The Houston Astros made a mistake trading for Roberto Osuna. The pitcher accused of domestic abuse and suspended by Major League Baseball was recently acquired via trade in what is turning out be an unpopular move, for good reason. Although Osuna is an outstanding relief pitcher, the Astros should not have made this trade.Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow is taking flak from many sides, not only for making the deal, but for his comments trying to justify the move. His explanations mentioned "due diligence" and second chances, however, the whole thing makes the team look bad in light of Luhnow's "zero tolerance policy."
When viewed from a business standpoint, adding a quality reliever to the team makes perfect sense, but unfortunately for the team, there is more to it than that. The baggage attached to Osuna - even though he has not been convicted - is enough to leave a sour taste in just about everyone's mouth. Adding to the problem was trading embattled relief pitcher Ken Giles as part of the deal, in what looks like a case of excusing a domestic abuser while punishing a man who mouthed off to his manager.
Giles has struggled since last season, but when he gave up three hits without getting an out, and then cursed out A.J. Hinch when the manager removed him from the game, it seemed to be the final straw. Giles was sent to Triple-A Fresno soon after, and although Hinch denied demoting Giles due to the outburst, the timing seemed suspicious.
Then Giles was dealt in the Osuna trade, prompting several critics to accuse the Astros of going easy on domestic abusers, but banishing a player who cursed out the manager. Whether true or not, that is the perception by a number of people, leaving Luhnow and the team trying to explain it all away.
Any fan wants to see a favorite team make trades that increase their chances for winning. Fans want to see the best possible talent, especially for a team with a chance to repeat as World Series Champions, like the Astros. Adding Osuna, a man with a questionable past, does not sit well with many people.
The Astros may have improved the team by adding a top-notch reliever, but the down side is the bad vibe. Members of the media have pulled no punches in roundly bashing Luhnow for making the trade and his explanations that come off as weak and insufficient. The point made by many has been that there is no good reason to trade for a man accused of beating a woman, and I can't argue against that. What Osuna is accused of is not a mistake - it's a crime.
To be fair, Osuna pleaded not guilty, and we don't know all of the details of the case. It is possible that he was falsely accused, but there's a good chance we will never know for sure. What is certain is that if Osuna is found guilty, there is no chance he will earn respect from anyone with a conscience.
Whether Osuna is guilty or innocent, the media has already convicted Jeff Luhnow. It's a backlash he should have known would result, and he should have avoided it. It seems inconsistent with the intelligent, soft-spoken architect of the team that won the 2017 World Series, and it is inconsistent with the philosophy of a team that places character at a premium. Trading for an alleged domestic abuser is clearly at odds with their "zero tolerance policy related to abuse of any kind."
The whole situation leaves many observers scratching their heads trying to understand why Luhnow would do it.
Will Astros fans continue to root for their team? Of course. Will they ever accept Osuna as one of their own? Probably not, since his addition tarnishes the shine of this World Series winning team.
Regardless of how good Roberto Osuna is, Jeff Luhnow should have looked elsewhere for pitching talent.
Larry Manch is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: 'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories', 'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories','A Sports Junkie', 'The Avery Appointment', 'Between the Fuzzy Parts'. His books are available in paperback and e-book.
He writes about sports for Season Tickets, food and travel on Miles & Meals, and music/guitars on The Backbeat.
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