnist. There’s nothing wrong with either one, but they can’t be mixed together or you wind up with shoddy journalism. Report the news and let people make up their own minds in the news section, give the opinions of what it means in the op-ed section. Folks often confuse the two.

    How could anyone take his news reporting seriously on any issue relating to ownership (which can be a lot) when he’s come out and called the owner “pathetic” and “irrelevant”? His credibility as an objective news source is shot. He should have been removed from the beat.

  10. Anthony S.
    February 6th, 2012 at 2:14 am

    “and totally off topic ,giants lose 100-0 and rex still better get his ass in the bowl next yr.”

    Hey tnt! Great prediction. I think you were slightly off! Way To Go Giants, Way To Go!

  11. Mister D
    February 6th, 2012 at 11:59 am

    “Even her own shrink thought she was dangerous. Alleged Brian Cashman stalker Louise Meanwell’s psychiatrist urged the Yankee general manager — and Meanwell’s own mother — to call 911 and report her troubled patient to police, sources told The Post.”

    How’s that crow taste, Mike?

  12. Mike Silva
    February 6th, 2012 at 1:57 pm

    Hold on, not letting you get away with this one.

    You mean to tell me it’s ethical to release “sourced” information about someone’s medical condition?

    Physician–patient privilege is a legal concept, related to medical confidentiality, that protects communications between a patient and his or her doctor from being used against the patient in court. It is a part of the rules of evidence in many common law jurisdictions. Almost every jurisdiction that recognizes physician-patient privilege not to testify in court, either by statute or though case law, limits the privilege to knowledge acquired during the course of providing medical services. In some jurisdictions, conversations between a patient and physician may be privileged in both criminal and civil courts.

    Of course, the Yankees brand comes before the law it seems. They have done a great job of getting a story that conveniently makes Cashman look like the victim, because she was stalking both him and his MISTRESS! I mean, comon, is that really the story here? Cashman brought all this on himself. I know, the ex-husband was quoted in the story and she definitely has issues, but even more the reason to FILE CHARGES IN SEPTEMBER!!!

    Seriously, you guys are all missing the point. If she was dangerous WHY WAIT TILL 5:45 PM THE DAY THE DEADSPIN STORY CAME OUT TO PRESS CHARGES. That’s my point. Clearly, the woman has issues, but maybe getting her help and compassion was something that Cashman could have done. Seems once the sex was gone, so was the tolerance for her antics. Or maybe the tolerance for her antics went away once Deadspin got involved.

    That’s why I think this case is one that if I were on a jury, would cast a doubting eye to the seriousness of the charges.

    The real story here? If you don’t do things the Yankees way- they destroy you. No matter how messed up a person you are.

  13. Brien Jackson
    February 6th, 2012 at 4:03 pm

    I’m fairly certain confidentiality rules are relaxed in the event a psychiatrist finds a person to be a threat to themselves or others. Indeed, it wouldn’t really make sense for them not to be, would it? And in any case, privilege is a legal concept that makes privileged conversations inadmissible in court, not something that makes it illegal/unethical for a news source to publish.

    Beyond that, you’ve really just lost your mind, dude. Heck, your theory doesn’t even have the benefit of coherence, since your myriad of grievances are contradicting one another left and right.

  14. Mike Silva
    February 6th, 2012 at 4:22 pm

    Do you honestly think every person that says they are “stalked” gets criminal charges filed? The timing of the arrest doesn’t seem weird? That is my point, and how the media has gone to town on this women, who clearly is in need of help.

    Doesn’t this smell bad?

  15. mister d
    February 6th, 2012 at 9:52 pm

    Or maybe the reason why all this happened at once was because the woman had gone off the rails? Believe me, I’m not defending Cash here - he fooled around outside his marriage, and I can’t tell you how much that lowers him in my eyes. But implying that the Yankees and Cash managed to get this woman arrested on trumped up charges to manipulate the story is going too deep into the conspiracy pool for my tastes.

  16. Mike Silva
    February 7th, 2012 at 7:28 pm

    Steve

    I see your point. That is the position by the Plain Dealer. The problem is that fear of repercussion will impact said journalist from reporting the factual information you cite. They will only report the “optimistic” information.

    Bottom line: newspaper reporters become irrelevant if they don’t provide an opinion. An apology for poor judgement would have been enough.

    Let me ask you- what right do the Browns have in telling a news outlet who they send. That’s not their right IMO.

  17. Jonas Brother David
    February 8th, 2012 at 1:25 pm

    Josh Hamilton is a winner. Brian Cashman is a loser

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