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
evan
August 16th, 2012
8:10 am
I was just thinking the same thing. Proof PED’s really do enhance performance. Shame, I was looking forward to Kimbrel running a 99 MPH Fastball up under his chin!
evan
August 16th, 2012
8:11 am
Oh, and FIRST!
TheOnlyBravesFan
August 16th, 2012
8:11 am
Kudos?
Awesome suspension, love it for Melky.
Bbrave
August 16th, 2012
8:12 am
Surprise? Something didn’t seem right!
Mark Bradley
August 16th, 2012
8:12 am
Evan. Kudo’ed.
Old devil
August 16th, 2012
8:16 am
True that. After his last memorable performance at the Ted, I was hoping he would come up against Kimbrel for some high cheese about chin high. But, as they say, maybe next year!
abby normal
August 16th, 2012
8:17 am
This just re-enforces my argument that juicers like Bonds, Sosa, McGwire etc. should never be in the HOF.
Fairmount Felon
August 16th, 2012
8:22 am
Bye Bye Melky………………………….and good riddance. Was a joke when he played here and was cocky because he was having one good season this year. Only problem is, he could still technically win the batting title.
Karl Hungus
August 16th, 2012
8:23 am
This isn’t proof that PEDs enhance performance on the baseball field. There still has never been any proof of that. It’s proof that PEDs enhance performance in the weight room, which was never under dispute. Being in much better shape is what has contributed to Melky’s improved performance, and now we know that he took shortcuts to achieve this physical condition instead of working really hard for it. That, and his BABIP is 70 points above his career average.
Old School
August 16th, 2012
8:23 am
And what the heck has happened to Lincecum? He can barely make it through the first inning, geez. Man I hope we spank the Dodgers.
Nativebird
August 16th, 2012
8:25 am
and we’ve continued to hear the fawning sports press (nationwide) talk about players “back” in the “steriod – era”? Admit it ESPN…we are still IN THE STERIOD ERA. Any athlete that goes from a historical pattern of plateued performance…suddenly to a material jump in continued performance MUST be identified and suspected. to heck with the innocents….NONE are innocent should be the view, at least until the innocents start TURNING in the guilty. Until then, all (repeat: ALL) these stats in the last 15 years should be astericked!
DeepDiver
August 16th, 2012
8:32 am
Sometimes, life is awesome.
Lookaymyaverage
August 16th, 2012
8:32 am
Man I tell you, you dont wish bad on anyone but sometimes you get what you deserve!
Keith
August 16th, 2012
8:34 am
Loved what Chipper said after Melky was taunting Heyward to tag up as well as taunting fans:
“That’s why he no longer plays here.” (paraphrase)
I guess his arrogance both in the field and with his body suffered an EGO SLAM.
Go BRAVES
yellow britches
August 16th, 2012
8:36 am
Hank Aaron has said repeatedly he believes steroids could not help a player make contact with a ball or shape their swing in a positive way. For this reason, and I guess others, he doesn’t think steroid use should keep a player out of Cooperstown. Stats are stats. OK Hank.
dean
August 16th, 2012
8:44 am
“What goes around comes around.”
DP
August 16th, 2012
8:48 am
Hey Mark, nice hit and run on Saban in your column about Saint Curry. About par for the course for you. You never bother to defend any of the nonsense you write in your columns in the comments section, but you’re always there to congratulate whoever writes “first!”
Gene
August 16th, 2012
8:53 am
Sometimes Karma is a beach.
SimpleDawg
August 16th, 2012
8:55 am
Melky was gettin’ a boost? Really?
Shocking !
Yep. They’re still around, and average players like Smelky Melky who suddenly become MVPs should be a beacon to league officials.
Jay
August 16th, 2012
8:55 am
PEDs definitely work, that’s why players keep taking them. They wouldn’t bother with the risk if there wasn’t a reward with it.
That said, Melky is a cheater and it serves him right after his hot-dogging last time he was in Atlanta.
Karl Hungus
August 16th, 2012
9:01 am
Player X had the following career numbers. The majority believe this player did not use PEDs during the seasons in which these numbers were accumulated. Does Player X belong in the HOF?
14 Seasons
.288/.409/.559 (.968 OPS)
2010 Hits, 445 HR, 460 SB, 1430 BB, 1112 K
3 MVPs, 8 All Stars, 7 Silver Sluggers, 8 Gold Gloves
163, OPS+, 104.5 fWAR
The Juice: Dodgers take over first in NL West, Giants reel without Melky – Yahoo! Sports (blog) | Headline News Network
August 16th, 2012
9:03 am
[...] Cabrera's Ban Will Cost him Tens of Millions, Dolich SaysSan Francisco ChronicleWell, Braves fans, we now know what got into Melky CabreraAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)USA TODAY -Fox News -SB Nation Bay Areaall 1,311 news [...]
Joey
August 16th, 2012
9:03 am
“A cynic would say that Cabrera is proof that PEDs actually do enhance performance.”
*********************************************
That “cynic” would be correct, MB.
All one has to do is read the SI article from a few years back on Balco Labs and its founder Victor Conte. The drugs he manufactured for Bonds and hundred’s more athletes, improved eyesight, reflexes, as well as strength, SEVERAL TIMES OVER.
So, yellow britches, Hank is clueless about PEDs. A baseball player could see the ball quicker and better, plus swing the bat quicker and faster. Numbers don’t lie.
You can look at hitters’ and power pitchers’ career numbers and from that era and tell who used PEDs. You can tell almost to the day when Clemens and Bonds started using PEDs. You can also see numbers plummet, and ERAs skyrocket, when MLB started testing for steriods
And just think, there still is no HGH testing in any of US pro sports – the only way to catch athletes is when they purchase it.
Truth
August 16th, 2012
9:04 am
Melky was really arrogant during this meteoric rise over the past year. He fits Luke 14:11 perfectly. Just like Tiger, those who think they have the World in their hand are soon crushed by it and their own pride. This also kills his huge contract next year that he was expecting. Never be so proud of yourself folks!
Sammy
August 16th, 2012
9:11 am
No Hall of Fame for Bonds, Sosa, etc… PLEASE!!
BarryBondsJr
August 16th, 2012
9:12 am
I have played softball for 10 years and 2 years ago my Doc said I had “Low T” or low levels of testoserone due to age (45 now). Most guys lose the ability to make Testoserone at the youthful levels as they age and mine was down under an acceptable low level. Doc put me on Testim (synthetic Testoserone) and within 6 months I went from a singles/doubles hitter to pumping the ball 290 feet over the CF fence. I have ZERO doubt it’s all about the T. You develop muscles without even working out. Flipside is you get canned like Melky if caught in the pros or us amateurs get cranky (ask the wife), bulk up all weird like (you get thick but TOO thick) and your hair starts falling out. See Barry Bonds for a perfect example. I’d rather not mention what happens to the “boys” as most of you know. Since you no longer need them to try and produce T, they nearly disappear. I’m bringing my levels way down to minimum to try and fight some of the bad side effects. It’s fun to hit the ball a mile but I’d like to keep some hair and be good to the boys…
Joey
August 16th, 2012
9:12 am
MB, has Melky’s agent given the obligatory, statement of: “Melky is innocent of these charges . . . apparently took some over the counter cold medicine which somehow skewed the test . . . Melky will appeal these charges . . .” ?
You know it’s coming.
Sammy
August 16th, 2012
9:12 am
…it just isn’t right for them to share the spotlight with Aaron, Mays, Mantle, and eventually Chipper.
Truth
August 16th, 2012
9:14 am
Good info Barry. I just started googling on testoserone and see similar stories to yours. Glad I don’t have to get on that stuff! Being 26 helps I guess!
Mark Bradley
August 16th, 2012
9:15 am
Actually, Melky Cabrera has ‘fessed up.
Truth
August 16th, 2012
9:15 am
Dead on Sammy. Chipper provides ample evidence he’s never doped. Lots of injuries over his career, no odd spikes in performance over time and he’s got a bit of a belly on him like I do! Chipper a working man’s working man. Same for Hammering Hank. All time HR King!
Truth
August 16th, 2012
9:17 am
Mark’s right. That surprised me that Melky fessed up but it shows he realizes how dumb he was. Fessed up and messed up his career with the doping. SF is getting a bad rap with all this. Maybe Lincecum needs to try it….Just kidding.
Nick Purdy
August 16th, 2012
9:19 am
Mark, I don’t understand your tossed off assertion that “playing for the Royals doesn’t quite count.” I understand the organization doesn’t have a big payroll, but their on-field performances are legit inasmuch as they play a real major league schedule. It’s not like they’ve been relegated. This has nothing to do with Melky, just saying that was a cheap, and when you think about it, nonsensical, shot.
RobINstonemtn
August 16th, 2012
9:21 am
How will we ever respect someone with great numbers anymore? I mean Braun, Melky, Sosa, McGuire, Bonds, etc. MLB should almost make a policy that says if you are in the top 5 in the majors in homers, hits, etc and weren’t the previous 5 years, you will be TRIPLE tested! I am losing respect for the game because of these players.
Paul in NH
August 16th, 2012
9:21 am
Just another in a long line
Bonds, Clemens, Sosa….
Ben Johnson, Marion Jones, practically every top woman sprinter from 1980 to 1992
Floyd Landis, Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador…
The entire E. German women’s swim team from 1972 to reunification
etc.
PED’s work – that is why athletes take them.
Todd
August 16th, 2012
9:31 am
Hey Melky – Got PED’S?
RobINstonemtn
August 16th, 2012
9:32 am
Yeah, if you’re in the top 5 in numbers they should test and re-test you. Especially if you weren’t in the years before…
Good Grief
August 16th, 2012
9:32 am
What’s the deal with this “FIRST!” nonsense? Why are people being rewarded by being the first to comment on someone else’s work?
BravesFan1972
August 16th, 2012
9:33 am
Makes me appreciate the superb playing yet oft injured Chipper. He’s doing it old school. Go Chip!
BravesFan1972
August 16th, 2012
9:34 am
GoodGrief. You are number 38. Congrats!
Mako
August 16th, 2012
9:36 am
MilkDud is juiced….who woulda thunk it…crunk it up MilkDud
FirstMania
August 16th, 2012
9:37 am
What amazes me more than folks wanting to be FIRST is folks who complain about it. It’s a tradition bra! Get over it!
TacoMax
August 16th, 2012
9:39 am
Good grief – I reward my kid for pooping in the toilet and not his pull up diaper so we should at least shout out a Kudos to the FIRST guy/gal.
don
August 16th, 2012
9:40 am
Maybe there is some poetic justice in this world afterall.
MelkyOsterone
August 16th, 2012
9:41 am
Hey, y’all back off. I worked out in Miami in the offseason. That’s how come I’m all ripped up and hitting 75 points over my average and I’m not the ol’ fatty you saw as a Brave… Oh, the test came back positive? Crap. Nevermind. See y’all in 50.
Boston Braves
August 16th, 2012
9:42 am
I’d like to see all Melky’s stats for the year be wiped out. I bet if MLB made it so that all “wins” for the team for the season that the player got caught got wiped away, some more “Peer pressure” may be applied by those players who are clean- Pretty Naive thinking huh?
Joey
August 16th, 2012
9:44 am
Good for Melky, MB.
When has any athlete fessed up about PEDs before?
Rowsdower
August 16th, 2012
9:44 am
Melky appealed his suspension and it was upheld. He wasn’t going to “fess up” until MLB confirmed he was being suspended. He is not a pioneer for admitting his cheating. He still went through the process knowing full well that he was guilty. He’s a scumbag and he got what he deserved. I’m just glad he didn’t get off like Braun…
Joey
August 16th, 2012
9:49 am
Pettitte and McGwire? Only partial confessions . . .
TedBurner
August 16th, 2012
9:52 am
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.
ClaudelWashington
August 16th, 2012
9:55 am
Yeah, what’s up with all this PED stuff? Us old school guys just did coke and such. Didn’t need that other junk
P B Orr
August 16th, 2012
10:06 am
White boy darling Ryan Braun skated. Clemens was acquitted. Apparently only players of color get suspended. I’m not defending Melky C – I didn’t defend McGwire when I was in St. Louis (I was totally alone in that one). But this is wrong.
Todd
August 16th, 2012
10:17 am
Let me guess P B Orr – you are an Obama voter right? I’ll bet you were an affirmative action winner too.
jj
August 16th, 2012
10:18 am
The big difference is the juice let’s you continue to play. As broken down as Bonds was by the end, imagine if no juice was taken over the previous 5 years. He never would have lasted and never set the HR record. I agree with Hank, it doesn’t make you see the ball better or swing better, but you are stronger, recover faster, and just don’t break down, and that’s the difference
Vol_In_Ohio
August 16th, 2012
10:25 am
Does anyone think this hurts Melky’s chances at getting into the HOF?
Hillbilly D
August 16th, 2012
10:26 am
A cynic would say that Cabrera is proof that PEDs actually do enhance performance.
If it didn’t would guys risk a 50 game suspension to use it?
Maybe when a guy gets caught juicing, that team should have to play with 24 players for the duration of his suspension.
DawgDad
August 16th, 2012
10:29 am
“Melky Cabrera spent a season of no special distinction with the Atlanta Braves”
That’s about as charitable a characterization as could possibly be made. He was horrible, quite possibly the worst “regular” outfielder in MLB.
If I’m not mistaken Javier Vasquez has now morphed via trade into Paul Maholm. Looking forward this figures to work out well for the Braves. Looking back, there was quite a bit of pain in the transition.
Vol_In_Ohio
August 16th, 2012
10:34 am
Maybe when a guy gets caught juicing, that team should have to play with 24 players for the duration of his suspension.
That’s a pretty good idea.
DawgDad
August 16th, 2012
10:35 am
P B Orr @ 10:06:
You have a problem with due process? Are you saying the Players Union (Braun vs. Cabrera contrast in handling) and Legal system (Clemens) is racist or discriminating? When you say “this is wrong”, well, who or what is wrong? You should think this through.
Dirty Dawg
August 16th, 2012
10:36 am
The answer to the ‘one game crap-shoot’ is to beat out Washington for the Division.
Ted M
August 16th, 2012
10:37 am
“Doomed” not sure about that. They are in a far better position now because of the enhancement.
He helped them immensely to this point and he would not have otherwise now they have to finish on the own.
Newtonite
August 16th, 2012
10:38 am
Mark, just curious – Does Cabrera have enough at bats to qualify for the batting title? And if he does, and if he should win it, what’s your opinion on Should he?
Vol_In_Ohio
August 16th, 2012
10:43 am
Melky Juicy Cabrera
Mark (another one)
August 16th, 2012
10:46 am
It is my understanding from another article on the AJC, they will add one at bat to Melky’s record and recalculate his average. That will be used in the batting title competition. It sounds like they need a new rule that if your caught using PEDs, you can’t win a performance title.
Also, will SF give Melky a share if they win the pennant this year?
Mark Bradley
August 16th, 2012
10:47 am
That’s correct. Cabrera can win the batting title.
http://deadspin.com/5935082/melky-cabrera-tests-positive-for-testosterone-suspended-50-games-can-still-win-the-batting-title
Ken Stallings
August 16th, 2012
10:51 am
To be fair, one doesn’t have to be a cynic to presume PED’s do precisely what the term described (Performance Enhancing Drugs). The sheer number of players in nearly all sports who have used PED’s contrary to the rules of their sport testify to the fact that they do what they say they do.
At least Melky didn’t try some lame attempt to blame it on over-the-counter supplements such as so many others who were busted tried to do.
Josh
August 16th, 2012
10:55 am
Real Question here (no sarcasm): The only numbers that went up for Melky this year are batting average related. His power numbers are relatively the same – maybe a little increase (11 homers, 60 rbi – good, not great). How do PED’s help a baseball player’s average? I’m glad he was suspended. He cheated. I agree with all of that and think PED’s should be banned – I’m not defending Melky or any of the other guys that use PED’s. I’m just wondering what effects PED’s would have had on his numbers this year.
Ken Stallings
August 16th, 2012
10:58 am
Enter your comments here
Jay Bookman is an idiot
August 16th, 2012
10:58 am
Glad to know Wren wasn’t an idiot for not signing Melky.
Ken Stallings
August 16th, 2012
10:59 am
I do have one question though. Did Melky stand at the plate for five seconds and admire his 50 game suspension?
Otto
August 16th, 2012
10:59 am
Hey Braves fans! Dont be happy that Cabrera got banned. Now that the Giants won’t sign him in the offseason to a ridiculously bloated contract, they’ll most likely move Pagan over to left and give a ridiculously bloated contract to Michael Bourn. I wasn’t sure the Braves would be able to sign him anyway, but I think this is the death nail.
taylor
August 16th, 2012
11:02 am
It’s not just his average that wen up josh:
AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS
2012 .346/.390/.516/.916
Career .284/.338/.414/.752
He’s increased his slugging percentage by 100 points.
Dirty Dawg
August 16th, 2012
11:05 am
I’d like to propose a little different point of view. First, the entire history of human development has been that each generation, through improvements in medications, diet, training techniques, surgical procedures, treatments for disease, you name it, is bigger-stronger-faster than the previous ones…my Dad use to claim that running around barefooted made his generation more likely to get ringworm which stunted their growth and development and made em smaller, weaker and slower. I mean where are the complaints from the pitching-faction of baseball’s HOF that, so-called, Tommy John Surgery has given today’s throwers a new lease on their careers, and with it records and, most of all, money. So why not drugs? We think nothing of ’shooting-up’ with cortisone in knees, shoulders, you name it, so a guy can play, so what makes all the other ‘performance-enhancing’ drugs/procedures so wrong? I know the story that abuse is injurious to health, and to have kids use it can be dangerous – kinda like booze and other illegal substances, so keep em away from it. Now I’m no fan of this Cabrera jerk, but seems to me that some teams that are smarter, have more money, have better coaching, scouts, minor league systems and player development, could also become renowned for better PEDs. Why not?
TOo Tough44
August 16th, 2012
11:06 am
ha ha bye bye Mulky Cabonehead!
Delbert D.
August 16th, 2012
11:07 am
Gosh darn. I guess Melky isn’t going to get in the Hall of Fame after all.
Dawg Haus
August 16th, 2012
11:08 am
After the way the Melk Man behaved himself on the Giants’ last trip to the Ted, no sympathy from this Braves fan.
Hillbilly D
August 16th, 2012
11:14 am
MB
Is the requirement for the batting title still 502 plate appearances?
Steve From Dalton
August 16th, 2012
11:17 am
What is it about bay area guys getting juiced?
DP
August 16th, 2012
11:17 am
It would be the easiest thing in the world for MLB, which is such a numbers driven sport, to set up some statistical parameters to pick out the most obvious PED candidates and constantly test them. If a veteran player starts putting up numbers that blow away his career stats (Melky Cabrera this year, Brady Anderson the year he hit 52 HRs, Javy Lopez when he hit 42 HRs in a contract year for the Braves) test him every week. The same goes for guys who put up freak show numbers like McGwire, Sosa and Bonds and the guys in their mid 30’s and older who somehow see their numbers soar at ages where virtually every player historically is in decline (Bonds, Clemens, etc.). Or better yet, invest more money to keep up with detecting PEDs and test every player on a weekly or monthly basis and make the penalties even harsher, a one year minimum instead of 50 games. The players who are clean should welcome it.
And speaking of PEDs, does anybody else think it’s outside the realm of statistical probability that a country the size of Jamaica could produce the 3 fastest 200 meter sprinters in the world and the fastest 4 X 100 meter relay team in the world at the same time? 3 guys who train together in a small country just happen to be the 3 fastest guys in the world?
Zing
August 16th, 2012
11:18 am
MB: It’s not cynical to link cause and effect. The guy was an out-of-shape poor performer with the Braves, and suddenly he notched a superb physique and “played with his head on fire,” to quote a DOB article (quoting someone on the Giants) about Melky’s turnaround when he came to town. I for one am feeling downright schadenfreude-ish about this development.
DP
August 16th, 2012
11:19 am
Hillbilly, if a player is short of 502 plate appearances for purposes of the batting title they give him an out for every AB he is short. If the recalculated batting average is higher than anybody else he wins the batting title.
Zing
August 16th, 2012
11:19 am
And I bet several of the Braves players feel the same way, by the way.
lazlodawg
August 16th, 2012
11:25 am
It’s not just the hitters that are juiced…. 3 perfect games in one season? Hmmmmm……
Sonny Clusters
August 16th, 2012
11:26 am
Now, let’s keep an open mind here. We was reminded what our ol’ buddy Carl Sagan had to say, “It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.”
P B Orr
August 16th, 2012
11:32 am
DawgDad – I’m saying Braun was guilty as hell and he skated, like privileged whites always do (Wall St anyone?) PS I am whiter than Tommy Hanson.
Yogi
August 16th, 2012
11:34 am
I guess they handled his samples more carefully than they did Braun’s!
P B Orr
August 16th, 2012
11:39 am
Furthermore, at least Melkster confessed and took his medicine, while that sanctimonious Braun called a press conference to proclaim his purity in best Republican style. Lilly of the outfield – he roids not, but he sure does spin.
IlliniBrave
August 16th, 2012
11:40 am
@P B Orr: you sir are officially a dumba**. MLB and the Feds have shown no bias in investigating and prosecuting players of all races: McGwire, Clemens, Giambi, Sosa, Palmeiro, Canseco, Bonds, etc. White, Hispanic, black – all races have been involved. The reputations of all these players will never be restored. None will get enough votes for the Hall of Fame. Braun got off on the basis of a technicality and both Clemens and Bonds have been acquited due to botched prosecutions. But do you think that anybody views them as “clean”? Why play the race card?
Hillbilly D
August 16th, 2012
11:42 am
at least Melkster confessed and took his medicine,
He confessed after the appeal process.
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!
IlliniBrave
August 16th, 2012
11:44 am
Hey PB: yeah, the white man opressess people of color. All those horrible privileged white men in mamagement in MLB. Wait, but almost half the managers are “people of color”, and so are several of the GMs. Guess your silly neo-Marxits arguments don’t hold water when applied to baseball. Why don’t you go spend your valuable time participating in one of those Occupy protests?
Rowsdower
August 16th, 2012
11:46 am
Yes, 502 plate appearances are the threshold, but they will add an out for every PA under 502 to determine what your AVG would be. Melky is at 501, so the 1 PA will not make a difference in his BA. If McCutcheon comes back to Earth, that cheating bastard will win the Batting Title while sitting on his soon to be fat ass.
He was lazy in Atlanta and he took the lazy way to get into shape. He will go back to the lazy punk he was and be an afterthought.
He cost himself a HUGE payday…what a loser.
Rowsdower
August 16th, 2012
11:49 am
@Jim – You can’t punish the team because an individual decided to cheat.
Rowsdower
August 16th, 2012
11:50 am
Leave the politics and racism out of the blog. This is a sports conversation.
Jfreak13713
August 16th, 2012
11:50 am
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy!
Hillbilly D
August 16th, 2012
11:51 am
You can’t punish the team because an individual decided to cheat.
Sure you can. Doesn’t it punish a team when a starting pitcher gets thrown out for hitting somebody?
IlliniBrave
August 16th, 2012
11:52 am
Wow, bad spelling! “Oppresses” not “opressess” and “Marxist” not “Marxits”! Typing in the dark with thunderstorms here.
P B Orr
August 16th, 2012
11:59 am
Illini (Go Mizzou) Brave – You can draw whatever conclusions you want to. I was in St. Louis. I told them McGwire was juiced in 1997 and would have none of 70 Mania. He skated. Clemens skated. Braun skated. Whites always skate. Everyone on Wall St. skated. Knock over a 7-11, 20 years in the hole. Knock over an entire economy, steal the whole country blind, rob people’s pension funds, get richer still.
The rut
August 16th, 2012
12:04 pm
HA-ha-ha-ha-ha. He who laughs last laughs the hardest. What an idiot!!!
TB
August 16th, 2012
12:07 pm
Regarding Hank Aaron’s comments, true, steroids do not help a player make contact or ebable him to square up the baseball on his bat. The differance comes when a clean player makes a warning trach shot while the steroid user’s extra strength allows him to put it out.
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.