Myers Faces Someone Who Hits Back

Allegations of Spousal Abuse Against Phillies Hurler

By

Clinton Riddle

Brett Myers, righthander for the Phillies, was recently charged with striking his wife while walking about in Boston. The Phillies reacted by sending him as far away as they could, all the way down to Class-A Clearwater. I'm thinking they were trying to wait for this to blow over a bit before bringing him back.

Myers has a court date set. Until that time, it's business as usual for him and the Phillies. I wonder how understanding and supportive they would be had he been a washed up, broken down middle reliever?

My guess is, NOT VERY.

"I talked to him a little bit, (but) I think he got enough schooling. I think he had a lot of people talking to him."

That was Charlie Manuel's take on the recent troubles of starter Brett Myers.

Mine is slightly different.

First of all, how much is "enough schooling"? If he is found guilty of battery against his wife, what will be done about it? Is it ever enough? Now, I know the whole "innocent until proven guilty" thing, and I'm not here to judge him, but I have to know one thing: What is hitting one's wife worth in the baseball world? A 10 game suspension? A month? A year? The point I'm trying to get at is this: Whatever happens with Myers, if he IS judged guilty, will doubtless be sufficient. He'll probably be ordered to attend anger management classes, make public speaking engagements denouncing spousal abuse, blah blah blah.

Would that make his wife any less abused? Would it make her any less frightened? Would it be justice?

It happened in public, also, and he's already made a half-hearted apology about it, so it's looking pretty bad for him in terms of guilt or innocence.

And for those of you who are part of the "She Can Always Walk Away" Club, let's hear your thoughts on the subject when you've actually been through it, yourself. Tell me how easy it was for you to "walk away" then, when you were imprisioned by your own fears, living a half-life, trying to remember what being human felt like. I probably sound pretty overwrought to a lot of you; that doesn't matter to me one bit. This is a serious issue, and it demands a serious approach.

Let's not forget, however, that while his wife will probably need counseling and support, so will he need it as well. This issue cannot be addressed without support for both sides involved, especially if it's happened before, because if it has then Myers needs help perhaps as much as his wife.

Whatever happens, I dearly hope that MLB handles this situation with the attention it deserves and Myers receives the counseling (and punishment, if necessary) that he deserves. No abusive act, regardless of its nature, should ever go unpunished.

And if Myers has a long history of abuse against his wife, or anyone else for that matter, then perhaps he ought to be given the rest of the year to think about it....in jail.


Clinton Riddle
Green Diamonds

Canseco Continues Evolution Toward Bitter Ex-Major Leaguer

Canseco Begins New Minor League Career With Another Potshot At Old Boss


Glad to see Jose Canseco is still employable. Being a circus freak still pays.

Are we really supposed to take anything this man says seriously? Here's the self-proclaimed "Godfather of Steroids" talking about how he's going to take the reins of the steroid issue in Major League Baseball. Is he serious? He says he wants to fight MLB, or in his words "the Mafia", regarding their handling of this problem. Personally, if I were Mafioso, I'd be a little put out right now. Does ANYONE out there really think this bitter, washed-up, ex-MLB'er has anything worthwhile to say?

Could it be, Jose, that you're a little perturbed about not being around to hit HR #500? Isn't that what at least some of this is about? That you're going to be remembered as Dave Kingman with speed, or maybe not even remembered at all? Of course, how could we forget? You won't let us. Maybe you're so worried about being on the wrong side of this thing that your desire to control the outcome of this scandal has overridden your common sense? "'It starts with me and ends with me'"??? Are you JOKING? How can you even begin to talk about honesty and integrity when your whole CAREER is a lie???

And what about this "difference" you're so interested in making? Aren't YOU the one who said that Baseball should embrace performance enhancers, that they should be accepted by Professional teams? But NO, you're not bitter at all: "I know what I know," he said. "The majority of the reason why I wrote the book is to show Major League Baseball that they cannot try to destroy an athlete's career. I've seen them blackball many players and I can't believe none of these players has taken a stand and said anything about it." Who would that athlete be, Jose? Do you really care about the careers of all those other players you swore were juiced? Maybe if you did, you would have tried to protect them or support them when it all hit the fan. Instead, you did your best to OUT them. This book of your's has little to do with helping anyone but yourself. If that's how you show your concern and caring, keep clear of me, please. I don't want any.

The truth as I see it is this: Jose Canseco is out for Jose Canseco. Not a single soul other than Jose Canseco. Noone else. You're mad that you were dumped before you could secure your place in the annals of legendary power hitters, and now you'll have to settle for the "annals of cheats and dirtbags" department. If you really want to help, how about you drop the whole victim routine, find a good shrink, and work with MLB instead of against them. I really don't see any of that happening, however. Everything you do in this matter is so blatently self-serving it's almost laughable. Sadly, just as laughable and pathetic as your legacy. What could have been remembered as an incredible career is becoming a punchline.

And YES, I believe you were blackballed. You had it coming. You're lucky none of those other players, whose careers you supposedly cared so much about, whose lives and reputations you have fought so hard to drag down with your own, haven't shown up on your doorstep to "thank" you.

The way I see it, you've got that coming, too. Just my opinion.

Clinton Riddle
Green Diamonds