I had an epiphany about Chris Davis and Adderall this morning

[weams]

Can I get a 1 year deal (at substantially less than the minimum ML salary?)

I think it would be easier than you may think.

rob.manfred@mlb.com or joe.torre@mlb.com or frank.robinson@mlb.com

[UpstateNYfan]

Chris says he will speak once his suspension is over.

You don't get to make your own JDA rules. Sorry. I postedy the whole agreement for eveyrone to read.

I never suggested that I should be able to make my own JDA rules. I certainly understand there are rules and procedures.

As far as Chris speaking after his suspension is over, that will be game 2 of next season. He should clear it up long before then IMO (like first day of ST). I would to assume the O's have had serious discussions with him, but maybe not.

[Tx Oriole]

If nothing else, stop chewing the tobacco!

Why? What people do personally is not my business. Or anyone else's for that

matter. Folks in this country need to stop worrying about others personal lives.

[weams]

I never suggested that I should be able to make my own JDA rules. I certainly understand there are rules and procedures.

As far as Chris speaking after his suspension is over, that will be game 2 of next season. He should clear it up long before then IMO (like first day of ST). I would to assume the O's have had serious discussions with him, but maybe not.

Yeah, I don't know if he is not supposed to speak until after, whether he is not permitted, or what. But he told the reporters he had another game to serve, so no. No interviews.

[atomic]

Why? What people do personally is not my business. Or anyone else's for that

matter. Folks in this country need to stop worrying about others personal lives.

Baseball should just outlaw it like they did with Cigarettes.

[24fps]

Why? What people do personally is not my business. Or anyone else's for that

matter. Folks in this country need to stop worrying about others personal lives.

Davis isn't doing it personally, he's doing it publicly. If he dipped only in his back yard nobody would give a crap except maybe his wife.

And maybe his dog too. Tobacco juice is nasty stuff.

[brianod]

Davis isn't doing it personally, he's doing it publicly. If he dipped only in his back yard nobody would give a crap except maybe his wife.

And maybe his dog too. Tobacco juice is nasty stuff.

I agree but I'm a libertarian at heart. I'm sure you have some nasty habits that those around you would like to outlaw. Like, maybe being a little self righteous? Anyway, live and let live.

[24fps]

I agree but I'm a libertarian at heart. I'm sure you have some nasty habits that those around you would like to outlaw. Like, maybe being a little self righteous? Anyway, live and let live.

Oh you have no idea how self righteous I can be. Why sometimes I'll go so far as to maintain there's and important distinction between defending one's rights and exercising judgement.

[El Gordo]

I agree but I'm a libertarian at heart. I'm sure you have some nasty habits that those around you would like to outlaw. Like, maybe being a little self righteous? Anyway, live and let live.

Tony Gwynn. Baseball players shouldn't be setting that kind of example for kids. They don't smoke on camera, they shouldn't chew.

[BarclaySouthway]

After reading the JDA document, it seems even more confusing as to exactly what Chris was doing. If indeed Chris had a previous TUE and applied for a new TUE and his application was then reviewed by the expert panel and was denied, then I can understand what happened and I can empathize with Chris in terms of him having a condition that he and his doctor believed needed to be treated despite the expert panel's view. There is a provision for appealing that panel's determination which I assume Chris would have done if he was being treated appropriately in his view and in his physician's view for ADHD. Any other explanation, however, would not make much sense to me.

The document says that if an "MLB-certified physician" diagnoses the player (using the Conner's ADHD interview) AND the player submits the required paperwork, then the TUE can be granted without a referral to an expert panel.

This says to me that either Davis did not use an MLB-certified physician to get his prescription and failed to provide adequate documentation to the panel upon request, or did use a certified physician and did not file the paperwork properly, or did not have a prescription at all.

Davis mentioned not turning in the proper paperwork, but wouldn't his agent (who happens to be the most prominent agent in baseball) be on top of that? Maybe not? And why wouldn't a player use an MLB-certified physician? The other way seems like a hassle.

There's no lab work to be done; it's an interview. Even if you don't have the condition, you could answer the questions in such a way as to be diagnosed. (No idea if Davis does or does not have the condition,BTW.)

Because the only other possibility is he didn't have a prescription, which would explain why his agent wasn't on top of the TUE.

Yup, it's a mess alright.

[El Gordo]

It would appear the Adderal had little effect on his performance, but was helpful to him when he was under stress. He could have stopped using it when he was doing well and thus got a first failed test. If they see he isn't using, they assume he doesn't need it. Then when he was stressed in 2014 he used it again in desperation, and he got caught.

[UpstateNYfan]

It would appear the Adderal had little effect on his performance, but was helpful to him when he was under stress. He could have stopped using it when he was doing well and thus got a first failed test. If they see he isn't using, they assume he doesn't need it. Then when he was stressed in 2014 he used it again in desperation, and he got caught.

You may be right, but until he clears the air no one will know. Even then, the truth may be in question. Look at ARod. Players are always looking for an edge and always will. The longer it takes for him to at least try to explain his situation leads to more question.

Things that will always be in question as to when in his life he discovered a "need" for the drug. If it wasn't until his professional baseball career began leads to more questions IMO. I don't know enough about the disability to know if it comes to one as an adult. I do have a grandson that was "diagnosed" with ADD, was on meds and his performance in school actually dropped. So, he went off the meds and did better.

We don't know if it helped his performance or not. He must have thought it might. The timeline is sketchy at best. Getting an exemption, not getting approved, not applying for an exemption, not using MLB approved Dr's, not having an agent (or family) guide him through the process. It is a tangled web to be sure.

[DrungoHazewood]

I agree but I'm a libertarian at heart. I'm sure you have some nasty habits that those around you would like to outlaw. Like, maybe being a little self righteous? Anyway, live and let live.

Tony Gwynn. Baseball players shouldn't be setting that kind of example for kids. They don't smoke on camera, they shouldn't chew.

I strongly agree that the government shouldn't tell Chris Davis to stop chewing tobacco. But MLB is a product, and they need to protect their product and successfully market their product. I know I'm not totally thrilled that I have to explain to my boys that Chris Davis doesn't have bubblegum, he's got this nasty crap that might give him cancer. How bizarre is it that Peter Angelos banned facial hair for more than a decade because he didn't want his team to project that image, but to this day he's perfectly fine with his players openly using a known carcinogen while signing autographs for kids?

[tntoriole]

The document says that if an "MLB-certified physician" diagnoses the player (using the Conner's ADHD interview) AND the player submits the required paperwork, then the TUE can be granted without a referral to an expert panel.

This says to me that either Davis did not use an MLB-certified physician to get his prescription and failed to provide adequate documentation to the panel upon request, or did use a certified physician and did not file the paperwork properly, or did not have a prescription at all.

Davis mentioned not turning in the proper paperwork, but wouldn't his agent (who happens to be the most prominent agent in baseball) be on top of that? Maybe not? And why wouldn't a player use an MLB-certified physician? The other way seems like a hassle.

There's no lab work to be done; it's an interview. Even if you don't have the condition, you could answer the questions in such a way as to be diagnosed. (No idea if Davis does or does not have the condition,BTW.)

Because the only other possibility is he didn't have a prescription, which would explain why his agent wasn't on top of the TUE.

Yup, it's a mess alright.

Actually, the document says "MLB-certified clinician" NOT physician. The distinction means that you could have MLB-certified psychologist or social workers (who could not not prescribe medications) essentially saying to Chris's physician (who may or may not be a psychiatrist) that they believe he doesn't meet the criteria. The document is quite confusing.

[tntoriole]

I strongly agree that the government shouldn't tell Chris Davis to stop chewing tobacco. But MLB is a product, and they need to protect their product and successfully market their product. I know I'm not totally thrilled that I have to explain to my boys that Chris Davis doesn't have bubblegum, he's got this nasty crap that might give him cancer. How bizarre is it that Peter Angelos banned facial hair for more than a decade because he didn't want his team to project that image, but to this day he's perfectly fine with his players openly using a known carcinogen while signing autographs for kids?

I agree. We would not allow its use in my workplace. Why should Chris Davis be allowed to use it in his? Yes, and I too have to explain to my kids that Chris Davis is a fool to use this substance and to educate them regarding head and neck cancers (and there is no nastier, more destructive and painful malignancy to get than this one).