Davis and Adderall - He was targeted and for good reason

[El Gordo]

Back to Adderall and Chris Davis: I have a question or two. Can Adderall, like many amphetamines, be possibly addicting? I have a feeling that there are a certain number of meth-heads in baseball, using Adderall, with the excuse that "it helps my alertness, concentration, my focus" or whatever. I was chatting with a few fans about Chris Davis's suspension, while riding home on the light rail: we concluded that whatever Chris was using wasn't helping him at all. His average has been below the Mendoza line all season.His production has fallen off. So why continue using Adderall if it's not working? Unless the user perhaps needs his next fix? I don't know if Davis is addicted to speed (Adderall), but it's possible. If so, then he needs help.

If Davis were addicted to Adderall he would be taking it all the time. If he were taking it all the time it would be present in his system every time he was tested. Davis must have been tested many times during the 3 years that he was denied the TUE, so he would have failed many more times than twice. The speculation on the part of the MLB is that he would take it occasionally when he needed a boost, like he would with greenies. If players took greenies all the time there would be many more ballplayers dropping dead from heart attacks than there has been. More likely IMO is that Davis took the Adderall to alleviate symptoms that were non baseball related.

[olehippi]

Either a player has ADHD or he doesn't. Which means he should be given a TUE or not. Pretty straight forward. So why is MLB making it so difficult for players to get the TUE if, like Davis, they already have a history of ADHD and were granted a previous TUE?

And I'm not buying the performance enhancing argument because basically what the Adderall does is level the playing field for ADHD affected players who otherwise would be playing with a handicap. If his ADHD prevents him from maintaining concentration and reduces his ability to make contact with a ball, the Adderall balances that out. Davis is a bonafide power hitter. The Adderall won't add to his power, but it might increase what is otherwise an ADHD depressed contact rate.

[Norfolk orioles]

Not to get political at all (actually there's nothing political about this post, it's more a statement of fact that anything)......but imagine where this country would be without it's drugs, both legal and illegal.

We'd have full on riots in the streets and possibly even total societal meltdown. Imagine if every ounce of heroin, cocaine, alcohol and weed dried up tomorrow? Or even the "legal" drugs like Adderall, Vicodin, Percocet, Xanax, ambien etc.

Imagine what would happen if this entire country went into complete and irreversible withdrawl at once. When you start to understand the implications of this, you can grab a broader picture of what's REALLY going on in this country today and za yes, keeping the people medicated plays a very large role in our society today. The why of this is certainly debatable but the act itself is not actually up for debate.

Davis's problem is a drop in the bucket compared to the larger picture. I'm sure some will say this isn't the time or place for this debate but honestly, I don't think that holds water. Unless larger groups of people actually start discussing this problem, it absolutely will never change. Just my opinion anyways.

[Snutchy]

I am a psychiatrist. So, yes. I take a careful history to determine whether symptoms existed in childhood or adolescence before I make the diagnosis in an adult.

This is what a good doctor does. This is also what my doctor did.

[Snutchy]

Honestly, I could not care any less that he takes Adderall to help him focus at his job. I take it to help me get through my work day, so why shouldn't he be able to?

I'm basing this on the assumption that he has a legitimate prescription.

[Redskins Rick]

Honestly, I could not care any less that he takes Adderall to help him focus at his job. I take it to help me get through my work day, so why shouldn't he be able to?

I'm basing this on the assumption that he has a legitimate prescription.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-09-21/news/bs-md-adderall-policies-20140921_1_adderall-chris-davis-major-league-baseball

It would appear that he did.

He also used it, with permission while in Texas.

Reapplied for permission in 2012 and was denied.

[weams]

Fangraphs

http://www.fangraphs.com/not/player-arrested-for-being-under-the-influence-of-pink-floyd/

[Ruzious]

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-09-21/news/bs-md-adderall-policies-20140921_1_adderall-chris-davis-major-league-baseball

It would appear that he did.

He also used it, with permission while in Texas.

Reapplied for permission in 2012 and was denied.

The fact that he continued to use it and then still used it after being caught once indicates there's a real problem there. I like Davis as a fan, but if I'm a GM... no, I don't sign him even at a reduced rate.

[Redskins Rick]

The fact that he continued to use it and then still used it after being caught once indicates there's a real problem there. I like Davis as a fan, but if I'm a GM... no, I don't sign him even at a reduced rate.

I didn't say, he was right to keep using.

[Snutchy]

The fact that he continued to use it and then still used it after being caught once indicates there's a real problem there. I like Davis as a fan, but if I'm a GM... no, I don't sign him even at a reduced rate.

What are you implying that the real problem is? Maybe I'm missing something, and that is very possible, but if he has a prescription from his doctor, I don't see a problem. Actually, I do see a problem, I see a problem with a baseball league trying to supersede a physicians written orders for a medication that does not increase physical strength. I doesn't make you heal quicker. It doesn't add muscle mass. It doesn't make you more agile. It helps you concentrate. I take it every day that I work, so why can't he?

What's next? "Energy drinks? Sorry, but Red Bull just gave that guy wings. He can obviously fly now, so it must be banned."

[webbrick2010]

The fact that he continued to use it and then still used it after being caught once indicates there's a real problem there. I like Davis as a fan, but if I'm a GM... no, I don't sign him even at a reduced rate.

Agree, I think Davis has played his last game as an Oriole

[Malike]

The fact that he continued to use it and then still used it after being caught once indicates there's a real problem there. I like Davis as a fan, but if I'm a GM... no, I don't sign him even at a reduced rate.

Are you insinuating that he's an Adderall junkie? If you are, I'm not buying it at all.

[Witchy_Chick]

What are you implying that the real problem is? Maybe I'm missing something, and that is very possible, but if he has a prescription from his doctor, I don't see a problem. Actually, I do see a problem, I see a problem with a baseball league trying to supersede a physicians written orders for a medication that does not increase physical strength. I doesn't make you heal quicker. It doesn't add muscle mass. It doesn't make you more agile. It helps you concentrate. I take it every day that I work, so why can't he?

What's next? "Energy drinks? Sorry, but Red Bull just gave that guy wings. He can obviously fly now, so it must be banned."

For the record, I agree with you.

That being said, if Chris Davis is indeed medically diagnosed as ADHD and was denied an exemption for meds by MLB -- he should file a lawsuit under the ADA.

[CA-ORIOLE]

For the record, I agree with you.

That being said, if Chris Davis is indeed medically diagnosed as ADHD and was denied an exemption for meds by MLB -- he should file a lawsuit under the ADA.

It would be interesting to see where it went. Since he is under a collective bargaining agreement I'd guess he'd have to file jointly against MLB and Players Union. Not sure he'd have too much success in doing so.

[Nevermore]

If Davis were addicted to Adderall he would be taking it all the time. If he were taking it all the time it would be present in his system every time he was tested. Davis must have been tested many times during the 3 years that he was denied the TUE, so he would have failed many more times than twice. The speculation on the part of the MLB is that he would take it occasionally when he needed a boost, like he would with greenies. If players took greenies all the time there would be many more ballplayers dropping dead from heart attacks than there has been. More likely IMO is that Davis took the Adderall to alleviate symptoms that were non baseball related.

Now I am thinking that, in Chris' s case, he was legitimately diagnosed and being treated for ADHD. But MLB execs have been so anxious about drug addiction and performance enhancement that they started overriding legitimate doctors' dianoses and treatment of ADHD. I can imagine that a kid with ADHD would be drawn to sports to expend all that extra energy. Which would explain why a higher % of ballplayers would have ADHD than in the general population. But ever since the steroid scandal, execs have become too anxious about any drug that seems to be performance enhancing, that they go over any logical limit because of wanting to preserve their own image. Adderall is a medicine for a specific disorder as diagnosed by doctors. It is not a steroid and does not enhance performance. In Chris' s case, Adderall certainly wasn't enhancing his performance this year, as demonstrated by his persistent below-the-Mendoza-line BA. So he was taking it for medical reasons, as diagnosed by his doctor. In that case, he probably got a raw deal.