MLB might test for opoids in light of Skaggs' death

[jsnpritchett]

https://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/story/2019-09-06/opioids-testing-mlb-players-union-discuss-tyler-skaggs-death

“For several reasons, including the tragic loss of a member of our fraternity and other developments happening in the country as a whole, it is appropriate and important to reexamine all of our drug protocols relating to education, treatment and prevention,” Tony Clark, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Assn., said in a statement Friday.

[JAHV76]

If it helps prevent another player from passing away that’s reason enough. 

[arch stanton]

Unless they have better reasoning than 10 positive tests out of 75,000 in the minors and one death in the majors then it’s an overreaction based on public relations concerns and if I was a player I’d object 

Edited September 7, 2019 by arch stanton

[Jay]

I see no need for it.

 

[Lhalo]

What if MLB tests for thread title spelling?

[Troll Daddy]

I thought most players were on pain killers at one time or another during the season. 

[Torridd]

13 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

https://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/story/2019-09-06/opioids-testing-mlb-players-union-discuss-tyler-skaggs-death

“For several reasons, including the tragic loss of a member of our fraternity and other developments happening in the country as a whole, it is appropriate and important to reexamine all of our drug protocols relating to education, treatment and prevention,” Tony Clark, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Assn., said in a statement Friday.

This is what I was thinking about when I mentioned that MLB  may have some responsibility for the drug problems if they don't try to better things.

[Torridd]

8 hours ago, arch stanton said:

Unless they have better reasoning than 10 positive tests out of 75,000 in the minors and one death in the majors then it’s an overreaction based on public relations concerns and if I was a player I’d object 

Why object? If it helps the league and players from drugs, I think it's a good thing.

[Torridd]

8 hours ago, Jay said:

I see no need for it.

 

Again, why?

[arch stanton]

45 minutes ago, Torridd said:

Why object? If it helps the league and players from drugs, I think it's a good thing.

It’s not the job of the league or the union to crawl up anyone’s ass with a microscope just to get ahead of a PR scare. Unless they have valid evidence that it’s more than an isolated incident then it’s invasive overkill 

[Claude]

They should be able to randomly test for everything but all results should remain private and any corrective measures if needed should be handled privately. 

[Blarg]

You can't privately suspend a player. 

[Claude]

56 minutes ago, Blarg said:

You can't privately suspend a player. 

I was referring to counseling. If they’re in league violation then that’s something different. Better yet, they should make them play with no pay. That would be interesting.

Edited September 7, 2019 by Calzone 2

[John Taylor]

I think this puts a highlight on the larger issue of high performing athletes and the expectations to come back from injuries and work through pain. It never even occurred to me that Skaggs or any other player could be addicted to painkillers but when the lightbulb in my head went on, it made perfect sense. I was just oblivious to it because we have become so used to the "Oh hey Upton has turf toe, lets make fun of him for taking months to come back" never realizing that any injury causes a daily dose of pain and discomfort for these athletes, and some of them who have had TJ surgery, or major surgery have a higher risk to be dependent on painkillers. 

[Docwaukee]

14 hours ago, arch stanton said:

Unless they have better reasoning than 10 positive tests out of 75,000 in the minors and one death in the majors then it’s an overreaction based on public relations concerns and if I was a player I’d object 

to me, this means their testing methods just aren't thorough enough.  

[yk9001]

Maybe some basic education. 

The Angels manager said he had to Google what fentanyl was.

[tdawg87]

I have a good feeling about this thread.

[yk9001]

20 minutes ago, John Taylor said:

I think this puts a highlight on the larger issue of high performing athletes and the expectations to come back from injuries and work through pain. It never even occurred to me that Skaggs or any other player could be addicted to painkillers but when the lightbulb in my head went on, it made perfect sense. I was just oblivious to it because we have become so used to the "Oh hey Upton has turf toe, lets make fun of him for taking months to come back" never realizing that any injury causes a daily dose of pain and discomfort for these athletes, and some of them who have had TJ surgery, or major surgery have a higher risk to be dependent on painkillers. 

So this is a rehab issue?

Not a partying issue?

We still sticking to that fairy tale?

[Jeff Fletcher]

It’s a bad thing if anyone on earth dies from an overdose of an opioid. 

So should every person on earth be tested?

Testing is tricky. 

PEDs are different because they are job specific to athletes. But everything else is just bad for anyone, so if baseball players should be tested, all of us should. 

Edited September 7, 2019 by Jeff Fletcher

[Slegnaac]

14 hours ago, arch stanton said:

Unless they have better reasoning than 10 positive tests out of 75,000 in the minors and one death in the majors then it’s an overreaction based on public relations concerns and if I was a player I’d object 

Object because you are going to test negative?

[John Taylor]

1 hour ago, yk9001 said:

So this is a rehab issue?

Not a partying issue?

We still sticking to that fairy tale?

It's a large scale issue that can't be solved by a single solution. I'm not going to pretend that I know how/why Skaggs ended up taking opoids, but there are many incidents over the years of athletes becoming addicted to painkillers after serious injuries, if that can prevented using various treatment and mental health solutions, then maybe it can help some athletes who may be struggling silently with addiction issues.

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, yk9001 said:

So this is a rehab issue?

Not a partying issue?

We still sticking to that fairy tale?

So possibly becoming addicted to it after a surgery is now considered a fairy tale?

[yk9001]

Opioids are an absolute epidemic in this country, and the overwhelming number of them are fat magas from the hills of Kentucky or Ohio suburbs who haven't broken a sweat since mandatory gym class in Middle School.

Skaggs was down to party from word go on that trip. He was found with a sixer of beer in his system. But please, by all means, believe that this is a pain killer issue from his 2014 Tommy John surgery.

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, yk9001 said:

Opioids are an absolute epidemic in this country, and the overwhelming number of them are fat magas from the hills of Kentucky or Ohio suburbs who haven't broken a sweat since mandatory gym class in Middle School.

Skaggs was down to party from word go on that trip. He was found with a sixer of beer in his system. But please, by all means, believe that this is a pain killer issue from his 2014 Tommy John surgery.

A six pack of beer?  Big fucking deal.  Most dudes on here drink that amount on a weekend day.

[tdawg87]

9 minutes ago, Baghdad Strad said:

A six pack of beer?  Big Facking deal.  Most dudes on here drink that amount on a weekend day.

Or every day! 

 

 

It's a hobby. Shut up.