AM I MISSING SOMETHING WITH THE MELKY STORY?

Have certain sports writers just lost their minds? Melky Cabrera was the story of the year until he got caught with unusually high levels of testosterone in his system, something you’re not allowed to do in Major League baseball.  He was suspended for 50 games like the rule book says.  Then it becomes a disappointing story, a fall from grace.  Then, within 24 hours, stories start popping up about how his big Free Agent payday is now in jeopardy and writers have the audacity to start to list teams that could use him at a “discount”. I refuse to even link to them, I find that approach to journalism about just selling papers and not touching on the heart of the matter. Melky cheated, this isn’t about his payday. 
 Hold on while I get on the bus… I didn’t realize I was lost in Bizarro World.  Are we that shallow that we are actually placing Cabrera on teams that could use him at a cheaper price now that he blew it for himself? I thought the story was he cheated, the actual news. The stuff about his Free agency being in jeopardy...that's to sell papers.

Sure, Melky admitted it and we moved on, but we don’t move THIS fast. Let's actually look into this. Melky could have won the batting title. Melky already won the MVP for the All-Star game. Finally, baseball has a player red handed, it's all over the news and the writers have already moved on? Why?  

Look, I wrote a thoughtful piece Thursday with a smart suggestion... read MELKY CABRERA: WHEN SUNSHINE TURNS TO DARKNESS, something that should have been picked up by the mainstream press. Of course, they didn’t think of it, so it was ignored.  I sent it to Mike and Mike, to the Dan Patrick show, to plenty of writers, so did our readers... thank you. Now sure... they all have the right to ignore and choose what they're rather print, but the message was clear…it’s not about Melky’s free agent market, it never was…it’s about the fact that a 50 game suspension just ain’t working in Major League Baseball.  Don’t believe me? Ask Melky and he’ll tell you, because he knew what he did was wrong and he didn't care. Then, finally, when he did get caught he figured “I’ll act like I’m taking the high road. I’ll admit to it. That will get me back in the good graces of the fans and I'll be back, no biggie.”  Not me.  I don’t just want 50 games, I want humiliation for these players... just for a bit, a harsher punishment.

My vendetta is personal.  My son’s affected by this. Millions of our kids are too.  I don’t want just a 50 game suspension, I want these cheaters who do this to talk to my son and others who worship these athletes.  I want a Public Service Announcement cut and posted on MLB.com and aired on TV and radio explaining that cheating is wrong and to address the bigger problem.  Sure MLB and the Players association are trying to clean up the sport, but I believe that if this PSA idea is presented to the Player's Association and they were to turn in down in an attempt to protect these players, they are as spineless as the players who cheat.  A PSA is simple, it’s an awareness piece. 20-30 seconds of the player who was caught cheating standing in front of the camera, talking to the world saying (and I’ll use 3 players here as an example):

(suspended in 2012)
“My name is Melky Cabrera, I was an All-Star outfielder with the San Francisco Giants this season, but I tested positive for drugs and cheated.  I am now suspended for 50 games.  What I did was wrong.  Don’t be like me. I am not a role model. A role model works hard to achieve their goals.” 

 Or, here's another one:

(suspended in 2010) (If it was 2010 when the PSA rule was enforced)
“My name is Edinson Volquez. I tested positive for drugs and cheating.  I am now suspended for 50 games.  What I did was wrong.  Please don’t be like me. I am not a role model. A role model works hard to achieve their goals.”

(suspended in 2009 and 2011) (If it was 2011 if my PSA idea was enforced)
My name is Manny Ramirez. I tested positive for drugs and cheating not only in 2011, but in 2009 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  I am now suspended for 50 games.  What I did was wrong.  Please don’t be like me. I am not a role model. A role model works hard to achieve their goals.”
  

Do this and it accomplishes 2 things; it says to my kid and the millions out there, “Oh, he’s a cheater. I don’t want to do that.” And it also teaches the the athlete a lesson, “I was a role model and I lost my way. I better get back to being that role model.” It also makes MLB looks like champs because this will in turn lower the amount of PED use in baseball. Players seem to forget that it doesn't matter if they strive to be a role model or not, they are role models, they have a duty to be and kids look up to them.

Look, I just find it disappointing. Writers can ultimately do what they want, but sit and think about this Cabrera story a moment, don't try and move the story so rapidly that we forget the bigger issue here...that's all I'm saying. It's mind boggling to me. Give this story a chance to breathe. Let's think about solutions.  Sure, I know it's not your job, but still, use your head.

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