The attorneys for a former Los Angeles Angels clubhouse attendant who was fired earlier this year have filed a complaint in Orange County Superior Court, alleging that their client was unfairly depicted as "a scapegoat" in Major League Baseball's efforts to curb the use of foreign substances.
Brian Harkins was let go by the Angels on March 3, shortly after MLB informed the team that he was providing a blend of sticky substances to illegally aid pitchers' abilities to grip the baseball, ending a four-decade run with the organization. The complaint, filed Aug. 28 by attorneys Daniel Rasmussen and Matthew Brown, lists defamation and false light as causes of action against both the Angels and MLB, and labor-code violations as a cause of action against the Angels.