October 22, 2019

Unforced Error

A member of the Astros front office let loose on reporters during the ALCS post-game celebration regarding closer Roberto Osuna.

And in the center of the room, assistant general manager Brandon Taubman turned to a group of three female reporters, including one wearing a purple domestic-violence awareness bracelet, and yelled, half a dozen times, “Thank God we got Osuna! I’m so f—— glad we got Osuna!”


The outburst was offensive and frightening enough that another Houston staffer apologized. The Astros declined to comment. They also declined to make Taubman available for an interview.


Taubman’s timing was odd.

SI.com

Indeed. It was actually good to see both Osuna and Aroldis Chapman fail in the game, given their domestic abuse suspensions. Both were acquired despite objections, and neither could deliver in the biggest game of the year.

Acquiring a player like this means suffering the public relations hit constantly. Take the question, spin it as well as you can, and then take another and another and another. Or be honest and say, “We’re all about winning. He served his time, we got him cheap, and now we’re going to the World Series.”

Taubman, instead, attacked. I suspect he’ll be fired by the end of the day.

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