How stupid can one be?

MrHaroldG · 02-12-2016, 06:02 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/13/sp...ball.html?_r=0

It was bad enough that he got 80 games for PED use...but then to get caught a second time three weeks after serving the suspension, and get suspended 162 games for that offense. And now to get caught a third time..."stupid" would be putting it mildly.

psd · 02-12-2016, 06:27 PM

Nobody is that stupid. He made about 3.55 million dollars during his time in the majors. That kind of money goes a long way in the Dominican. Maybe he thought he was a borderline talent & then he used peds to get him to the majors, keep him there & then figured he would make as much as he could until he got caught 3 times and kicked out. Well worth the gamble. I mean his numbers scream mediocrity. Probably figured he had zero chance to make it otherwise.

elfroggo · 02-12-2016, 06:35 PM

I know it's a slightly different situation, but it's the same idea as which I mentioned in the Johnny Manziel thread, a guy with tremendous athletic talent being an idiot squandering it away. It makes me sad.

Westheim · 02-12-2016, 07:25 PM

That solves a moral dilemma for me, since I didn't want that doughbag back in a Mets uni anyway, but technically it would have been an issue to root against him.

Go home, Juicey Mejia, nobody wants you 'round here anymore.

kq76 · 02-12-2016, 08:11 PM

I wonder how many of us knew what this thread was about solely by seeing the title. I did.

I'm no scientist, but I can't help but wonder, could it at all be possible that somebody would have a body chemistry such that they normally have levels of whatever they're looking for to exceed the threshold they set? You would hope the threshold is high enough, but could it be possible that someone is enough of a freak where their natural chemistry exceeds it. Imagine the lawsuit that there might be if they proved in 10 or 20 years that this was indeed the case. I know, this "what if" is probably way way out there, but getting suspended 3 times within a year, with the final one being a lifetime ban, is so way out there that I can't help but wonder if something else is going on.

swoboda · 02-12-2016, 10:42 PM

Remember in 2006 Bud Selig appointed former US Sen. George Mitchell to lead an effort to get to the bottom of the PED problem, name names, rid baseball of this ... Then more severe penalties were agreed to by the MLBPA.

Ten years later, man oh man, two thoughts:
1) PEDs most definitely work or these guys wouldn't take the risk
2) It will never end

Cobra Mgr · 02-13-2016, 07:45 AM

My guess is that he trusts the wrong people. His circle is giving him advice on what to take & they don't know what they are talking about.

Déjà Bru · 02-13-2016, 10:10 AM

This is what I am thinking now:

Quote:

Originally Posted by psd

Nobody is that stupid. He made about 3.55 million dollars during his time in the majors. That kind of money goes a long way in the Dominican. Maybe he thought he was a borderline talent & then he used peds to get him to the majors, keep him there & then figured he would make as much as he could until he got caught 3 times and kicked out. Well worth the gamble. I mean his numbers scream mediocrity. Probably figured he had zero chance to make it otherwise.

Which makes this not so apt an analogy, although I certainly agree with the sentiment in general:

Quote:

Originally Posted by elfroggo

I know it's a slightly different situation, but it's the same idea as which I mentioned in the Johnny Manziel thread, a guy with tremendous athletic talent being an idiot squandering it away. It makes me sad.

What's the difference, you may ask? Manziel already has the God-given talent and he's throwing it away with his immature and arrogant behavior. Mejia was a marginal talent who probably would not even be around if it were not for the stuff he was taking. He was not throwing anything away; he was trying to grab at it in the only way he knew would work.

Déjà Bru · 02-13-2016, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swoboda

Ten years later, man oh man, two thoughts:
1) PEDs most definitely work or these guys wouldn't take the risk
2) It will never end

You are correct, I am afraid. These chemical "fixes" will not be forgotten, nor will their artificial effects, nor will the incentives of riches to be made. However, I am satisfied if leagues continue to go after cheaters and keep professional sports as clean as possible.

TheMaus2 · 02-16-2016, 07:19 PM

I disagree with the current punishment parameters. It should be:
1st time - suspended for 162 games
2nd time - FOR LIFE

psd · 02-16-2016, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMaus2

I disagree with the current punishment parameters. It should be:
1st time - suspended for 162 games
2nd time - FOR LIFE

I agree with this 100 percent & also include a hefty fine so it's not worth the gamble. I want ALL sports to be cleaned up. PED use is rampant from MLB to the NFL to the NHL to Tennis to cycling, etc. Spend some of these billions in revenues and develop tests that are not beaten so easily. Test more often,including immediately before, after and if feasible to do even DURING the events. Test at their homes. If a tester shows up and you refuse or try someway to get out of it, you're gone. And make sure these testers are extremely easy to identify when they do show up so there are no "misunderstandings." Playing pro sports is a priviledge, not a right. If they have objections to any of the above, they don't play. Simple. Get these cheaters cleaned up or out of sports once & for all, and strike their "achievements" from the record books if they ARE caught.

Jason · 02-16-2016, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMaus2

I disagree with the current punishment parameters. It should be:
1st time - suspended for 162 games
2nd time - FOR LIFE

Too bad they can't be fined for their entire salary from their career up to the point where they get caught.

Jason Moyer · 02-18-2016, 10:51 PM

People taking PEDs is not evidence that they work. I mean, there is significant evidence that they work, I just wouldn't come to that conclusion based on people taking them. That's sort of like saying "well, there are people who don't get their kids vaccinated, so obviously vaccines cause autism."

02-12-2016, 06:02 PM	#1
MrHaroldG Major Leagues Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 381	How stupid can one be? http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/13/sp...ball.html?_r=0 It was bad enough that he got 80 games for PED use...but then to get caught a second time three weeks after serving the suspension, and get suspended 162 games for that offense. And now to get caught a third time..."stupid" would be putting it mildly. __________________ I take the expression "If you're scoring at home" literally. I do score at home. Last edited by MrHaroldG; 02-12-2016 at 06:09 PM.

02-12-2016, 06:27 PM	#2
psd Major Leagues Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: UConn Territory Posts: 464	Nobody is that stupid. He made about 3.55 million dollars during his time in the majors. That kind of money goes a long way in the Dominican. Maybe he thought he was a borderline talent & then he used peds to get him to the majors, keep him there & then figured he would make as much as he could until he got caught 3 times and kicked out. Well worth the gamble. I mean his numbers scream mediocrity. Probably figured he had zero chance to make it otherwise. Last edited by psd; 02-12-2016 at 06:28 PM.

02-12-2016, 06:35 PM	#3
elfroggo Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: America. Posts: 21	I know it's a slightly different situation, but it's the same idea as which I mentioned in the Johnny Manziel thread, a guy with tremendous athletic talent being an idiot squandering it away. It makes me sad. __________________ Go Mariners! At least we aren't the Cubs......

02-12-2016, 07:25 PM	#4
Westheim Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 11,886	That solves a moral dilemma for me, since I didn't want that doughbag back in a Mets uni anyway, but technically it would have been an issue to root against him. Go home, Juicey Mejia, nobody wants you 'round here anymore. __________________ Portland Raccoons, 83 years of excell-.... of baseball: Furballs here! 1983 * 1989 * 1991 * 1992 * 1993 * 1995 * 1996 * 2010 * 2017 * 2018 * 2019 * 2026 * 2028 * 2035 * 2037 * 2044 * 2045 * 2046 * 2047 * 2048 * 2051 * 2054 * 2055 1 OSANAI : 2 POWELL : 7 NOMURA \| RAMOS : 8 REECE : 10 BROWN : 15 HALL : 27 FERNANDEZ : 28 CASAS : 31 CARMONA : 32 WEST : 39 TONER : 46 SAITO Resident Mets Cynic - The Mets from 1962 onwards, here.

02-12-2016, 08:11 PM	#5
kq76 Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 10,698	I wonder how many of us knew what this thread was about solely by seeing the title. I did. I'm no scientist, but I can't help but wonder, could it at all be possible that somebody would have a body chemistry such that they normally have levels of whatever they're looking for to exceed the threshold they set? You would hope the threshold is high enough, but could it be possible that someone is enough of a freak where their natural chemistry exceeds it. Imagine the lawsuit that there might be if they proved in 10 or 20 years that this was indeed the case. I know, this "what if" is probably way way out there, but getting suspended 3 times within a year, with the final one being a lifetime ban, is so way out there that I can't help but wonder if something else is going on. __________________ My OOTP Wishlist Your Recommended Team Nicknames, By City (A Crowdsourced Project)

02-12-2016, 10:42 PM	#6
swoboda All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Guarding The Line Posts: 1,205	Remember in 2006 Bud Selig appointed former US Sen. George Mitchell to lead an effort to get to the bottom of the PED problem, name names, rid baseball of this ... Then more severe penalties were agreed to by the MLBPA. Ten years later, man oh man, two thoughts: 1) PEDs most definitely work or these guys wouldn't take the risk 2) It will never end __________________ "...If you want to look ahead to the bottom of the ninth, the Mets will be sending up Buddy Harrelson, Jerry Buchek , and Don Bosch, we'll be right back after this word from Rheingold Beer" The late great Lindsey Nelson

02-13-2016, 07:45 AM	#7
Cobra Mgr Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Parts unknown Posts: 6,383	My guess is that he trusts the wrong people. His circle is giving him advice on what to take & they don't know what they are talking about.

02-16-2016, 07:19 PM	#10
TheMaus2 All Star Starter Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: The OOTP Forums. Always. Posts: 1,949 Blog Entries: 16	I disagree with the current punishment parameters. It should be: 1st time - suspended for 162 games 2nd time - FOR LIFE __________________ I write a monthly newsletter on the Food Baseball Association. I also listen to music no one's ever heard of in hopes of looking cool and alternative.

02-18-2016, 10:51 PM	#13
Jason Moyer Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 5,002	People taking PEDs is not evidence that they work. I mean, there is significant evidence that they work, I just wouldn't come to that conclusion based on people taking them. That's sort of like saying "well, there are people who don't get their kids vaccinated, so obviously vaccines cause autism." __________________ "I pretty much popped everything cold turkey. We were doing steroids they wouldn't give to horses." -- Tom House "I was very fortunate to have a pitching coach by the name of Tom House...Tom, I really miss those days that we spent in the weight room and out on the field working together." -- Nolan Ryan's HoF Induction Speech