Chris Davis tested positive for amphetamines. (25 Game Ban)

[AdamK]

It would be impossible to vote on this poll. Not a single person here has any knowledge of Davis' medical history so any voting would be based purely on speculation.

Speculate? On a sports themed internet forum?!

Well, I'll be!

[Malike]

Speculate? On a sports themed internet forum?!

Well, I'll be!

Its difficult to speculate about a possible medical condition when we have no information whatsoever. Anyone who votes is voting without any certainty that their position is right or wrong. Normally, when we're discussing things here, and have polls there is some data at least to back up people's positions on why they voted the way they did. There is absolutely no data that anyone can show here, because not a single one of us knows Davis' medical history.

[Larry18]

The sensible thing to do is get the prescription in case you need it, then don't use it unless it necessary.

Not getting a waiver for something that might be needful isn't very smart.

I don't know if you saw this article but it sheds some light on how the TUE works.

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20140912/dodgers-jp-howell-is-familiar-with-baseballs-rules-for-prescription-drug-use

[RichmondVA Orio]

As to MLB, it's pretty obvious that players are getting their doctors to over prescribe Adderall. Use of the drug among major league players is four or five times greater than in the general population. So while it's nice to say that medical decisions should be between a person and his doctor, something is clearly going on there, and if MLB has decided to be more stringent in granting Therapeutic Use Exemptions, I support that decision.

I have a problem with this and people constantly bringing it up. My problem is why does everyone think the "general population" is afforded all the same medical and pharmaceutical remedies of a Major League baseball player? I mean really? I have 2 sons on Ritalin, pay over $1000 on monthly health insurance premiums for a family of 5 and still have to fork out $200 a month in copays for the scripts. Do the math and let me know if the entire "general population", who have ADD, can manage to get the script.

[bobmc]

Jayson Stark's take - he makes some good points, speculative of course, but hints at athlete's becoming "addicted" (for lack of a better term) to using Adderall.

"You should recognize that Adderall is a powerful, physically and psychologically addictive stimulant. I've spoken to athletes who have taken it. I've spoken to their representatives. I've spoken to people in the sports world who have dealt with athletes and their Adderall issues firsthand.

It's easy for all of us to say that guys like Davis should just stop taking it if they know they don't have a league-approved, therapeutic use exemption. Obviously, that's what they should do.

But Davis' suspension Friday was just one more reminder that it's something many of them can't do."

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11513292/chris-davis-problem-baltimore-orioles-problem

[waroriole]

Heyman article from late last night

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24707193/why-did-davis-do-it-thanks-to-condition-ball-began-to-look-like-a-blur

This thing clarified a few facts for me if we are to trust Heyman:

It's interesting that he presumably didn't have it for all of 2013, but started to experience "setbacks" in 2014. The big question is did the pressure of the homers bring on the "blurred vision" or did it happen naturally?

Funny how this all comes from Heyman when it's a Boras client.

[RichmondVA Orio]

I have a problem with this and people constantly bringing it up. My problem is why does everyone think the "general population" is afforded all the same medical and pharmaceutical remedies of a Major League baseball player? I mean really? I have 2 sons on Ritalin, pay over $1000 on monthly health insurance premiums for a family of 5 and still have to fork out $200 a month in copays for the scripts. Do the math and let me know if the entire "general population", who have ADD, can manage to get the script.

And another thing, where are people getting 4 to 5 times higher than the "general population"???

According to a joint release by MLB and the Players Association in November, a record total of 122 therapeutic exemptions were granted last season, including 119 for ADHD. That number is a controversial one because it means that roughly 10 percent of major-league players have a diagnosis of ADHD, much higher than the 4.4 percent reported among the United States' general population.

http://articles.philly.com/2014-02-20/sports/47493557_1_25-game-suspension-carlos-ruiz-neither-ruiz

[mdbdotcom]

And another thing, where are people getting 4 to 5 times higher than the "general population"???

According to a joint release by MLB and the Players Association in November, a record total of 122 therapeutic exemptions were granted last season, including 119 for ADHD. That number is a controversial one because it means that roughly 10 percent of major-league players have a diagnosis of ADHD, much higher than the 4.4 percent reported among the United States' general population.

http://articles.philly.com/2014-02-20/sports/47493557_1_25-game-suspension-carlos-ruiz-neither-ruiz

But ADD/ADHD didn't even exist as a diagnosis when most American adults were children. Look at these numbers for children from the Centers for Disease Control.

Number of children 3-17 years of age ever diagnosed with ADHD: 5.9 million

Percent of children 3-17 years of age ever diagnosed with ADHD: 9.5%

Percent of boys 3-17 years of age ever diagnosed with ADHD: 13.5%

Compared with the general population of kids, MLB players have a less than average % of diagnosis.

[mdbdotcom]

But ADD/ADHD didn't even exist as a diagnosis when most American adults were children. Look at these numbers for children from the Centers for Disease Control.

Compared with the general population of kids, MLB players have a less than average % of diagnosis.

Here's a link.

[tntoriole]

If accurate, Chris describing visual processing difficulties makes this a whole different situation than other types of ADHD presentations. Visual motor processing difficulties is a subtype that involves no problems with the eyes themselves, but problems in processing the visual input and translating that in the brain to different actions. Much more complicated and unusual situation.

[atomic]

If accurate, Chris describing visual processing difficulties makes this a whole different situation than other types of ADHD presentations. Visual motor processing difficulties is a subtype that involves no problems with the eyes themselves, but problems in processing the visual input and translating that in the brain to different actions. Much more complicated and unusual situation.

Where was all this concern when Troy Patton got suspended? And any issues he had with this you could say the same thing about steroids. Some players aren't able to develop a lot of strength without steroids. No one states you have to play baseball. If you can't succeed at without drugs do something else with your life.

If this were Derek Jeter getting suspended no one would be defending him. There are rules and Chris broke this one twice. He could have said I am not going to play baseball anymore and take the drugs to his hearts content and no on would care.

[RichmondVA Orio]

But ADD/ADHD didn't even exist as a diagnosis when most American adults were children. Look at these numbers for children from the Centers for Disease Control.

Compared with the general population of kids, MLB players have a less than average % of diagnosis.

We are on the same page with this. I'm with you. There are many reasons why I am not in agreement with MLB's stringent TUE. Using faulty "general population" data to compare usage, increases in diagnosis for whatever reason(don't even want to go into why) and the predispositions of a professional athlete.

As you can clearly see, I am on the side of Chris Davis and I'm pissed off that MLB has to have a separate sets of rules on who can take their prescriptions and who can't.

[tntoriole]

Where was all this concern when Troy Patton got suspended? And any issues he had with this you could say the same thing about steroids. Some players aren't able to develop a lot of strength without steroids. No one states you have to play baseball. If you can't succeed at without drugs do something else with your life.

If this were Derek Jeter getting suspended no one would be defending him. There are rules and Chris broke this one twice. He could have said I am not going to play baseball anymore and take the drugs to his hearts content and no on would care.

Not "defending". Just explaining that this is an unusual situation. Chris will clearly

be punished severely (much more than those of us on a board can imagine)

with major consequences for his career and life and with lasting public

humiliation. Pretty severe consequences, in my view.

Plenty of people can succeed in different areas with treatment, like wearing

glasses for example to correct visual deficits. This may very well be

a different type of visual deficit. If Chris has this type of problem, rather than

just abusing the substance strictly for its stimulant effects, it becomes different

in trying to understand his actions.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[RichmondVA Orio]

Where was all this concern when Troy Patton got suspended? And any issues he had with this you could say the same thing about steroids. Some players aren't able to develop a lot of strength without steroids. No one states you have to play baseball. If you can't succeed at without drugs do something else with your life.

If this were Derek Jeter getting suspended no one would be defending him. There are rules and Chris broke this one twice. He could have said I am not going to play baseball anymore and take the drugs to his hearts content and no on would care.

Not defending Chris Davis for breaking the rules. Merely saying that the rules for TUEs are too stringent and need to be changed. It would be like not allowing a person in a wheelchair to work somewhere because there is no wheelchair ramp. Go find somewhere else to work and stay in your wheelchair till your heart's content.

[justice98]

I'd like to know more about the JDA and how they decide to deny exemptions for prescribed medications. I'm curious what grounds it was that Davis lost the exemption. If they gave it the first time, and he's still being prescribed it, what changed?