Well, Braves fans, we now know what got into Melky Cabrera
Melky homers against the Braves. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Melky Cabrera spent a season of no special distinction with the Atlanta Braves, whereupon they non-tendered him, which is to say they dumped him. He wound up in Kansas City, which as we know is the Last Chance Saloon for all undistinguished Braves, and finished the 2011 season with 201 improbable hits.
This raised a few eyebrows — the prototype fourth outfielder getting more hits in a season than Ted Williams ever did? — but only a few. Because playing for the Royals doesn’t quite count. Then Cabrera was traded to San Francisco, where he turned into a fair approximation of Barry Bonds. Through 113 games he was hitting .346 with 11 homers and 6o RBIs. And those are, it must be noted, the numbers with which the Melkman will end this regular season.
Because he just got suspended 50 games after testing positive for elevated testosterone. This could well doom the Giants, who have fallen behind the Dodgers in the National League West, and it doesn’t exactly leave the sport itself with a shiny halo. Months after reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug (his 50-game ban was overturned on a procedural issue), the man just crowned MVP of the All-Star Game has gotten himself docked.
A cynic would say that Cabrera is proof that PEDs actually do enhance performance. Two years ago he wasn’t good enough to play everyday for a Braves’ team starved for everyday players. This year he was one of the best players in the league.
Cabrera’s enforced absence will surely be noted when the Braves play in San Fran next week. Last month Melky spent a series at Turner Field nettling his old mates with his exaggerated celebratory routines, and Chipper Jones and Tim Hudson voiced their displeasure. The rematch figured to be intriguing. Moot point now, alas.
Not moot, however, is this: According to Deadspin, Cabrera can still win the batting title.
By Mark Bradley
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149 comments Add your comment
mark
August 16th, 2012
12:17 pm
biggest chipper fan here but if you think he didn’t do some peds well let’s just say when he was running around with kelesco back in the day he won an mvp that year, but everybody was doing it back then,i’ve hung around enough gyms that I can look at someone and tell.sorry
coach13
August 16th, 2012
12:18 pm
PEDs don’t help you hit HRs Barry???? Tell that to BRett Boone and Brady Anderson!!! PEDs don’t help your all around game??? Tell that to Melky Cabrera!!! Consider this PUjols will have to hit 300 more HRs, that’s 30 a year for the next 10 years. I don’t see that happening. I don’t see Barry’s “record” every being broken.
DawgVoiceofReason
August 16th, 2012
12:48 pm
Boston Brave has EXACTLY the right idea. Just like in other sports, using an ineligible player means the team forfeits its games. So, the team of any player identified as using steriods should forfeit every game in which that player played. THAT would solve the steroid problem real fast. There would be enornmous pressure for everyone to stay clean. Also, any player identified as using steroids should be ineligible for the Hall of Fame and any and all records that player set should be vacated also.
The simple answer is that cheating should not pay in any way for any one.
Paul in NH
August 16th, 2012
12:55 pm
“You can’t punish the team because an individual decided to cheat”
That has to be news to Chryste Gaines, Torri Edwards, Nancine Parry and the other women who were on relay teams with Marion Jones in 2000. They all lost their Olympic Medals
PEDS and Melky
August 16th, 2012
1:07 pm
First off, I am sure that Hammerin Hank is right, steroids don’t help you make contact, but they increase bat speed immensely through increased strength. This translates into more ball speed off of the bat. This means lazy liners caught by the outfield turn into lasers into the gap. Slow rollers to short or second become rips past the infielders becoming base hits. Lazy fly balls become dingers….
KevinM
August 16th, 2012
1:10 pm
“Jim
August 16th, 2012
11:44 am
Selig should wake up & grow a pair. All of the games that Melky played in should be forfeited and he should be ineligible for any awards!”
Jim, good point…that is a way to make this a team issue when one quy goes rogue. But, have you ever heard baseball forfeiting anything in the modern era?
Selig=buffoon and doesn’t take it serious enough.
P B Orr
Bonds skated….did you ever hear Sheffield getting suspended?
The only reason Sosa got caught is because he was stupido enough to use a corked bat. A true cheater in every way possible.
How about in-game testing? That would be interesting! Pitchers included.
htownbravesfan
August 16th, 2012
1:11 pm
Karl Hungus, you stated this isn’t proof steroids improve performance on the field, but in the weight room, and Melky being in better condition has improved his stats. That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. If one can’t take place without the other, then there is obviously a direct correlation between steroids and on field performance. Furthermore, I don’t know how anyone can look at offensive stats from 10 to 15 yrs ago and not say steroids didn’t improve performance. Just from the Braves, does Marcus Giles ring a bell?
disbot3000
August 16th, 2012
1:18 pm
For all who have wondered “exactly how much of an edge do PED’s give a player?”, you’re answer is Melky Cabrera. He was really nothing more than a journeyman player, and then “POW!”, all of a sudden he’s an All Star. THAT’S how much they help.
htownbravesfan
August 16th, 2012
1:28 pm
P B Orr, I hate to entertain comments that don’t belong on this blog, but how on earth did Clemens or McGwire “skate,” as you like to call it. Both are in the same boat with Palmeiro, Bonds, Sheffield, Giambi, etc, and all of the other stars of the era that are forever tainted and will never get into the HOF or have their numbers taken halfway seriously by true baseball people. If you are simply trying to get a rise out of people with ignorrant comments, get off of this site. If you truly believe what you’re saying, you’re still ignorrant and get off of this site.
DawgInaTruck
August 16th, 2012
1:31 pm
My brother and I argued about Melky when the Braves chose not to re-sign him. I was dissapointed-thought I saw potential. My brother, not so much. A month or so ago, my brother mentioned that I had been vindicated. Last night he called to say ‘I told you so.’
DawgVoiceofReason
August 16th, 2012
1:37 pm
[Take 2]
Saying steroids don’t help performance is like saying advertising doesn’t work. Of course it does!!! Otherwise, companies would not spend billions of dollars (combined) on it and players would not risk their reputations, their careers and their salaries on it. Also, they are called “performance enhancing” for a reason.
DawgVoiceofReason
August 16th, 2012
1:40 pm
Why do my posts with no bad words and no objectionable content sometimes never appear? If I try to resubmit them, I get a message that “it looks like you’ve already said that”. Can this not be fixed?
oldnorthstatebravofan
August 16th, 2012
1:43 pm
I am coming to Atlanta for weekend series against Dodgers and wanted to know where I could eat the best burger! Any suggestions?
Hillbilly D
August 16th, 2012
1:48 pm
DawgVoiceofReason
That seems to have been going on forever and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to why something disappears.
Skeezix
August 16th, 2012
1:54 pm
Melky must be one of the most low down, no account, ex-Braves of all time.
I hope he is out of MLB forever.
When he morphed into supermasn, I figured he had to be high on something.
Skeezix
August 16th, 2012
1:58 pm
correction: “….morphed into supermelky..”
blue
August 16th, 2012
2:00 pm
two words for Hammering Hank on the “steroids don’t improve performance”; Brady Anderson. Guy was averaging about 14 HR per year from 1992-1995, then all of a sudden…50 in 1996. At the same time where his teammates were commenting on how strong he had gotten.
Bruce Bochy
August 16th, 2012
2:03 pm
Melky was doping? Really? I can’t believe it!
Why I am shocked!
I never would have guessed it.
Vino Jesus Franco
August 16th, 2012
2:41 pm
I remember a Brave being on the juice, the Jesus juice…
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/happy-birthday-boy-julio-franco-only-53-today-200911081.html
DawgInaTruck
August 16th, 2012
3:04 pm
oldnorthstatebravofan, try this:
http://www.brakepadatlanta.com/
It is close to downtown and has an awesome burger that begs for a cold beer companion.
sam
August 16th, 2012
3:24 pm
I think the reason Melky fessed up is because he knew exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it. It was the last year of his contract, and big numbers would get this otherwise journeyman outfielder the deal that would set him up for life. It was an acceptable risk for him. I’m guessing he planned on dropping the PED use after he signed a big deal.
NorCal Brave
August 16th, 2012
4:03 pm
Bad for Melky, terrible for the Giants, who just got Sandoval back. Melky’s outfield replacement? The great Gregor Blanco.
Spider29
August 16th, 2012
4:07 pm
One question…did Melky come under any suspicion when he had that good year in Kansas City? I don’t remember reading anything about it. I did wonder at the time how he could have been so bad for the Braves but so good in KC.
LawDawg
August 16th, 2012
4:23 pm
This is terrible timing. I was hoping a fastball to the ear hole would put him in the hospital. This downfall is pretty enjoyable, though.
Crotch-chops all around!!!
GB's Hamburgers
August 16th, 2012
4:24 pm
Amusing little column today Mark. Your work seems enhanced today.
taylor
August 16th, 2012
4:30 pm
oldnorthstatebravofan: The Vortex in Midtown. Best burgers in ATL.
Really?
August 16th, 2012
4:52 pm
More proof cheaters never win. Unless you play college football in alabama of course.
Felix
August 16th, 2012
6:58 pm
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Melky the crotch grabber is suspended!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ………..
puff
August 16th, 2012
6:58 pm
Proof positive, so to speak, that PEDs do far more than accelerate healing. They turn a bum into an all-star.
Felix----best burgers
August 16th, 2012
7:01 pm
The bison burgers at Montana grill (Ted Turner’s place) are great. The beef burgers are good too.
Karma is a........
August 16th, 2012
7:04 pm
Well old Melk man gets to pay the Piper……could not have happened to a more deserving fellow……
LakeDawg
August 16th, 2012
7:08 pm
I hated Melky when he was with the Braves. You could tell he had a lot of hitting talent, but he was fat, weak, and couldn’t field. He finally got into shape and was having a good year. Never understood his shenanigans at Turner Field. Being cut by the Braves was HIS fault (see fat, weak, and couldn’t field). Alas, being Melky, he took a short cut to getting in shape. Good riddance.
northbeach Scott
August 16th, 2012
8:15 pm
Five Guys has the best burgers, period and best fries (ask for them crispy). Avoid the Varsity at all costs, unless you want hash marks.
As much as I hate Melky and his lackluster performance his one year in Atlanta, I have mixed feelings on PEDs. It is easy to act shocked and offended that a ballplayer would juice, but there is so much money at stake and at the end of the day, it is always, always about money.
Baseball enjoyed a huge attendance surge (as it lagged after the World Series was cancelled in 1994) as a result of the late 1990’s HR battles by McGuire and Sosa. It was with a wink and a nudge that the owners looked the other way and even encouraged PEDs, because “chicks dig the long ball” and the resulting attendance increase. Damn the owners for soiling our game.
Disgusted
August 16th, 2012
8:32 pm
“This 1 game wild card thing doesn’t look helpful. I mean, the Braves could end up 7 games up on second Wildcard Pittsburgh but still have to play them in a “sudden death” game? It ought to at least be 2 out of 3.”
Agree that it should be 2 out of 3.
Larvell Blanks
August 16th, 2012
8:52 pm
The Braves have had their fair share of juicers too. Let’s not forget Ryan Klesko, Marcus Giles, Brett Boone, Javy Lopez and on and on.
KomaGawa
August 16th, 2012
9:22 pm
KALL YOU OUT ON THIS ONE MARK!
The snide comments about KC and even the snarky way you have framed this topic is beneath you, maybe, maybe not. However I expected you to take the higher road on this topic. Show this to some members of the Atlanta clubhouse whom you respect and see if what I am getting at is true. Yes, its wrong, but the front page of your employer has regular features of crime perpetrators and victims. The whole story of their motives and weaknesses is rarely told (because there are so many of them). I doubt that EVEN YOU know enough about the Cabrera story. Yes he did wrong. And judgement has been passed. I would say if you want to do this topic about him, ask him first. Secondly, the pressure to win starts with alot of other players who did it and are still doing it and haven’t been caught yet. Those are the guys I am more interested in.
northbeach Scott
August 16th, 2012
9:30 pm
KC begs for the comments because GM Dayton Moore harbors more has beens and never was ex-Braves than any other team in baseball. The Royals are a joke and everyone in KC is sick about what a bunch of blind mullets they are.
Medlen's "not a true starter"
August 16th, 2012
9:46 pm
Still think he’s more valuable in the ‘pen? Still waiting on Minor to throw a CGSO. Maybe Minor did it in AA or something, which must make Minor a truer starter than medlen. Medlen isn’t just a fan favorite, he’s been as good and consistent a starter this team has had the last few years. Injury shouldn’t be the reason he loses a spot in the rotation.
Robert
August 16th, 2012
10:12 pm
He was a chump then and he’s a chump now. Absolutely NO CLASS.
JASon
August 16th, 2012
10:16 pm
“Well, Braves fans, we now know what got into Melky Cabrera.”
Ha ha! Funny…
jdawg
August 17th, 2012
5:12 am
If I were Melky I would have juiced too. Assuming he wasn’t juicing in Atl (and I find it hard to believe that fat woodchuck was juicing as a Brave), fat melky could have commanded maybe 800K-1M on the market this offseason, whereas Super Melky was looking at a 10MM+ multi-year deal. He rolled the dice and lost. Least he fessed up
Todd Hamilton
August 17th, 2012
7:44 am
Remember without the Royals there would be no success with the Braves. Schuerholtz was Royals Gm in 70’s till 85 when we won the series. The braves blueprint started in KC. KC will be relevant in Baseball again very soon.
Juiced Up
August 17th, 2012
9:40 am
We all knew that Melky’s performance wasn’t due to MILK……………..it was due to JUICE!……………He is what he was with the Brave’s………just another washed up ballplayer!
Future Trade with K.C.
August 17th, 2012
9:47 am
I agree with Todd Hamilton…….K.C. Royals have a bright future and a loaded outfield so why don’t we make another trade with K.C?………………….Julio Teheran straight up for either Bubba Starling or Wil Meyers……….this will benefit each club and would be a fair trade for each!
Jay
August 17th, 2012
10:09 am
Hey Bradley,
Still wanna send Medlen to the bullpen????????????
Big Crimson 75
August 17th, 2012
10:36 am
Brett Boone was another former Brave who stats “ballooned” once he left.
Jean
August 17th, 2012
10:54 am
I hope something get in the Braves and they are still a continued LetDown. Win all these games during the regular season and blow it at the Playoffs. Oops way to go front office.
urban redneck
August 17th, 2012
12:43 pm
crap, why couldn’t he start juicin a couple years ago? i’d like to see the braves send him a group picture of everyone doing the crotch chop. go bravos.
.....And they say steroids to work
August 17th, 2012
4:34 pm
This guy is a creep but the players and owners are complicit as well. When is the last time that you’ve heard a major league figure blast action such as this? I guess it’s the old glass house thing ….The boilerplate response is that he is a teammate or friend and we are going to have his back. MLB and the union had to be dragged before Congress with threats before the testing program grew a little teeth. It was real convenient that he grew all of this talent in the year that his contract was to expire. He said he made a MISTAKE! Put some real teeth into the program like a one year suspension for the first offense. That would give a player a lot to think about prior to sticking the needle into their a..! Playing baseball is a privilege and not a right. Once this civics lesson is learned, they will be better citizens. Here I am thinking that it was against the law to use steroids without prescription.