“The lines have been drawn on the field for
150 years, so we have that resource of what
that competition looks like on the field, but
technology is moving fast in every facet of our
life, and we’re all affected by it.”
Entering his second full season as St. Louis
manager, Shildt made his comments as the NL
Central champions took to the field for the first
full-team workout.
“By nature it’s going to be reactive,” Shildt said.
“The last several years there’s been pretty clear
communication from the commissioner’s office
about what and how we expect to play.”
Shildt said technological advances over the
past seven years are probably greater than the
first 140 years of professional baseball.
“The line of off-the-field integrity was
just a little blurred because there were so
many things out there happening in real
time, happening fast,” Shildt said. “The
commissioner’s been really clear and his office
has been really clear about what that looks like
and creating a clear line, so now the purge I
alluded to, it’s out there.”
Manfred last month suspended Houston
manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff
Luhnow for one season each, fined the Astros
$5 million and stripped the team of its first-
and second-round draft choices for each of
the next season seasons. Houston then fired
Hinch and Crane.
“It’s not my responsibility to say whether
the punishment was just or unjust,” Shildt
said. “I thought it was really clear. It’s a purge
for now.”