Hire MLB (Maybe) Punishing Players For DUIs

Following a slew of recent DUI arrests around the Majors (Shin Soo Choo, Derek Lowe, CoCo Crisp, Austin Kearns, Miguel Cabrera), MLB is reportedly considering codifying the procedure for dealing with players who go wild with alcohol. This is progress and should be commended, but it's still not enough.



Kearns

According to the report, the collective bargaining agreement (set to expire Dec. 11, so mark your calendar for a lockout/strike!) has provisions that cover "drugs of abuse" but does not give Commissioner Bud Selig authority to punish players for alcohol issues. Right now all they face is confidential counseling.



This is a cop-out on Bud's part, because he can act "in the best interest of baseball," which allows him to do pretty much anything from firing an owner (ahem, Mr. McCourt) to deciding the Yankees must wear purple for all home games in August. He literally can do anything that isn't illegal, but he can't suspend players who get DUI busts? Really?

Selig wouldn't have to do anything if individual teams were capable of cleaning up their own mess, but since none of the aforementioned players has faced disciplinary action to date, it's clear MLB needs to act. The legal system is often too slow and too lenient for athletes to fear the consequences of their actions. MLB is on the right track, but it needs to really punish players the way the NFL does. Until that happens, DUIs will keep happening.