# Major League Baseball has it's priorities wrong **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 25, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624 "2005-08-25T20:56:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/1 "2005-08-25T20:56:35Z")
[This poor slob would almost have been better off taking steroids](http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/4808232) :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/2 "2005-08-25T21:33:56Z")
Hmmm, there’s probably something missing from this story. Maybe he drank it directly from a cow’s udder? Nah, that’s not worth 6 games. Maybe he was lactose intolerent and stunk up the locker room real bad? Possibly. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/3 "2005-08-25T22:41:28Z")
Shyam Das will get it down to 3 games, max. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/4 "2005-08-25T23:16:10Z")
That’s taking no betting in baseball to the extreme. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/5 "2005-08-26T00:11:36Z")
As the Adult, should Penny bear some Blame? 6 days is a lot and no union for the kid. Did Penny at least give the kid the $500 after the Team over responded? Don’t blame baseball, Blame the Marlins alone. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/6 "2005-08-26T00:16:52Z")
I don’t get this. The kid got suspended? Was it for betting? Why didn’t the adult, the baseball playing adult, who made the wager get suspended? And SIX games? WTF? I’m soooo glad I don’t watch baseball. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/7 "2005-08-26T00:28:21Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > I don’t get this. The kid got suspended? Was it for betting? Why didn’t the adult, the baseball playing adult, who made the wager get suspended? And SIX games? WTF? > > I’m soooo glad I don’t watch baseball. Snidely: The adult did not get suspended because they are in a pennant race. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/8 "2005-08-26T00:35:51Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > I don’t get this. The kid got suspended? Was it for betting? Why didn’t the adult, the baseball playing adult, who made the wager get suspended? Major League Baseball was not involved. The MARLINS suspended the kid. Since Brad Penny is not their player, they can’t suspend him. The Dodgers could do so, if they wanted. Maybe they will, or maybe they don’t think it’s a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/9 "2005-08-26T00:52:47Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Snidely: The adult did not get suspended because they are in a pennant race. And how would the Florida Marlins go about suspending a player on the Los Angeles Dodgers? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/10 "2005-08-26T01:14:54Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > And how would the Florida Marlins go about suspending a player on the Los Angeles Dodgers? Easily if you forgot what team Penny played for like I did. Guess what, I’m a :wally ---
**Author:** ![Viscera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/258eb7/32.png) [@Viscera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Viscera)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/11 "2005-08-26T11:18:20Z")
Isn’t gambling OK, as long as it isn’t on baseball, or other sporting event? That said, looks like the kid comes out better in the end: [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9071498/](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9071498/) ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/12 "2005-08-26T12:48:34Z")
Maybe they were just trying to prove a point, doing stupid things will have consequences. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/13 "2005-08-26T17:43:00Z")
The Marlins can’t possibly make any claims that they suspended him for a bet/gambling. What are the two most common activities undertaken by athletes while traveling? Well, if you are Shawn Kemp, it’s impregnating women. But, for most others it can be summed up as: 1. Playing golf. If you think athletes don’t gamble on their golf games, you clearly live in a fantasy world. 2. Playing cards. Heck, this is also by far the #1 in college sports travel (yep, over studying). Clearly this involves healthy amounts of money changing hands. I’ve read article talking about backgammon, chess, and video games for money. The only thing I can think is that they suspended him for self-endangerment or childish behavior, both of which are monumentally stupid reasons. Half of every teams roster would be continually suspended for these reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/14 "2005-08-26T20:42:52Z")
> [@Mullinator](#): > > Well, if you are Shawn Kemp, it’s impregnating women. This made me blow a little snot on my desk. I hope you’re happy. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-has-its-priorities-wrong/318624/15 "2005-08-27T08:49:16Z")
> [@Viscera](#): > > That said, looks like the kid comes out better in the end: [MSN | Outlook, Office, Skype, Bing, Breaking News, and Latest Videos](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9071498/) Oh, man… the anti-milk people are going to have a cow. Um. I mean, they’ll be upset. > [@Mullinator](#): > > 1. Playing cards. Heck, this is also by far the #1 in college sports travel (yep, over studying). Clearly this involves healthy amounts of money changing hands. Athletes are allowed to bet amongst themselves. Betting on the games they play is what’s verboten. Perhaps the Marlins think this batboy shouldn’t be held to the same standards as a ballplayer? Who knows why the Marlins did this. It could be that they were worried that word of this would get out and they’d get reamed for not discouraging unhealthy behavior. He drank milk until he puked; that’s pretty stupid and the team may be worried about being liable if they don’t tell him to cut the crap. Six games is more than enough, but then again, the reason that looks bad compared to the steroid penalty is that the steroid suspension is much too short.