Graham Blog: San Francisco Giants Sending Mixed Messages with Cabrera and Mota
The San Francisco Giants had the option of bringing back Melky Cabrera who led their team and Major League Baseball in batting average with a .346. Yet, the Giants continue to stand their ground by saying “Cabrera’s status regarding the postseason remains unchanged.” That’s according to the Giants VP of Baseball Operations Bobby Evans. The Giants’ General Manager Brian Sabean also chimed in on the matter by saying: "In our minds, it's not the right thing to do," and "They're too good, as a group."
Cabrera is not being brought back because of his PED failed test and what he did during the season before the test results came out that caught a lot of the media’s attention. He was primed to contend for the NL Batting Title and the NL MVP Award. He has served his time yet the Giants refuse to bring him back to not mess with the chemistry of the team. I agree with that, and it also sends an indirect message to others by saying: “If you do PED’s you will not be a part of this team.”
Here’s my issue. There is another player that is ON the playoff roster who has failed the PED test TWICE. Guillermo Mota served a 100 game suspinsion but it seemed the Giants had absolutely no problem bringing him back. Why? Could it be that he had no effect on the team like Cabrera did? That he was not in the spotlight like Cabrera was? Mota who has really had little to no success in a Giants uniform, has broken the biggest rule in baseball twice, and is one more failed test away from beinging banned from the game for LIFE.
The Giants have stood their ground on not bringing back Cabrera for the purpose of sending a message to others, but they completely forgot that message by reinstating Mota and putting him on the postseason roster. Maybe the Giants organization figured that Mota was never really in the spotlight like Cabrera was so it would not be noticed as much as it would be if they brought back Cabrera.
I think the Giants have sent mixed messages on this issue. If you are going to penalize one guy one way, that should be the same for all, especially for the repeat offenders like Mota. It is my strong belief that Major League Baseball needs to take a much stronger stand on this issue by taking a ‘one and done’ approach on the steroid problem.