Braves can’t go lightly on discipline for McDowell, Lowe
Roger McDowell has helped Braves' pitchers but that won't help him now. (Jason Getz/AJC)
(Originally posted: 3:11 p.m. Updated throughout: 7:15 p.m.)
For the past two days, the Braves have been a staple on TMZ, with storylines about a coach’s alleged homophobia and a pitcher’s alleged drunk driving and street racing. Suddenly, they sit uncomfortably in the same talk show green room with Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen and, “Sara Evans’ Ex: She Surrounds Our Kids with Drugs!”
And you thought Dan Uggla hitting .180 was a concern.
Derek Lowe has been charged with DUI and reckless driving. He allegedly was racing his Porsche through Buckhead Thursday night. This came a day after pitching coach Roger McDowell was accused of spewing anti-gay slurs and inappropriate comments to some fans at a recent game in San Francisco.
Lowe was at Turner Field Friday night and apologized. He will make his scheduled start Sunday, the Braves rationalizing that decision with the standard explanation of letting the legal process run its course (perhaps down Peachtree).
McDowell was not at the stadium. He has been placed on “administrative leave,” which doesn’t sound any worse than maternity leave. I guess the Braves don’t want to use the word “suspension” yet. At the very least, we can be certain Lowe won’t be driving McDowell to sensitivity classes.
Now, does any of this mean the Braves’ franchise is morphing into something between the Cincinnati Bengals and “Celebrity Rehab”? Hardly.
But it would be nice to see both the team and Major League Baseball take these matters seriously, rather than merely dismiss them with players, general managers and coaches making contrite statements and explaining that everybody makes mistakes, so let’s just move on.
I’m not trying to bury Lowe and McDowell. I’m not suggesting they be thrown out of baseball. But how is it that MLB allows Cincinnati pitcher Mike Leake to make a start two days after he’s arrested for shoplifting? And yes, while Lowe will get his due process — and likely eventually will plea his charges down to something resembling an expensive parking ticket — isn’t it just a little weird that he will take the mound Sunday, three days after being arrested and spending the night in jail?
Did Lowe ever consider skipping his start?
“No,” he said.
The Braves and MLB are moving slowly with McDowell. That’s understandable. There are multiple witnesses. Details are varied. One of the parties has turned this into a sideshow, bringing his 9-year-old twin daughters to a news conference the other day as props. He also has hired noted attorney Gloria Allred, who is fresh off representing a porn star and a kindergarten teacher for scoldings of Tiger Woods.
That woman has headline GPS.
But we know something happened because McDowell already has admitted, “I apologize to everyone for my actions.” Those aren’t the words of an innocent man.
He needs to be hit with a suspension, and hit hard. The absolute minimum: 30 games without pay, a significant fine and court-mandated Saying Stupid Things Rehab. If even half what has been alleged is true, most of us would be fired.
Commissioner Bud Selig just suspended Ozzie Guillen two games for Tweeting. Is he really going to go lightly on McDowell?
General manager Frank Wren was predictably guarded Friday. They are still sorting out details, and he acknowledged, “The commissioner is taking the lead on this.”
When asked if there was any chance McDowell could lose his job, Wren said: “I’m not going to get into any final determination of anything at this point.”
Asked the same question, manager Fredi Gonzalez said: “No, and it shouldn’t.”
Fredi didn’t get the memo.
This isn’t merely about us living in politically correct times. Baseball is still dealing with the beating of a Giants fan in Los Angeles. The NBA fined Kobe Bryant $100,000 for homophobic slurs. Feelings are a bit raw.
The Braves recognize their brand has been damaged. They haven’t been hit like this since John Rocker spoke so eloquently about the 7 Train to Flushing.
Said Lowe, “It’s been a rough couple of days for this organization and clearly I have a lot to do with that.”
He does. And such actions should not go unpunished.
By Jeff Schultz
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251 comments Add your comment
midtownguy
April 29th, 2011
4:16 pm
I do find it interesting that the presumably gay guys laughed it off and didn’t make a complaint, but the straight guy hired an attorney because his little girls heard it. Strange world.
And Gloria, you need a fact checker. Atlanta, not San Fransisco, has the highest percentage of gay residents of any major US city.
Hi
April 29th, 2011
4:16 pm
Looks like the Braves may be full of “thugs” now.
Friday
April 29th, 2011
4:18 pm
david
I doubt it since the guy isn’t at 790 lol. Maybe 680 might be receiving a call!
Mikey
April 29th, 2011
4:20 pm
B/F…Here is what a professional does….you call security and have the fan removed from the ballpark. I have seen this happen dozens of times. Go to a game sometime and start cursing and see how long you keep your seat.
Coach Rodney PTC
April 29th, 2011
4:21 pm
Call me! I will coach. It will get me away from these bored Moms
FJR
April 29th, 2011
4:21 pm
Here is typically what you say if you are innocent:
“First, I want to apologize for engaging the heckling fans in San Francisco. I know that I should have simply called security and have them handle that. It is vitally important that we keep the line between the playing field and the stands as clear as possible, and not engaging in the opposite way to hostile fans is just as important, if not more so than having the fans behave appropriately. I made a mistake in judgment in that regard and I greatly apologize for it. However, that being said, I want to make it clear that none of the specific allegations made towards me by the Quinn family are true. I, in no way, shape or form ascribe to the belief that children have no place at the ballpark. I unequivocally do not believe that threatening violence is an appropriate response to any fan, or any person at all. I find gay slurs to be especially vile. I absolutely did not do any of these things. I want to be clear about that. Again, I do sincerely apologize to MLB, the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants for even responding to heckling fans. I promise in the future to take a more appropriate course of action and alert security if such a situation were to arise.
J Seinfeld
April 29th, 2011
4:22 pm
Gloria, I was thinking the same thing. Not your smartest comment there Jeff. Trust me; I know a bit about this kind of situations. I was once labelled an anti-dentite for some comments I made…
Whats Important
April 29th, 2011
4:22 pm
Friday – Maybe the guy is talking about “I know everything there is to know about baseball Chris Dimino” over at 790, but I think Dimino is waiting for the General Manager job, not pitching coach.
dobearsbare
April 29th, 2011
4:22 pm
It’s interesting that Allred is asking for a fine, suspension and counseling. Would’ve thought the plaintiff’s lawyer would’ve gone straight to the “fire him” chorus. Also, she’s trotted out another alleged incident, which would indicate there might be a pattern of behavior here.
Anyone else thinking the Braves are simpling having Wallace keep the seat warm while they negotiate with Leo Mazzone?
PMC
April 29th, 2011
4:23 pm
Is it bad that I just don’t care? I mean, some idiot jock said something offensive at a ball game.
Yeah… lets sue him for it…. lets get everyone’s favorite ambulance chaser on the job.
If he loses his job for it that’s fine with me too, be more mature and ignore idiot fans. Remember who and where you are.
But…seriously, the fact that this is a story at all is pathetic. It never should have gone past a stupid exchange between stupid people.
If you call a lawyer because you’re “offended” then yes you are an idiot and you’re part of the freaking problem.
FJR
April 29th, 2011
4:23 pm
midtown guy,
Atlanta actually has a greater percentage of identifying gays in the metro area than San Francisco. It was a big story recently.
Gloria Allred
April 29th, 2011
4:23 pm
Midtown guy – First hand knowledge????
john rocker
April 29th, 2011
4:23 pm
hell i got kicked out of the game for the same thing
Steak Shapiro
April 29th, 2011
4:24 pm
Yes, David. You figured it out. I will be resigning from my softball coaching duties at the JCC to join the Braves coaching staff.
MitchC
April 29th, 2011
4:25 pm
Jeff, I agree with the McDowell move. I really think he should be fired. Behavior like that cant be tolerated.
As for Lowe. I was very sorry to hear about what happened. Other players have been arrested for DUI, and, while what Derek did was bad, it wouldnt be so magnified, if it hadnt happened in the same week as the McDowell thing. I hope the Lowe situation can be resolved.
david
April 29th, 2011
4:25 pm
@Friday DOHE!!!!!!!
Let’s just cut to the chase Leo Mazzone wants to coach again. It may be the best PR move the Braves came make.
PMC
April 29th, 2011
4:26 pm
In the future, unless there’s proof, it’s better to completely and totally deny everything.
Stinger2
April 29th, 2011
4:26 pm
Too much premature publicity about this. Everybody needs to wait until the Braves and MLB conclude the investigation before calling for Roger to be fired. Administrative leave is the right action for the time being The media and the fans do not have the fands and have no right to judge this incident.
Whats Important
April 29th, 2011
4:26 pm
FJR – Exactly what I said. “sorry if you are so thin-skinned you misunderstood me and got pissed off.” Only mine doesn’t cost $300.00 an hour and put people to sleep.
Stinger2
April 29th, 2011
4:27 pm
make that do not have the facts to judge…..
Jose
April 29th, 2011
4:28 pm
The Bream Team
April 29th, 2011
3:18 pm
Jeff, can you provide some background on Dave Wallace?
He was the Reason Chipper Jones was so great at Shea…He was the Pitching Coach of the Mets those days
Gwinnett Fred
April 29th, 2011
4:28 pm
The amazing thing to me is that one guy (McDowell) is going to possibly lose his job for making stupid comments and acting like a typical prima donna.
The other guy (Lowe) endangered many lives with his DUI wreckless driving stunt and people are ready to pass that off much more easily.
Pretty screwed up set of priorities we, as a society, have established if you ask me.
david
April 29th, 2011
4:28 pm
@Whats Important too funny
@Steak Shapiro funnier
TDawgMoney
April 29th, 2011
4:31 pm
The Bible is “crystal clear” about homosexuality. It is a sin….an abomination….in effect a stynch in the nostrils of God.
daddo
April 29th, 2011
4:35 pm
What kills me is how everyone has focused on his politically incorrect anti-gay language. I am more upset having him threaten this family as he walked toward them with a bat in his hand. Guess it is just me but a potential act of violence is always worse than words.
Mr. Holmes
April 29th, 2011
4:37 pm
If they fire McDowell, there’s an unemployed pitching coach doing nothing but waking up way too early in the morning to talk Notre Dame football with an ex-FM jock and a FILA-wearing blowhard.
Steve
April 29th, 2011
4:37 pm
Others have said it, but it seems to be lost in the sexual orientation banter. Roger should be fired for what he did to the father in front of his kids. Imagine that happening to you — you are trying to shield your 9 year-olds from Roger’s fraternity house sense of humor and he walks over and threatens you with a bat. Immediate termination — no questions asked.
jojo
April 29th, 2011
4:39 pm
ALL THIS CRAP ABOUT ROGER IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LOT OF “BS”. I DON’T THINK ITS RIGHT FOR FANS TO HECKLE PLAYERS AND COACHES. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT WAS SAIDE TO MCDOWELL.
NOW FOR LOWE DUI AND RACING IS IS A SERIOUS OFFENSE. THROW THE BOOK AT HIM. WHO IS GOING TO PUNISH MR WREN FOR CONRAD AND MATHER?
FJR
April 29th, 2011
4:39 pm
@whats important
You again miss the whole point. What I’m saying is that knowing how lawyers advise their clients, what Roger said is exactly what a lawyer advises a guilty client who is unsure of what can be proven to say. If your client says he is absolutely innocent, then you advise him to give the type of apology I wrote above. Yes, you are right, the stuff is basically boilerplate boring language, that’s the whole point.
Honky Talkin'
April 29th, 2011
4:39 pm
Bring back Leo!!!
Double Zero Eight
April 29th, 2011
4:40 pm
If he is let go, bring back Leo Mazzone.
PMC
April 29th, 2011
4:41 pm
seriously doubt any “threatening” went on at all. Whatsoever.
They went as sensational as they could at all. That’s a bunch of BS.
Mr. Holmes
April 29th, 2011
4:41 pm
The Bible is crystal clear about lots of things, like owning slaves and stoning to death women discovered on their wedding to have already been deflowered.
Doesn’t mean we need to pay attention to it.
Whats Important
April 29th, 2011
4:42 pm
FJR – Apparently the whole point is that your practice is so slow that you have time to flex you legal muscles on an AJC blog, hence no billable hours. I, on the other hand, work for an attorney who had a golf outing today, so I am still getting paid while yanking your chain.
Steve
April 29th, 2011
4:42 pm
You people who are saying he should be fired are MORONS! Look what Rocker said. He was not fired. Look at those NBA players who FOUGHT fans, in the stands a few years ago, they were NOT fired. Kobe made comments recently about gays, he was not fired. Relax! A fine and short suspension will do just fine.
Mark (another one)
April 29th, 2011
4:43 pm
I would bet that McDowell’s contract is employment at will. If the Braves want to fire him for his poor behavior, they simply do so. Coaches don’t have a union to protect them and the job market is tight. That said, the Braves value McDowell or he wouldn’t be the coach. The questions are what exactly happened and what do they do?
I expect that McDowell came clean with the Braves about what happened, and it probably doesn’t match exactly what is being said in San Franciso in the media. Not unusual. The Braves have to hear out the people involved and make a decision. I hope this single incident doesn’t cost him his job but that depends on how far people in San Francisco push it, and what the Braves and McDowell are willing to do.
Based on what I’ve read, I vote for anger management, season tickets to the Giants for the family, and a public apology. If they are looking to cash in more than that, let them be the bad guys as some swearing and inappropriate language doesn’t call for ending his career.
Drexel Gal
April 29th, 2011
4:43 pm
Regardless of anyone’s feelings and attitudes about gays, McDowell’s vile language directed at the two kids in the stands (”… [they] don’t belong in a f—in’ ballpark …”) should effectively end his career. MLB keeps bragging about its appeal to youth (and, remember, kids are tomorrow’s customers) … let’s see the game (and the Braves) back up their talk.
midtownguy
April 29th, 2011
4:44 pm
FJR, must be with the new census, I remember highest percentage.
And Gloria, I have only had first hand knowledge of myself and my partner for the past 25 years. Everyone else I am counting I am only assuming .
chris
April 29th, 2011
4:45 pm
midtown guy- GREAT point!..chances are the kid heard worse in the school hall way from his buddies but in this age where everyone wants their 15 minutes in the sun we now have Gloria Alred, ms. poster child for puke when it comes to brains, and a family wanting an apology and suspension. McDowell was an idiot for saying the things he did publicly and should have known that something was going to happen when he did; He gave the apology, put him on suspension and let’s get on with the season please . Lowe on the other hand, not sure what to say..he’s lucky no one got hurt.
rotomeister
April 29th, 2011
4:46 pm
Not to excuse McDowell, but didn’t we have a President of the U.S. commit perjury and stay on the job? Why didn’t Clinton get put on administrative leave?
John
April 29th, 2011
4:46 pm
Can I call Roger a “thug” along with Lowe? Is that word still reserved for only one group of people in our society? Help me out someone.
Steve
April 29th, 2011
4:48 pm
No John. A “thug” is someone who is covered in tattoos, wears hats sideways with the sticker and tag still on, robs people, kills people, breaks into homes, etc. A simple DUI is very common, as is bad language, those are things I mentioned are not, unless you live in Atlanta.
FJR
April 29th, 2011
4:48 pm
whats important,
I’m now in house at a large insurance company. I don’t have billable requirements. I do stuff when stuff comes in.
I’m glad to know that you just work for a lawyer as opposed to being one. If you plan on being a lawyer, have fun taking the LSAT based on your “knowledge” of “circular arguments” and conditional statements.
P. Bull Terrior
April 29th, 2011
4:52 pm
Gwinnett Fred is exactly right. Its sad that we live in a society that is more offended by a guy making rude remarks than a guy who endangers the lives of dozens of people with his reckless behavior. Danny Heatley killed his teammate speeding down the streets of Atlanta and most people felt sorry for him. John Rocker said some dumb things and most people still hate him to this day. Roger may well lose his job over his dumb remarks, but Lowe will just pay a fine and move on. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I would much rather be insulted by a loud mouthed idiot than run over by a drunk idiot.
Lowe needs to Go
April 29th, 2011
4:52 pm
Derek Lowe TAKES HOME more than $375,000 every 2 weeks, and he won’t take a cab? He put others lives at risk. It is becoming harder and harder for me to justify spending some of my teacher’s salary going to a game.
Jeff Schultz
April 29th, 2011
4:52 pm
Here’s Derek Lowe’s statement. Going to start working on column now.
“I would like to apologize to my family, teammates, fans and the Braves organization for the attention arising from this matter, however I am hopeful that this incident will not be a distraction to the Braves organization while we are focused on returning to the playoffs. This is a legal matter and I anticipate this case can promptly be resolved within the court system.” – Derek Lowe
John
April 29th, 2011
4:52 pm
@Steve: Really? Because the word “thug” has been tossed around these blogs for far less serious offenses then what Roger the Thug and Lowe the Thug are being charged with.
Richard Pettys Jr
April 29th, 2011
4:52 pm
Did anyone notice that the attorney for Quinn is none other than Gloria Allred? With all due respect, if she is involved, MLB will never see the true facts as they are completely obscured in the interest of her personal publicity. She never saw a truth worth telling.
However, MLB will cave and force the Braves to cave. The suspension means “Bye bye Roger”.
FJR
April 29th, 2011
4:53 pm
@steve
so wearing a hat a certain way has more to do with being a thug than racing a porsche, on one of the busiest streets in atlanta, refusing a breathalyzer, failing a field sobriety test? If so, then being a thug really doesn’t mean anything important does it?
I also think your definition of “simple DUI” is a little off. A simple DUI is getting pulled over after leaving a bar and drinking two beers. Still awful, but nowhere near again, racing a prosche, while drunk, on one of the busiest streets in a busy metropolitan area at a time of night when many people are walking and driving on that road.
midtownguy
April 29th, 2011
4:53 pm
I look at all them collectively from McDowell, to Lowe to Kobe and get all Cedric the Entertainer “You a grown ass man!” Gown men with wives and children who can’t control their temper or behavior. Didn’t most of us learn to do that somewhere between our 18th and 21st birthday?