Astros' Lugo off the team after arrest
It's a difficult issue for the player to try to work through as well as the organization and the pressure and tremendous scrutiny. We felt it was in Julio's best interest and in the best interest of the organization to put this situation behind us as quickly as possible and let Julio get on with his career elsewhere.
- Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker
My first reaction is how our organization deals with this and I was proud that our organization dealt with it in the way it did. We made a statement how we deal not with just domestic violence but violence of any kind. It's unacceptable. We clearly stated that and I'm proud of that.
- Astros President of Business Operations Pam Gardner
I don't want to comment, but I'd like to say I just want (Mabel) to say the truth. I'm embarrassed for what happened and to put my team, my family and my teammates in this situation. The situation is not as it appears. She has put more claims than what really happened.
- Julio Lugo
Yeah, don't let the door hit you in the butt on your way out of town, Julio.... I'd heard some rumblings about this around the office yesterday morning, but of course, there was absolutely nothing in the Chronicle until this morning. I'm shocked, of course....
Houston Astros shortstop Julio Lugo is no longer a member of the team after his arrest Wednesday night after the game, eight hours after his wife reported he punched her in the mouth and banged her head against a car window.
"Julio Lugo will be removed from our team and we will have a ten-day period to dispose of his contract," General Manager Gerry Hunsicker said today....
The player's wife, Mabely Lugo, 25, told police she and her husband had been having marital problems. She said as they argued while driving in the 3800 block of the Eastex Freeway, he punched her in the lip with his fist, causing the back of her head to hit the car window, police reports show.
After dropping her husband off at the ballpark around 2:45 p.m., Mabely Lugo drove to the 1500 block of Preston near LaBranch and called police. When officers arrived, they found she was crying and spoke little English, so they called a Spanish-speaking officer to the scene to help translate.
Police noticed a slight lump on her forehead, reddish-colored bruising to her face and blood on her lip, a report states. She was taken by ambulance to Christus St. Joseph Hospital, where she was treated and released.
In most family violence cases, a protective order is issued preventing contact between the victim and defendant.
Lugo has been designated for assignment by the Astros, which means, in essence, he's off the team. His replacement will be infielder Dave Matranga, whose contract was purchased from Class AAA New Orleans, according to Astros sources.
OK, I think we can all agree that domestic violence is a terrible thing. If Lugo is guilty of the charges, he should be hung by the short hairs. Still, I've got to wonder about the Astros haste in releasing Lugo? Whatever happened to the presumption of innoncence? To assuming that a person is innocent until proven guilty?
Did the Astros simply assume that Lugo was guilty and cut him loose? Are they so risk-averse that an arrest is the same as a conviction in their minds? Did anyone in the Astros organization do anything resembling due diligence on the charges against Lugo? While I would hardly be one to stand behind a wife-beater, we still do not know Lugo's side of the story. I can't help but wonder what else there might be that we don't know about this story. Something stinks here....
