Well, its the same question we have to ask ourselves: why do we give Dmitri Young a pass?...
Dmitri is the exact opposite. He is someone who hit rock bottom, realized who he had become, and changed his life, especially after he nearly died from diabetes. Other multi-millionaire athletes would never have agreed to attend minor league rookie camp, instead of spring training with the MLB players. Young embraced it, as all the rookies smothered him with questions about what it's like to be in the major league. He accepted the terms of the minimum pay, with the stipulation that he only had one chance, after getting $8 million in 2006. He met other alcoholics in rehab in Detroit, and realized how well off he was, as the only millionaire in the group. His ex-wife was the one who drove him to the hospital when he should have died in Florida last winter. They get along so well now that she consented to allowing their three children to live with Dmitri in DC during the season.
Young has become the poster child of what MLB hopes that its problem players can do to turn their lives around. Does he need to become your slave or butler before you can ever be satisfied?
