Giants CEO set to return from suspension; is Warriors’ Durant trying to form new superteam?
However, executive’s role as ‘control person’ within organization will change for time being
SAN FRANCISCO >> San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer is expected to return from his threemonth suspension Tuesday, but he will not have the same level of power within the organization.
The Giants announced Saturday that Baer will rejoin the franchise in his prior role, but the franchise will make changes to its leadership structure. Baer, 62, is no longer the Giants’ “control person” with Major League Baseball. That role has been given to Rob Dean, who served as the interim CEO while Baer was suspended. President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi will report to Dean, who has become a more visible face of the franchise over the last three months.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced March 26 that Baer would be suspended without pay after Baer was involved in a public altercation with his wife, Pam, in San Francisco.
The incident took place March 1 and Baer was soon placed on a leave of absence. The Giants selected Dean, the son-in-law of the late Giants’ part-owner Harmon Burns, to serve as the team’s interim CEO after Baer’s leave began.
In recent weeks, some highranking members of the Giants organization speculated that Dean would retain the role of CEO with Baer losing the title upon the conclusion of Baer’s suspension, but Baer has been granted the opportunity to transition back into his previous role. It is possible, however, that in his new capacity as the team’s control person, Dean will become the face of the franchise from the perspective of ownership while Baer fades into the background.
In a statement released by the franchise’s board of directors, the Giants said that Dean and Baer will both represent the franchise with MLB. In his role as the chairman and control person, Dean will collaborate with the Giants’ executive team on major organizational issues.
Baer released his own statement through the Giants on Saturday, noting that his time away from the club has been “difficult on many levels” and that the
“overwhelming emotion I feel right now is gratitude.”
“I write this today after four months away from the Giants, the team I have loved since childhood and the organization I have served most of my adult life,” Baer said in his statement. “Our hundreds of Giants employees, millions of Giants
fans and the community-at-large have been on my mind every day, and I am truly sorry for letting you down.”
The statement issued by the Giants’ board of directors said that Baer participated in a counseling program and recommitted himself to the organization during his time away from the club. Upon returning, Baer will “initially focus on reconnecting with the employees and receiving updates on all aspects of the organization.”
Baer has not discussed his role in the altercation with his wife in any public interviews, but he did address the incident in a statement released through the Giants following his suspension.
“I made a serious mistake that I sincerely regret, and I am truly sorry for my actions,” Baer said. “My unacceptable behavior fell well short of what must be demanded of every person, particularly someone in my position and role in the community.”