MLB.com Gave Red Sox Owner A Byline To Respond To Dan Shaughnessy

Well, this is ... interesting. MLB.com published a column this afternoon that takes the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy to task for filling precious newspaper space by creating accusations of PED usage for David Ortiz to deny. The author of that MLB.com column? None other than Tom Werner, the Red Sox chairman:

Why then, should a writer publicly assert a presumption of guilt — without any foundation, without any basis, and without any evidence?

Does this mean that whenever an athlete — particularly a Dominican athlete — does something exceptional, we have to assume he cheated?

In today's media world, the question — even if it's false, inflammatory and without real basis — can become the story.

This new model tarnishes the public's enjoyment and appreciation for exploits well done.

There's nothing wrong with Werner's premise here—Shaughnessy's a hack—but the forum is a little surprising, given that most of MLB.com's stories are written by actual journalists covering the league at an arm's-length remove. Any other owner got something to get off his chest? I sort of like the idea of MLB.com as the Bleacher Report for rich guys.

[ MLB]

Photo credit: Getty