Vito Frabizio: Bank Robber

[Arthur_Bryant]

You are seriously Lucky Jimming this thread and that's not a compliment. If the kid confessed, he's a bank robber. Yes, we all understand you are a lawyer and by law you are 100 percent right, but for discussion purposes there is absolutely nothing wrong with calling him a bank robber IF he confessed.

I think you know quite well that no one is going to be sued for slander or libel because they called a confessed bank robber a bank robber before they were officially found guilty.

Please, please, please don't become another Lucky Jim around here.

I'm actually not a lawyer, but I work in a profession where libel can cost people their professional reputations and a lot of money. As you do. But if it doesn't bother you, it doesn't bother me any more.

[backwardsk]

I honestly never heard the "real" reason for his quick release, but young projectionable pitchers don't get released prior to their 2nd minor league seasons after a solid 1st pro season unless the team has serious reservations about their character.

If this story is true, than the Orioles decision was a smart one.

I'd be interested to know what the organization knew about his presumed addiction, how long they knew it, and what steps they went through to help him.

[Gurgi]

I'd be interested to know what the organization knew about his presumed addiction, how long they knew it, and what steps they went through to help him.

If they knew then they really had no other choice. Trying to babysit a heroin addict is impossible. And you cant really let him stay around other kids. You gotta run as far away from that drug as you can get.

[Tony-OH]

I'd be interested to know what the organization knew about his presumed addiction, how long they knew it, and what steps they went through to help him.

Again, I don't know if they did or did not know, but I don't think the organization has any responsibility to help him through rehab if they did know. He was an employee. If for some reason an employee is found to be doing illegal drugs, an employer has every right to terminate said employee. The only thing professional baseball teams have a responsibility for is paying for injury related surgeries before they can release a player.

[backwardsk]

Again, I don't know if they did or did not know, but I don't think the organization has any responsibility to help him through rehab if they did know. He was an employee. If for some reason an employee is found to be doing illegal drugs, an employer has every right to terminate said employee. The only thing professional baseball teams have a responsibility for is paying for injury related surgeries before they can release a player.

I agree with you regarding the organization's responsibility. And I agree with gurgi's point about not wanting him around the other players. But I'm interested in the organization's approach. This guy could pay dividends in the future, but many prospects flame out. Do you, as an organization, treat this as normal attrition, or do you invest resources to help your asset? Hopefully this is the only case study.

[JDubs]

You are half correct. We are free to think what we want, but laws against slander and libel apply to what we express. You can't call someone a bank robber until a court has found him guilty.

Actually, it isn't slander if you can convince a jury to believe that it is true. With a confession, the chances of being able to do that are pretty good.

[waroriole]

Actually, it isn't slander if you can convince a jury to believe that it is true. With a confession, the chances of being able to do that are pretty good.

Not to mention, you could try to say that Vito is a public figure; and then you only need to show that the OP didn't know that the statement was false.

[Big Mac]

I think it speaks volumes that after we suddenly released him, no one was scrambling to pick him up.

[Stotle]

Actually, it isn't slander if you can convince a jury to believe that it is true. With a confession, the chances of being able to do that are pretty good.

Well, it's not slander either way because it's written, not spoken. Libel.

Further, you'd have to weigh whether or not Fabrizio is a "public figure" in order to apply the right burden of proof test.

Long and short, there is very little "legal" worry that anything said on this thread would actually be libel.

[JDubs]

Not to mention, you could try to say that Vito is a public figure; and then you only need to show that the OP didn't know that the statement was false.

That's true. Vito would actually need to prove malice. I'm not sure if his profile rises to that of a public figure, but it would be worth a shot.

[JDubs]

Well, it's not slander either way because it's written, not spoken. Libel.

Further, you'd have to weigh whether or not Fabrizio is a "public figure" in order to apply the right burden of proof test.

Long and short, there is very little "legal" worry that anything said on this thread would actually be libel.

You are right, of course, but it's kind of a term of art these days. I should have said defamation as a catchall to cover myself.

[Stotle]

That's true. Vito would actually need to prove malice. I'm not sure if his profile rises to that of a public figure, but it would be worth a shot.

I'd think that given the audience (an Orioles fan board with a heavy interest in minor leaguers) it would. But who really knows.

[Stotle]

You are right, of course, but it's kind of a term of art these days. I should have said defamation as a catchall to cover myself.

I honestly wouldn't have said anything if I hadn't had to sit for the bar again this February (missed being able to waive in from NY by a matter of months! ). Plus, I'm a corporate attorney so I don't really care about any of this tort stuff, anyway.

[Remember The Alomar]

This thread is pretty much proof that opening day can't get here soon enough.

[Icterus galbula]

Here is a MASN article from last January.

http://masnsports.com/2010/01/not-drafted-but-not-forgotten.html

Some chilling quotes:

The 6'3", 175-pounder won't say much about why he left high school in 2007.

"There were some incidents when I was younger. I don't really want to get into it. I never officially graduated high school, but I never dropped out either."

But in March of 2009, that kid who left high school early, missed curfew several times during spring training in Sarasota and the O's brass eventually made him leave camp, sending him home to Long Island.

"Basically being young, you get ahead of yourself sometimes. I needed a little time to just grow up a little bit.

"You put things in perspective. You can either fulfill your dream or just go on and never know what you could have done. I realized I was lucky and should not have taken advantage of anything. I've matured a lot.

"That's not going to happen ever again."

Presto said Frabizio has matured and he's not worried about the pitcher's character at all.

"He's a really good kid. He's someone that always checks in with me. That's nice when a player does that. He's not a choir boy, I know that. He's been through some stuff. But now he better understands pro baseball and our staff has done a great job with him."

Just such a sad situation. The needle and the damage done.