Mitch Williams Secures $1.5M Verdict in Case Against MLB Network
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STATEWIDE LEGAL AUTHORITY SINCE 1878 VOL. 223 NO. 26 MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2017 NJLAWJOURNAL.COM ‘Wild Thing’ Mitch Williams Secures $1.5M Verdict in Case Against MLB Network By Charles Toutant ormer Major League Baseball Fpitcher Mitch Williams was awarded $1.5 million by a state court jury in Camden Tuesday in his breach of contract suit against MLB Network. The network canceled Williams’ broadcaster contract after media reports said he hurled profanity and threats at an umpire and play- ers during games of his son’s youth baseball team. But Williams main- Mitch Williams tained that the reports of improper behavior were completely false, him of misconduct at his son’s His troubles began May 10, and asked the jury to reject the net- baseball games, according to court 2014, when he was attending his work’s claim that he had violated documents. 10-year-old son’s game at a tour- the “morals clause” in his contract. Williams, whose nickname is nament in Maryland. According The jury ordered the network to “Wild Thing,” ended his professional to the complaint, Williams said he pay Williams $1,565,333 after an baseball career in 1997 after 11 years, was acting as first base coach when 11-day trial before Superior Court in which he played with six differ- an umpire began arguing with him Judge Michael Kassel. Williams’ ent teams. His career included stints and then ejected him from the suit also brought defamation claims with the Texas Rangers, Chicago game. But after the game was against Gawker Media, which oper- Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston over, tournament officials deter- ated a sports-themed website called Astros, California Angels and Kansas mined Williams was not at fault Deadspin. That site is now owned City Royals. In 2009 he was hired and banned the umpire from the by Univision. Gawker and Williams by MLB Network as a studio ana- tournament for inciting an alterca- reached a confidential settlement in lyst. That job paid $650,000 in 2015, tion, the suit claims. 2015 over his claims that Deadspin $625,000 in 2014 and $575,000 in On the following day, Deadspin defamed him with articles accusing 2013, the suit states. published an article headlined “Mitch Williams Ejected from questioned by network officials covenant of good faith and fair deal- Child’s Baseball Game for Arguing, about the allegations. Williams told ing, negligent misrepresentation, Cursing.” The article stated that the network the articles were untrue, defamation, intentional interference Williams was ejected after launch- but he was placed on a 30-day sus- with prospective economic advan- ing a profanity-laced tirade in which pension. The network said in state- tage, invasion of privacy, violation he called an umpire a “mother- ments to USA Today and the New of the Conscientious Employee fucker” in front of the children. York Daily News that Williams vol- Protection Act and violation of the The article attributed its account to unteered to take a leave of absence, Law Against Discrimination. unnamed persons who were at the which he says was incorrect and “This verdict completely vin- game, according to his complaint. cast him in a negative light. dicates Mitch Williams, who was Then, on May 16, 2014, On May 19, Deadspin ran a third viciously defamed by anonymous Deadspin published a second arti- article about Williams, which said sources on the internet and then cle about Williams’ conduct at the he was “slurring his words” dur- had MLB Network breach its con- same tournament, stating that he ing appearances on MLB Network. tract with him. Justice was served called one of the opposing team’s He denied that allegation. Then, today,” his attorney, Laura Carlin players a “pussy,” called one of on June 13, 2014, MLB Network Mattiacci of Console Mattiacci Law its coaches a “squirrelly little tea- offered to reinstate Williams if he in Moorestown, said in a statement. pot,” and made harassing comments agreed not to coach or attend any She represented Williams at trial about the appearance of the oppos- youth sports events for one year. A along with the firm’s Rahul Munshi. ing team’s players. The article also proposed addendum to his contract MLB Network was represented said Williams instructed one of his also ordered him to abstain from by Peter Hughes and Ryan Warden own team’s players to strike one of using social media and to attend of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak the other team’s players in the head “therapeutic counseling.” Williams, & Stewart in Morristown. They did with a “beanball,” his complaint who has five children, including not respond to requests for com- said. Williams maintains that the two with autism, refused, and on ment. MLB Network said in a state- website’s allegations about his con- June 26, the network terminated his ment, “While we respect the jury’s duct are completely untrue. contract, which had an unpaid bal- decision, we disagree with their The allegedly defamatory post- ance of roughly $2 million. conclusion and are reviewing all of ings have been taken down from the Williams’ suit said MLB vio- our legal options. We will have no Deadspin website. lated a clear mandate of public pol- further comment at this time.” On the day the second Deadspin icy by interfering in a parent’s right article was posted, a scheduled to the care and companionship of his Contact the reporter at appearance by Williams on MLB child. Williams’ suit accused MLB [email protected]. On Network was canceled, and he was of breach of contract, breach of the Twitter: @ctoutantnjlj. Reprinted with permission from the June 26, 2017 edition of the NEW JERSEY LAW JOURNAL. © 2017 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited. For information, contact 877.257.3382, [email protected] or visit www.almreprints.com. # 151-07-17-03.