The green grass of the field. The crack of the bat. The roar of the crowd. The sound of police sirens? After yet another DUI-related arrest of a professional baseball player last week, both fans and safety groups are wondering if Major League Baseball (MLB) is doing enough to combat alcohol abuse among players and personnel.
Since the start of spring training, six professional baseball players have been arrested for driving under the influence. These players include Coco Crisp of the Oakland A's, Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers, Austin Kearns of the Cleveland Indians, Adam Kennedy of the Seattle Mariners, Derek Lowe of the Atlanta Braves and, most recently, Shin-Soo Choo of the Cleveland Indians.
While MLB currently has no official policy regarding alcohol, it does have a policy regarding so-called "drugs of abuse," including marijuana and cocaine.
Interestingly enough, however, the majority of teams have already taken the liberty of implementing their own policies regarding alcohol, banning it altogether in their clubhouses and on team flights home.
Other teams - such as the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies - have even gone so far as to ban alcohol in both the home and visitor clubhouses.
In light of this spate of DUI arrests, it is highly likely that an alcohol policy will emerge as a key point during negotiations between the players association and MLB over the new collective bargaining agreement (the current CBA expires in December).
"Alcohol issues will certainly be a topic that will be addressed in the ongoing negotiations," said Rob Manfred, MLB's executive vice president of labor relations and human resources. "We are always concerned when any of our players have interaction with criminal authorities."
Being arrested for drunk driving can have a serious impact on your life in a number of ways and result in various penalties. In fact, many of these penalties are much more serious than the mere suspension or revocation of your license.
When faced with this scenario, consider contacting an attorney who understands New York's confusing legal system, and who can help you evaluate your options and make the right decisions.
This post was provided for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.
Stay tuned for more from our New York traffic law blog ...
Related Resources:
MLB, players union talk about creating alcohol policy (USA Today)