Billy Eppler suspended for a year for violating injured list rules

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[budice0]

Should be suspended for longer.  Eff him.

[Taylor]

The Angels have definitely played loosey goosey with the Injury List, even with Minasian in charge. It's probably something just about every team does.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Yeah. Fall guy. 

[Jason]

5 hours ago, Taylor said:

The Angels have definitely played loosey goosey with the Injury List, even with Minasian in charge. It's probably something just about every team does.

That was my first thought too. Eppler just got caught. 

[BTH]

part of me wonders if this is MLB's payback for Eppler getting them sued by Bubba Harkins when Eppler fired him.

[Inside Pitch]

13 minutes ago, BTH said:

part of me wonders if this is MLB's payback for Eppler getting them sued by Bubba Harkins when Eppler fired him.

Doubt it.

This BS has been going on it always seemed the Angels were playing fast and loose with the injuries and roster moves - many of us used to joke about phantom injuries.  MLB was likely more willing to look the other way or were too far removed from it to see it.  But when you have new ownership, a guy that's spending like a drunken sailor and you play in NY where people from MLB are likely in attendance every night it likely became obvious they were pushing it.  If Player B is on the IL because of an arm injury and you're watching him get his work in.... That's gonna stick out.  

I think Eppler was guilty and I think he may have offered to take one for the team to score points within the industry.  He took all blame, the team isn't disciplined at all and nobody will care.

[BTH]

25 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Doubt it.

This BS has been going on it always seemed the Angels were playing fast and loose with the injuries and roster moves - many of us used to joke about phantom injuries.  MLB was likely more willing to look the other way or were too far removed from it to see it.  But when you have new ownership, a guy that's spending like a drunken sailor and you play in NY where people from MLB are likely in attendance every night it likely became obvious they were pushing it.  If Player B is on the IL because of an arm injury and you're watching him get his work in.... That's gonna stick out.  

I think Eppler was guilty and I think he may have offered to take one for the team to score points within the industry.  He took all blame, the team isn't disciplined at all and nobody will care.

Eppler was definitely guilty, but so are pretty much all teams.

Most likely, MLB is trying to set an example out of him.

[Pancake Bear]

4 hours ago, BTH said:

Eppler was definitely guilty, but so are pretty much all teams.

Most likely, MLB is trying to set an example out of him.

Rosenthal agrees: 

"Why did commissioner Rob Manfred punish former Mets general manager Billy Eppler for improper injured-list placements when it’s believed that virtually every team has committed similar infractions?

Simple answer: The commissioner wanted to set an example, and Eppler made for an easy target.

Manfred did not anger any owner by placing Eppler on the ineligible list through the end of the 2024 World Series. Eppler, already subjugated to a lesser role under David Stearns, resigned on Oct. 5 after the league began its investigation, and is currently not employed by any club."

Basically, Manfred wanted teams to stop doing it and Eppler is a convenient patsy because nobody cared if he's suspended since he's not running any team at this point.

Sucks to be him. 

[Stradling]

The guys on MLB radio were talking about this and Ryan Spilborghs said it happens all the time. It mostly happens with fringe guys where they accept a DL stint rather than being released so they still collect an mlb check. 
I think I read it was Tommy Pham who took exception to it on the Mets. 

[UndertheHalo]

Free my man 

[BTH]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

The guys on MLB radio were talking about this and Ryan Spilborghs said it happens all the time. It mostly happens with fringe guys where they accept a DL stint rather than being released so they still collect an mlb check. 
I think I read it was Tommy Pham who took exception to it on the Mets. 

Rosenthal mentioned that MLB “acted on a detailed anonymous tip.”

I’m not sure who it is, but there are multiple candidates.

Another possibility is Tim Locastro, who got placed on the phantom IL and then tore his thumb while on a rehab assignment.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

On 2/9/2024 at 10:48 AM, Taylor said:

The Angels have definitely played loosey goosey with the Injury List, even with Minasian in charge. It's probably something just about every team does.

Maybe, but apparently what the Mets did went far beyond what most clubs do.