One of the Yankee execs most closely involved with player development was arrested and charged with DWI Monday night. Here’s the story:
Longtime Yankees executive Mark Newman was arrested and charged with driving under the influence Monday night, according to the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office.
Newman, in his 11th season as the Yankees’ senior vice president of baseball operations, refused to take a blood-alcohol test, according to the arrest inquiry.
“We were informed that Mark Newman was arrested last night on suspicion of driving under the influence,” the Yankees said last night in a statement. “The New York Yankees do not condone this kind of behavior. We take this situation seriously and we are looking into the matter. We will have no further comment at this time.”
The report said Newman, 60, was released Tuesdayon $500 bail.
The arrest was first reported by The Associated Press.
According to the inquiry, Newman was pulled over at 10:56 p.m. near the corner of Hudson Lane and North Dale Mabry Highway, about five miles from his office at George M. Steinbrenner Field and just over a mile from his home.
What this will mean is unclear, but it’s worth noting that a more senior exec in Steve Swindal, who was George Steinbrenner’s son in law at the time (married to Jennifer Steinbrenner) and was widely thought of at the time as being George Steinbrenner’s successor, was given the boot after his DWI arrest in February of 2007. Newman would fairly be described as being lower on the food chain. Kevin Towers, anyone?
UPDATE: The team released a statement in response to the incident last night, the NY Post has it:
“The New York Yankees do not condone this kind of behavior,” the statement said. “We take this situation seriously and we are looking into the matter. We will have no further comment at this time.”
GM Brian Cashman or Newman didn’t immediately return phone calls.
Dude, you failed to mention Swindal’s divorce, after you just had this discussion ( http://riveraveblues.com/2010/03/open-thread-best-buds-24893/#comment-798393 ), and instead imply that he was fired because of his arrest. Come on. The Honorable Congressman Mondesi(Quote)
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Steve S. Reply:
March 9th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
Fine, I’ll add “at the time” if it makes you feel better.
But just don’t start flipping over buffet tables and smashing water coolers here like you did in that thread, Mo won’t stand for it. Steve S.(Quote)
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The Honorable Congressman Mondesi Reply:
March 9th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Oh you have no idea how zen I am. I barely have a heartbeat I’m so calm. The Honorable Congressman Mondesi(Quote)
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
March 9th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
You guys are hilarious. I do have to side with Mondesi on this one- the DUI was more of an excuse/straw that broke the camels back, while the divorce was the key to him losing his job. Generally, when you are married to the bosses daughter, divorce isnt great for your job security. Moshe Mandel(Quote)
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Steve S. Reply:
March 9th, 2010 at 10:08 pm
After digging up some articles, he wasn’t technically ‘fired’ since he was a part owner of the team (an issue that I’m sure was cleared up in the divorce proceedings). But after the DWI, his association with the Yanks basically unraveled. One thing though, the divorce papers were filed a few months after the DWI. If I was getting divorced, I would need some time to consult with a lawyer before moving forward, especially if I had JS’s money. There’s nothing to suggest they were breaking up before the DWI, from what I read. Steve S.(Quote)
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The Honorable Congressman Mondesi Reply:
March 9th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
But there’s also nothing to indicate his ties with the Yankees were severed because of the DWI and not because of the divorce, or even that the two were unrelated.
You seem to want to think his relationship with the Yankees ended because of the DWI, but all you have is very circumstantial evidence to back that up. I can tell the same story, with the same facts, as you’re telling, and tell it in a different way to make it sound like his relationship with the Yanks ended because of the divorce.
Answer me this: If Swindal hadn’t been divorced out of the Steinbrenner family, but still had been arrested for DWI, do you think his relationship with the Yankees and his role in the organization would have terminated? If not, I think you have to reconsider your position on this whole thing. I think it’s much more reasonable to think his relationship and role with the Yankees ended due to the divorce, not the DWI. The Honorable Congressman Mondesi(Quote)
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Steve S. Reply:
March 9th, 2010 at 10:21 pm
I think we can answer this pretty easily. If the Yanks had another exec who had a DWI and was NOT fired, then we know it’s something they don’t take all that seriously, and there must have been other factors with Swindal. Was Gene Michael ever pulled over? Bob Watson? Another front office type? I’m asking, I have no idea. Steve S.(Quote)
The Honorable Congressman Mondesi Reply:
March 9th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
I have no idea, but I have to imagine there have been front office members in the past who have had legal issues, if not DWI issues, and I’d be shocked if they were all fired in response.
Answer that question though… In your opinion, if Swindal was still happily married into the Steinbrenner family, but still had the DWI incident, do you think his relationship and role with the Yankees would have terminated as it did? The Honorable Congressman Mondesi(Quote)
Steve S. Reply:
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 am
No, but I don’t think it applies since Mark Newman isn’t married to a Stienbrenner. Steve S.(Quote)
The Honorable Congressman Mondesi Reply:
March 10th, 2010 at 11:34 am
It applies because you were arguing all night that Swindal’s ties to the Yankees were severed because of his arrest and not because of the divorce, and you used that as the underpinning of and precedent for your assertion that Newman will be fired just like Swindal was.
So it’s relevant because if Swindal wasn’t in fact fired for the arrest, then the underpinning of your opinion on Newman has been negated and rendered irrelevant. Swindal’s exit from the organization due to the divorce and not the arrest can’t be taken as conclusive evidence that Newman’s job is safe, but it also definitely can’t be used as persuasive evidence that Newman’s job is in jeopardy due to his arrest. The Honorable Congressman Mondesi(Quote)
Anyway… how did they not get Newman for M.U.I. ( –> “Managing under the influence”) when NY signed the likes of Kei Igawa, Xavier Nady and Bubba Crosby 72′Yankees(Quote)
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Poor planning on Mark’s part. Tom Swift(Quote)
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i must say im thrilled if this incident precipitates the departure from YES of Nancy(mortisha adams)Newman
who actualy is harder to listen to than Suzyn (broadway)Waldman, and lord knows suzyn is a tough listen, unless you like listening to the game with your mom bobbybaseball(Quote)
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ps to steve s…ive been in bars with gene michael and boy can he knock em down! bobbybaseball(Quote)
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That club is full of hot heads, from the dugout to the front office. Gerald Miller(Quote)
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