Angels employee details team's knowledge of Tyler Skaggs' drug use to DEA

[Claude]

1 hour ago, Torridd said:

MLB is supposed to have higher standards than a regular company. When you're dealing with athletes, there is supposed to be drug policies and testing in place. Obviously, Skaggs did this to himself, but MLB should do more to prevent these situations.

You’re correct that they should but the players union would have to sign off on that and there are also employment laws that both sides must comply with. The players have legal safety nets that protect them even when they’re wrong. Josh Hamilton was a perfect example. There was a loophole and he quickly utilized it. 

[Mark68]

9 hours ago, Dochalo said:

sure.  and at this point I wouldn't expect them to.  They are likely still gathering info based on the investigation and assessing their liability but they are gonna want to make this go away as quickly as possible.  More than just financial liability, any sort of media battle with the Skaggs family could lead to more names being dragged through the mud rightfully or wrongfully.  They are going to avoid that like the plague.  

There's another reason to make this go away and I would imagine that MLB will also want the same.  It's the same reason why the dogs trafficking thing got swept under the rug and why mlb won't find anything when they do their investigation nor levy any fines or sanctions.  

The drug problem is rampant throughout all of baseball.  Every team from top to bottom.  If the Angels are hung out to dry on this then they'll just throw all the other 29 teams, mlb, and mlbpa under the bus.  Every team.  Every gm.  They all keep their little black book and it's not just Angels players in there.  They probably all have 'a guy' who supplies that they turn a blind eye and deaf ear to.  There is zero chance that mlb wants another PED type scandal on their hands.  

The Feds don't really care who's using.  They want to know the supplier.  They don't care who else might have known and if MLB acts like they do and starts throwing names about then the Angels can probably name names as well.  

This is gonna stop at Kay.  They'll be a blurb from MLB that the halos are off the hook.  Some time this spring we'll get a brief report that a settlement was reached and in the same article we'll hear about how Zack Cozart is in the best shape of his life going into spring.  If it goes any further than that, it will impact all of major league baseball from the top down.  

Maybe it needs to. 

[Claude]

6 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Why?  Does your company test for opioids?  Mine doesn’t and I drive a company owned car.  I’m guessing our delivery drivers that cross state lines get tested but that’s probably it.  

Pretty sure that all of your company truck drivers have commercial licenses and therefore must comply with the Department of Transportation random drug testing policies. They have no choice. 

[Jay]

This would be a good time to work something into the CBA.

The players would not look good if they objected to a drug-free policy.

 

[T.G.]

1 minute ago, Jay said:

This would be a good time to work something into the CBA.

The players would not look good if they objected to a drug-free policy.

 

They're working on it.  Expect testing for opiodes in 2020.

[Mark68]

It's a relatively complicated issue. Opioids, when prescribed by a doctor, are legal. The issue is, of course, the distribution of opioids outside the narrowly-defined range of the pain/procedure for which they are prescribed. I suppose MLB & MLBPA can agree on a testing criteria, with waivers for players who have legitimate prescriptions.

But the individuals associated with MLB or its teams (Kay, for instance) who obtain the drugs illegally and/or enable their use by players, deservedly should have the book thrown at them. 

[Claude]

Just now, Jay said:

This would be a good time to work something into the CBA.

The players would not look good if they objected to a drug-free policy.

 

I remember years ago at my workplace that we were in the process of negotiating a salary increase across the board. Management offered all of the union employees a raise but an additional salary incentive if they would agree to subject themselves to a new random drug testing policy. The union said yes they would agree to that if management would also agree to do the same. Management said no. 

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

I can see a new policy getting implemented or worked into the CBA like Jay said but aside from that I don't really see this as impacting baseball from the top down as this is currently an isolated incident in one organization.  If the Angels are hung out to dry how are they going to drag other teams into it?  If the roles were reversed would anyone be worried about someone who got caught in another organization trying to drag the Angels into it?  We can all probably agree something like this happens in every club house but unless guys are testing positive, getting arrested for buying/selling or the worst case scenario like Skaggs it's all just finger pointing.  If it comes out that certain people may have known in the organization then obviously that's a worst case scenario.   Right now it appears to be the word of someone whose been using for 20+ years and while there could be truth to what he's saying it's a matter or proving it.  

[T.G.]

Here you go...

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-in-talks-to-implement-opioid-testing-as-early-as-2020-132558448.html

 

[Mark68]

9 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

It makes his parents look lame.

Yeah, but to a kid in high school, those were the cool parents.

[Mark68]

4 minutes ago, True Grich said:

Here you go...

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-in-talks-to-implement-opioid-testing-as-early-as-2020-132558448.html

 

"While that appears to be a positive step, it fails to consider that being publicly identified for taking PEDs is radically different than being identified as a habitual opioid user. PEDs are taken to improve performance, while opioids are taken at first to dull pain, and then because the user can’t function normally without them. Opioids are highly addictive, and while entering a ballplayer into treatment is more productive than a suspension, it identifies him as an addict to their fellow ballplayers, coaches, managers, and fans."

 

Not sure that would be a huge issue. I think if fans, especially, see that one of their heroes has dealt with this particular issue, it could cause some introspection and discussion about their own struggles.

We've seen that in this thread. Maybe the way that we can move on from the opioid epidemic in this country is to realize that there are no socioeconomic barriers to opioid addiction. It could happen to literally anyone. 

[Claude]

[Torridd]

Does the Olympics have same testing as MLB?

[Jay]

2 hours ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

I can see a new policy getting implemented or worked into the CBA like Jay said but aside from that I don't really see this as impacting baseball from the top down as this is currently an isolated incident in one organization.  If the Angels are hung out to dry how are they going to drag other teams into it?  If the roles were reversed would anyone be worried about someone who got caught in another organization trying to drag the Angels into it?  We can all probably agree something like this happens in every club house but unless guys are testing positive, getting arrested for buying/selling or the worst case scenario like Skaggs it's all just finger pointing.  If it comes out that certain people may have known in the organization then obviously that's a worst case scenario.   Right now it appears to be the word of someone whose been using for 20+ years and while there could be truth to what he's saying it's a matter or proving it.  

In other years maybe this would just go away but as it happens the opioid epidemic is all over the news and is a huge issue right now.

I think MLB will be forced to deal with it.

 

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Deal with what exactly?  Right now it appears to be one guy who has his own history of use who acquired/sold drugs while working in one organization.  Unless this guy or someone else is giving the DEA credible evidence that drags more people into it the league isn't going to make it bigger than it needs to be because the longer it's in the news the more negative press there is.  Most articles and comments I've come across put the blame on the person who used which is where it belongs.  Obviously that could change if more information comes out but barring that I envision them dealing with it is more drug testing and a few PSA level moves that include photo ops.    

[Jay]

We just got through saying "it's in every clubhouse."

I expect that MLB will have to show that they have done some sort of internal investigation to determine the extent of the problem, and then show corrective action.

 

[T.G.]

The investigation continues...

 

 

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

I'm not clear on why MLB would need to do some sort of internal investigation to determine the extent of a problem that as far as we know is currently focused on the Angels organization.  Does MLB approve or oversee who teams hire?  Just because we say or assume it's in every clubhouse doesn't mean it's been proven to be.  MLB turned a blind eye to PEDs until the early 2000's and they probably are here but aside from more testing they aren't distributing or encouraging use based on anything reported so far.  Unless they're legally required to there's no reason for MLB to kick up more dirt and drag it out in the news. 

[Jay]

2 minutes ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

I'm not clear on why MLB would need to do some sort of internal investigation to determine the extent of a problem that as far as we know is currently focused on the Angels organization.  Does MLB approve or oversee who teams hire?  Just because we say or assume it's in every clubhouse doesn't mean it's been proven to be.  Unless they're legally required to there's no reason for MLB to kick up more dirt and keep it in the news longer than they need to.  

If there's anything we should have learned from the "me too" movement, these things no longer stay "in house."

[Mark68]

1 hour ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

Deal with what exactly?  Right now it appears to be one guy who has his own history of use who acquired/sold drugs while working in one organization.  Unless this guy or someone else is giving the DEA credible evidence that drags more people into it the league isn't going to make it bigger than it needs to be because the longer it's in the news the more negative press there is.  Most articles and comments I've come across put the blame on the person who used which is where it belongs.  Obviously that could change if more information comes out but barring that I envision them dealing with it is more drug testing and a few PSA level moves that include photo ops.    

The issue with what you said here is that the reports have Kay fingering five additional Angels players, who may or may not still be current Angels. If they aren't, whichever team they're playing for now will probably want to know. 

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Me too was about people who were grabbed, groped, had inappropriate comments/gestures made towards them or worse.  Opiod or drug abuse is users getting their fix.  Now if a team doctor over prescribed then yeah like any doctor they should be held liable along with the teams who hired them.  If a drug ring gets uncovered and they link it to people in any other organizations then by all means.  Absent that there's no reason for MLB to make matters worse and I'm sure the union will agree.  

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

6 minutes ago, Mark68 said:

The issue with what you said here is that the reports have Kay fingering five additional Angels players, who may or may not still be current Angels. If they aren't, whichever team they're playing for now will probably want to know. 

What they want to know and what they're legally allowed to know may be two different things.  I'm definitely not a lawyer but those 5 guys have rights and I don't think the DEA can just go public with their names when someone else who got caught mentions them because that could be defamation.  I imagine that even if the DEA reaches out to those players they deal with them and their lawyers directly.  If the CBA requires that any player accused of something must have their team notified then they'll have the right to know.  I can't imagine any time a player is accused of something they're required to let their team know because that could lead to a fallout even though they may actually be innocent.    

[Jay]

If the media decide to run with it then it will become something that is out of the control of MLB.

I can see the 60 minutes episode now: "The Opioid Epidemic in Major League Baseball."

tick, tick, tick....

"It's in every clubhouse. I was high during the game once."

tick, tick, tick...

 

[Mark68]

6 minutes ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

What they want to know and what they're legally allowed to know may be two different things.  I'm definitely not a lawyer but those 5 guys have rights and I don't think the DEA can just go public with their names when someone else who got caught mentions them because that could be defamation.  I imagine that even if the DEA reaches out to those players they deal with them and their lawyers directly.  If the CBA requires that any player accused of something must have their team notified then they'll have the right to know.  I can't imagine any time a player is accused of something they're required to let their team know because that could lead to a fallout even though they may actually be innocent.    

Of course the DEA can't go public with their names. But they can question them. And that would lead to their respective teams (if not the Angels) finding out.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

2 minutes ago, Mark68 said:

Of course the DEA can't go public with their names. But they can question them. And that would lead to their respective teams (if not the Angels) finding out.

How?  Honest question as maybe it's spelled out int he CBA.  Absent that if you get questioned by the DEA or TORS how would your employer find out?  Unless they're coming to arrest you they don't normally show up at your work for an interview.  If they did that then it spooks anyone else who may be involved and they're kind of showing their hand.