Around Baseball 2017

[Pendleton]

It will be interesting to see if any other teams follow suit with this maneuver.

[Laika]

Yeah, from what I'm reading he's probably a top-50 pick if this doesn't break. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Twitter seems generally outraged at the idea of him ever playing again, but you have to think some team will see this as an opportunity, especially if he starts slipping down the board. Probably signable for well under slot too.

 

That's an interesting dynamic though, especially with Toronto having that extra 1st rounder. If someone really exciting tumbles to 22 due to price demands, they could pop that player and then take The Molester at 28 or 61, shifting the large sex offender rebate to the tough sign. Hmmmm. I could get on board with that.

[Spanky__99]

http://larrybrownsports.com/baseball/cubs-luke-heimlich-off-draft-board-sex-offender-news/374743

 

Where was this kid supposed to go in the draft? Seems un-Cubs like to take him off their draft board if he's a top talent that might fall because of this.

 

Yikes... that's disturbing.

[Slade]

Damn that's seriously f***ed up, how many teams are really going to want to associate themselves with a child molester. That's something that will follow him for the rest of his life. s*** you see how crazy people went after Pillar on a gay slur.

[jaysfan2014]

Rays lose Kevin Kiermaier for a long time, possibly the rest of the season with a fractured right hip. Mallex Smith to CF:

 

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/rays-anxiously-awating-injury-update-on-kevin-kiermaier/2326723

 

One less Jays killer in the lineup..

[BTS]

Damn that's seriously f***ed up, how many teams are really going to want to associate themselves with a child molester. That's something that will follow him for the rest of his life. s*** you see how crazy people went after Pillar on a gay slur.

 

Not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, he's going to hear about this as long as he's in the public eye, and it might be a legit distraction for his team. On the other, what's the point of these rehabilitation programs if adults can't participate in society because of something they did when they were younger? I don't really understand the argument that he shouldn't be allowed to play on ethical grounds. I understand why teams might avoid the headache though.

[Spanky__99]

Rays lose Kevin Kiermaier for a long time, possibly the rest of the season with a fractured right hip. Mallex Smith to CF:

 

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/rays-anxiously-awating-injury-update-on-kevin-kiermaier/2326723

 

One less Jays killer in the lineup..

 

Ouch... that's why you don't dive into 1st base.

[Laika]

Damn that's seriously f***ed up, how many teams are really going to want to associate themselves with a child molester. That's something that will follow him for the rest of his life. s*** you see how crazy people went after Pillar on a gay slur.

 

Not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, he's going to hear about this as long as he's in the public eye, and it might be a legit distraction for his team. On the other, what's the point of these rehabilitation programs if adults can't participate in society because of something they did when they were younger? I don't really understand the argument that he shouldn't be allowed to play on ethical grounds. I understand why teams might avoid the headache though.

 

I guess the one player who is semi-comparable is Josh Lueke. IIRC Lueke was charged with rape and non-consensual sodomy or something similar and ended up pleading guilty to a lesser charge (forcible confinement and sexual assault?). He did this while he was a Rangers farmhand, at 20-something years old. Two MLB teams decided to acquire him after this in his pro baseball career.

 

Of course what Lueke did and what Heimlich did are not really that comparable. You really have to just talk to the human and explore their character in order to make the organizational decision regarding someone like Heimlich. It's irresponsible to ignore what he did but it's also very ignorant to write him off entirely because of it.

[Slade]

Not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, he's going to hear about this as long as he's in the public eye, and it might be a legit distraction for his team. On the other, what's the point of these rehabilitation programs if adults can't participate in society because of something they did when they were younger? I don't really understand the argument that he shouldn't be allowed to play on ethical grounds. I understand why teams might avoid the headache though.

 

Crimes against Humanity tend to be hard to forgive.

[G-Snarls]

Kevin Kiermaier has a hairlines fracture in hip

 

Will miss at least 2 months

 

Ouch

[Grant77]

Not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, he's going to hear about this as long as he's in the public eye, and it might be a legit distraction for his team. On the other, what's the point of these rehabilitation programs if adults can't participate in society because of something they did when they were younger? I don't really understand the argument that he shouldn't be allowed to play on ethical grounds. I understand why teams might avoid the headache though.

 

I would hope that our front office at least gives him a couple of long interviews in order to understand the situation a bit better. If they are comfortable with drafting him after that process then I'm on board with it.

[Atothe]

Not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, he's going to hear about this as long as he's in the public eye, and it might be a legit distraction for his team. On the other, what's the point of these rehabilitation programs if adults can't participate in society because of something they did when they were younger? I don't really understand the argument that he shouldn't be allowed to play on ethical grounds. I understand why teams might avoid the headache though.

 

He did it twice, I don't think there is no rehabilitating this guy. He's sick and baseball is a family friendly sport.

[BTS]

He did it twice, I don't think there is no rehabilitating this guy. He's sick and baseball is a family friendly sport.

 

A lot of kids who do this kind of thing don't re-offend as adults. If he's actually healthy now, he should be given a chance to resume his life. As others are saying, teams will have to really do their homework here.

[Atothe]

A lot of kids who do this kind of thing don't re-offend as adults. If he's actually healthy now, he should be given a chance to resume his life. As others are saying, teams will have to really do their homework here.

 

He wasn't a child. He was old enough to know better.

[BTS]

He wasn't a child. He was old enough to know better.

 

Of course. What he did was wrong and he knew it. But I don't think that's the question. The question is whether he should continue to be punished if, as in the case of many offenders his age, he's now a healthy adult.

[Atothe]

Of course. What he did was wrong and he knew it. But I don't think that's the question. The question is whether he should continue to be punished if, as in the case of many offenders his age, he's now a healthy adult.

 

I think most people think like me when it comes to this subject. Hell yes

[HERPDERP]

he honestly is not worth the headache for any team that would draft him.

[BTS]

I think most people think like me when it comes to this subject. Hell yes

 

For how long? To what end?

[KingKat]

I think most people think like me when it comes to this subject. Hell yes

 

You're more than likely right about people thinking like you on the subject. There is no greater social stigma on any crime than there is on child molestation. Most people couldn't care less about rehabilation even if presented with evidence supporting the possibility. Frankly, they'd rather burn him a the stake. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he went undrafted.

[Bobthe4th]

With a criminal record and as a registered sex offender he wouldn't be allowed to have a normal office job, so why should he be able to have a job as a professional baseball player?

[The Cats Ass]

My first reaction was that no way in hell should any team even think about drafting him. But after giving it more thought I'm starting to back up a little bit. They'd have to interview him extensively, and if the team feels the rehabilitation program did help him, give him a shot. If this went down just the past couple of years I'd be more hesitant, but he was still a kid at the time so his brain wasn't done growing and the rehab might have helped him. He'll be under the microscope while playing baseball, which might be the best place for him actually.

[Boxcar]

For how long? To what end?

 

Death penalty is the only solution imo, by putting him in a glass tank full of poisonous spiders. Not too poisonous that he dies too quickly, though, he needs to suffer.

[Boxcar]

With a criminal record and as a registered sex offender he wouldn't be allowed to have a normal office job, so why should he be able to have a job as a professional baseball player?

 

I agree. I think the guy should not be able to work in any capacity so that it's more likely he relapses or commits other crimes so we can prove that rehab doesn't work.

[The Cats Ass]

With a criminal record and as a registered sex offender he wouldn't be allowed to have a normal office job, so why should he be able to have a job as a professional baseball player?

 

Better tell Matt Bush not to bother showing up to the park today either then.

[jaysfan2014]

And if the Rays weren't injured enough, Rickie Weeks is out with a shoulder issue--INF Taylor Featherston has been purchased from the Phillies. Rough day...

[Bobthe4th]

Better tell Matt Bush not to bother showing up to the park today either then.

 

Matt Bush has a criminal record for DUI and alcohol related crimes, not for being a paedophile.

[jaysfan2014]

Press conference at about 3pm in St. Louis. Matheny firing?

[Laika]

Matt Bush has a criminal record for DUI and alcohol related crimes, not for being a paedophile.

 

Matt Bush, at 26 years old, stole his friend's car, drove drunk and ran over the head of a 72 year old motor-cyclist, giving him life changing injuries. He fled the scene of the accident and went to a strip club, tried to climb on stage, and was found by police while he was getting kicked out.

 

That came after all of this:

 

A few weeks after the Padres drafted him in 2004, Bush was arrested on suspicion of felony assault, misdemeanor trespass, disorderly conduct, and underage drinking, after he allegedly fought with security trying to escort him out of a bar.[19]

 

In early 2009, Bush was allegedly involved in a drunken assault at a San Diego high school, which was caught on camera. According to witnesses, a drunken Bush beat up a high school lacrosse player with a golf club while screaming, "I'm Matt f***ing Bush!", which was recorded on videotape. This led the Padres to designate Bush for assignment following the team's signing of Floyd and then trade him to the Blue Jays. Only a month later, he assaulted and berated a woman at a party in Florida, and was released by the Blue Jays for violating a "zero tolerance" agreement.

 

You can absolutely argue that Matt Bush's crimes carry greater moral culpability and blame worthiness than what Heimlich did as a 15 year old.

[Boxcar]

Matt Bush has a criminal record for DUI and alcohol related crimes, not for being a paedophile.

 

Doesn't really change his point. He couldn't get a regular job with that resume either.

 

People are way too vengeful. It's scary seeing a thread like this where people self righteously deem that a guy should basically kill himself for a crime he committed, or at least be exiled to the wilderness. If he's not in jail, then he's not deemed to be a threat. He should have opportunities to better himself.

 

Some of you people make me sick.

[The Cats Ass]

Matt Bush has a criminal record for DUI and alcohol related crimes, not for being a paedophile.

 

He served 3 years in jail for running a guy over and almost killing him. He also beat a kid up up with a golf club while yelling "I'm Matt f***ing Bush". Do you think he'd be able to get an "office job"?