ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals confirmed the firing of an employee who used inappropriate language during a business call earlier this month.
Multiple sources tell 5 On Your Side the employee in question was the Cardinals Director of Security, Phil Melcher.
The Cardinals did not reveal the name or title of the employee, saying that the employee was fired that day.
The Cardinals released a statement Tuesday that read:
On Friday, October 13, we were shocked to learn that, during a regularly scheduled business call that same day on which representatives of the St. Louis Cardinals and various other members of our Downtown St. Louis community participated, a St. Louis Cardinals employee, unfortunately, used very inappropriate and hurtful language. Such language was completely unacceptable to and is not tolerated by the St. Louis Cardinals organization, regardless of the circumstances, and it does not, in any respect, reflect or represent who we are as an organization. As a proud member of our St. Louis community, we know that there is no place for hurtful or divisive language, and we sincerely regret that one of our own employees engaged in such conduct. Promptly after learning about this incident, the St. Louis Cardinals ended its employment relationship with this individual on Friday, October 13, and, on the same day, the St. Louis Cardinals apologized to everyone who participated on the call.
Earlier this month, thieves broke into a Cardinals facility in the Dominican Republic and reportedly held players and coaches at gunpoint. Money, cell phones, jewelry and baseball equipment were stolen. The incident happened early Oct. 13, the same day the employee was fired.