Jarred Cosart Broke into Major Leagues with the Houston Astros in 2013
Major League Baseball fined Miami Marlins pitcher Jarred Cosart on Friday for placing illegal wagers on sports. MLB said their investigation revealed no signs that the 24-year old had placed bets on professional baseball.
Had the investigation found Cosart bet on baseball games, he would have been subject to the same punishments which drove Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson out of the sport. As it was, the office of new commissioner Rob Manfred fined the young pitcher an undisclosed amount. It is expected the fine will be the last official reaction to the conduct.
Rob Manfred’s Statement
The Commissioners Office released a statement which said, “Major League Baseball has completed its investigation into Jarred Cosart’s possible connection to sports-related gambling. The investigation did not reveal any evidence to suggest that Cosart, who fully cooperated with the investigation, bet on baseball.”
Citing its reasons for assessing the fine, the statement continued that Major League rules “prohibit players from placing bets with illegal bookmakers or agents for illegal book makers. This rule is strictly enforced and applies to gambling with illegal bookmakers on any sport or event.”
Jarred Cosart’s Statement
Jarred Cosart also released a public statement about the fine, as well as his role in the misconduct. Cosart’s was quick to point out he did not gamble on MLB games. His statement suggested, “I have never, nor would I ever, bet on” Major League Baseball games.
The statement from the Marlins’ pitcher added, “I’m sorry for any distractions this may have caused the Marlins, my teammates, coaches, and our incredible fans. I’m glad to bring closure to this situation before opening day.”
Marlins Discuss the Fine
Several Marlins teammates went on record about the incident. All gave relief that the gambling scandal had been resolved before the long MLB season was in full swing. Each gave their support of the Jarred Cosart or otherwise expressed relief that he would not face more serious judgment.
Giancarlo Stanton, a star for the Miami Marlins, was asked by reporters in the last days of Spring Training at the Class A affiliate in Greensboro, North Carolina. Stanton replied, “No, no distraction. It’s a good thing it was spring and not the season but even then, it turned out working out OK.”
Mike Redmond Relieved to Hear of Fine
Mike Redmond, the Marlins’ current manager, expressed relief about the decision. In the hours after the final Spring Training game, Redmond was informed of the fine by Rob Manfred’s office and gave an instant reaction.
Redmond said, “If that’s the case, then that’s good news.”
Twitter Controversy
The investigation began after Cosart’s Twitter direct messaging became public knowledge. The scandal started after one gaming expert claimed Cosart had asked him for gambling advice. This was followed by several other supposed gambling experts accusing Cosart of gambling on sports. Some went so far as accuse the pitcher of betting on baseball. The sports media labeled such so-called experts unreliable, so media and players waited for the results of an investigation.
The Miami New Times began to report on the story the next day. The man who originally claimed Cosart asked him for advice, @GhostFadeKillah, even described himself as “also troll a bit here and there.” When the New York Times asked for GhostFadeKillah to give some more background to himself, he did not respond to the request.
Since the incident, Jarred Cosart has deleted his Twitter account.
About Jarred Cosart
Jarred Cosart is the grandson of former Chicago Cubs pitcher Ed Donnelly. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in Round 38 of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft. Cosart was traded to the Houston Astros in 2011, where he made his Major League debut in 2013. Cosart pitched 6 & 1/2 innings of no-hit ball in his first outing, but had a sometimes tumultuous time with the Astros. He was traded to the Marlins at the trade deadline of 2014, along with Enrique Hernandez.
