© John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
On March 26, 2019, Major League Baseball suspended Giants president and CEO Larry Baer without pay after an incident in which he pushed his wife, which was caught on video. The suspension was set to go through July 1. On Saturday, the Giants announced that Baer would be reinstated on July 2.
Baer was temporarily replaced by board member Rob Dean as acting CEO. Dean will take over the position as chairman and the MLB designated control person within the organization.
Below is the statement on Baer’s reinstatement by the San Francisco Giants Board of Directors:
Giants President and CEO Larry Baer will return on Tuesday, July 2. During his absence, Larry has participated in a regular counseling program and has recommitted himself to the organization. As he transitions back into his role with the Giants, he will initially focus on reconnecting with the employees and receiving updates on all aspects of the organization.
We want to thank Board Member Rob Dean for stepping in as acting CEO over the past four months. Rob will transition into the role of chairman and will continue as the MLB designated control person. In this capacity, Rob – along with Larry – will represent the club with MLB. Rob will also, on behalf of ownership, collaborate with the executive leadership team on major organizational issues. Keeping in line with industry standards, the president of baseball operations reports to the control person, and we will adopt that practice.
Finally, we want to express our deep appreciation and admiration to the Giants employees for their professionalism, dedication and passion. We are inspired by the work they do on a daily basis on behalf of the club, the fans and the community.
Below is the statement from Baer:
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. 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.
While my time away has been difficult on many levels, it has allowed me opportunities for introspection and, with the help of some wonderful people, growth. I’ve been able to step back and take stock of myself as a person and as a leader. I am wiser for it, and the work continues. The journey of self-discovery, like so much in life, is ongoing and never-ending.
The overwhelming emotion I feel right now is gratitude. I am appreciative beyond words for the hard work and professionalism of the Giants staff and executive team during this difficult period, and I’m looking forward to thanking each of them in person.
The Giants are in a major transition on and off the field. This includes some structural changes, which I fully embrace. Major League Baseball is a complex and ever-changing industry, now more than ever. Success requires leadership that listens to and learns from all voices, that leverages the ideas and talent of every person in every department, along with tapping the resources and energy of our fans and the Bay Area community. I am looking forward to spending the next weeks and months listening, learning and discovering how, together, we can best serve this great organization and community.
