Amid hacking scandal, Cardinals fire scouting director
In apparent fallout from a hacking scandal, the St. Louis Cardinals have fired scouting director Chris Correa.
James G. Martin, a lawyer for team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and general manager John Mozeliak, announced the move Thursday but did not give reasons for the dismissal or discuss the investigation into the alleged hacking of a Houston Astros database.
Correa has admitted to hacking into the Astros’ database, a source told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, but Correa said he did it merely to verify whether the Astros had stolen proprietary data. Correa did not leak any Astros data and is not responsible for other alleged hacks that the FBI is investigating, the source told the Post-Dispatch.
Correa’s lawyer, Nicholas Williams, wrote, “Mr. Correa denies any illegal conduct. The relevant inquiry should be what information did former St. Louis Cardinals employees steal from the St. Louis Cardinals organization prior to joining the Houston Astros, and who in the Houston Astros organization authorized, consented to or benefitted from that roguish behavior?”
That could be a reference to Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow, who worked for the Cardinals until leaving in December 2011 to begin a painstaking rebuild in Houston.
The intrusion into Astros files occurred in 2013, law enforcement officials told the New York Times last month. The newspaper reported that internal discussions about trades, proprietary statistics and scouting reports were compromised.
Blues trade Oshie to Capitals
The St. Louis Blues dealt forward T.J. Oshie to the Washington Capitals on Thursday for forward Troy Brouwer, goaltender Pheonix Copley and a third-round draft pick in the 2016 NHL draft.
The Capitals also signed forward Chris Bourque to a two-year, two-way contract.
The 28-year-old Oshie gained fame for his performance in a shootout for Team USA in the 2014 Olympic victory over Russia. The former first-round draft pick has developed into a consistent scorer in the NHL.
“T.J. is an outstanding skater with a tremendous skill set,” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said in a team statement. “He is a powerful player and has consistent track record of production throughout his career in the NHL. We feel that he complements our core group nicely and can help us get to the next level in achieving our ultimate goal.”
In seven years with the Blues, Oshie totaled 310 points (110 goals, 200 assists) and 239 penalty minutes in 443 career regular-season games and nine points in 30 postseason appearances.
According to several accounts, the Blues were looking to shake up their roster after flaming out in the playoffs the past few seasons.
Voynov suspension still in place after plea deal
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov remains suspended from the NHL after a judge accepted a plea deal on Thursday.
Voynov pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of corporal injury to a spouse after initially being charged with corporal injury to a spouse with great bodily injury after an incident in October with his wife that police said left her bloody with a cut over her left eye and red marks on her neck.
The NHL suspended Voynov after his arrest and later said the Kings were not responsible for his salary.
“Nothing changes with regard to his status vis-a-vis the NHL. No timetables for next steps,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Orange County Register. “I imagine we will hear from the player’s camp and the PA (Players Association) when they are ready to engage.”
As part of the plea deal, Voynov received three years’ probation and 90 days in jail. He also must undergo 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling and perform eight hours of community service.
Voynov’s trial was scheduled to start Monday. Voynov’s wife, Marta Varlamova, said after the initial charges were filed that she believed her husband was not guilty of a crime.
QB Miller to stay at Ohio State
Quarterback Braxton Miller will remain at Ohio State for his final season and not leave for another school as a graduate transfer, according to a report Thursday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, The Columbus Dispatch indicated that Miller would announce his immediate plans next week, leading to speculation that he might be going elsewhere. But the newspaper updated its report to say Miller would meet with the media next week to discuss his rehabilitation and the 2015 season.
Miller missed the 2014 season after having shoulder surgery. He has been rehabbing the shoulder and on Wednesday tweeted that he had a successful visit with a physical therapist in Birmingham, Ala.
At a football camp in northeast Ohio, coach Urban Meyer said Miller is nearly full strength and ready to compete for the starting quarterback job he held at the beginning of Ohio State’s 2014 national championship season.
Miller, the 2012 and 2013 Big Ten Player of the Year, was a Heisman Trophy candidate last season but was slow to recover from shoulder surgery.