The Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League suspends Tom Axon for two years

The president of the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball League Roberto Clemente (LBPRC), Juan A. Flores Galarza, reported today, Tuesday, his determination to suspend Thomas J. Axon for two years, a probationary period of an additional year and a fine of $5,000, as authorized by the Constitution of the body.

Flores Galarza indicated that all the efforts to reach an agreement that would be beneficial for all parties did not give the results that he expected. “There are irreconcilable differences between the parties that make it impossible to reach an agreement, as was my interest. I did my best to reach a negotiation before making the decision that I am announcing today, but unfortunately it was not achieved,” Flores Galarza said in a press release.

“Our Constitution clearly establishes that any natural or legal person officially connected with the LBPRC or with any of its teams who, in the opinion of the president, has engaged in conduct or has made public demonstrations, to the detriment of professional baseball or the LBPRC, may be summarily sanctioned by the president, imposing a fine, suspension or both”, Flores Galarza expressed in reference to the actions and expressions carried out by Axon.

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There are irreconcilable differences between the parties that make it impossible to reach an agreement, as was my interest

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The league decision comes in the aftermath of public comments made by Axon in which he railed against the Municipality of San Juan for the conditions at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium and threatened to take the franchise to Humacao.

“As the main executive of the winter league, which is the owner of the teams, it is my responsibility to ensure that all the agreements signed with the franchises are properly respected and fulfilled. I am responsible that both the directors of the franchises, their shareholders and any other person who is officially connected with the LBPRC or with some of its teams, whether they are natural or legal persons, faithfully comply with the provisions of our Constitution and with the determinations of the President, just as they contractually promised at the time of being accepted in the LBPRC”, emphasized the league president.

The league owns the franchise

In reference to the public controversy that has been created about who is the true owner of the Cangrejeros, Flores Galarza expressed that “the management of the Cangrejeros knows very well that the LBPRC is the owner of the franchise and, therefore, has all the rights over it. Claiming something to the contrary has the sole intention of confusing the Puerto Rican people.”

Through an agreement signed between the parties, the LBPRC granted and transferred the rights it has over the Cangrejeros to a legal entity to operate and manage it subject to compliance with the conditions established in the agreement, as reported by the league.

“The management of the Cangrejeros also knows that in the signed agreement they committed to operating the franchise in the Hiram Bithorn municipal stadium and that any permanent transfer to another municipality requires the authorization of the league, which has not happened”Flores Galarza expressed to clarify said public controversy.

The league emphasized in its communication today that if the management of the Cangrejeros does not comply with the conditions established in the agreement, they could lose the franchise and the license granted to operate and market the franchise, leaving the space for other interested parties to acquire the same.

“They are aware that in the same way that the LBPRC granted them the franchise to operate the ninth crab business, it can also be revoked if they do not comply with the signed agreement. We trust that we will not have to reach that determination and that the directors of the Santurce team will work to comply with the formalized agreements,” said Flores Galarza.

On the other hand, the president informed that he will personally begin conversations with representatives of the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan to ensure that the Cangrejeros play this season in the capital’s stadium.

“We continue to work under the premise that our tournament will have six franchises, with the Cangrejeros de Santurce playing at the Hiram Bithorn stadium, with 50 games in the regular season and we will open on November 4, 2022,” concluded the LBPRC president. .

“We are going to see each other in court”

Today’s league decision comes after its decision to permanently remove Axon as owner of Santurce failed in March. On March 14, the league had ordered Axon’s dismissal and had given the franchise five days to remove him as proxy.

At that time, Axon’s lawyer, Joaquín Monserrate Matienzo, had told The new day that there was an intent to sue if the league stuck to its initial decision to permanently remove Axon from his job.

Today’s decision does not seem to change that intention to sue. Tonight, Monserrate Matienzo admitted that he had not yet read the resolution issued on Tuesday, and limited himself to pointing out The new day that “we are going to see each other in court and that he and all the directors who signed that decision be prepared to respond with their private property.”