Houston Astros owner Jim Crane wrote a letter to Sports Illustrated owner Stephanie Apstein apologizing for accusing her of fabricating a story about their former assistant general manager and apologized to her, Apstein reported.
“On behalf of the entire Astros organization, I want to personally apologize for the statement we issued on Monday October 21st,” Crane’s letter reads. “We were wrong and I am sorry that we initially questioned your professionalism. We retract that statement, and I assure you that the Houston Astros will learn from this experience.”
Astros owner Jim Crane sent me a letter on Saturday retracting the team’s original statement about my story. “We were wrong.”https://t.co/arvGceF4To pic.twitter.com/bw2TZI3fh2
— Stephanie Apstein (@stephapstein) October 27, 2019
Apstein wrote a column for Sports Illustrated following the Astros’ victory in the American League Championship Series, saying assistant GM Brandon Taubman shouted vulgarities at her and other female reporters in support of Astros closer and alleged domestic abuser Roberto Osuna.
The Astros declined to comment for Apstein’s story, but after it was published, they released a statement saying Apstein’s reporting was “misleading and completely irresponsible” and added, “We are extremely disappointed in Sports Illustrated’s attempt to fabricate a story where one does not exist.”
If Apstein had indeed made up the story, she could have been fired and her reputation as a reporter would have been tarnished. But the day after the Astros’ PR team released that statement, they followed it up with a new one in which Taubman halfway admitted to his behavior.
Taubman has since been fired following an MLB investigation.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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