John Coppolella, Gordon Blakeley expected to file lawsuits against Braves

When the World Series ends Wednesday night, the Atlanta Braves will move a step closer to learning the results of an MLB investigation into alleged wrong doings on the domestic draft and international market. However, that announcement might not be the end of what has quickly become a black eye for the entire franchise.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s David O’Brien reports that former general manager John Coppolella and former special assistant Gordon Blakeley have hired labor attorneys and will likely file lawsuits against the club.

Coppolella or Blakeley might contend in any lawsuit that they were wrongfully terminated and claim they were only doing what Hart and other team officials told them to or at least approved of them doing when they broke rules involving the signing of international free agents and contacted other free agents or their representatives before the period when such contact was permitted.

O’Brien also adds that Blakeley originally resigned his position but later rescinded his resignation. However, the report indicates that he has not being paid despite his contract running through 2019.

If you needed more confirmation of how big of a mess all of this has become then here you go. The results of the MLB investigation may in a lot of ways get the offseason rolling for the Braves but this dark cloud isn’t going away anytime soon.

No matter if you think Coppolella acted alone of if you think John Hart and possibly even John Schuerholz were part of the transgressions as well, it is quickly becoming apparent that the correct thing for Liberty Media to do is clear the deck and start over.