As an admitted baseball junkie who loves the game from the past to the present, what is taking place in the game in recent times, especially off the field, is very disturbing and troubling to me as a husband, father, grandfather and fan. That said, I just felt that I had to express my feelings and write this piece.

Since the game was invented back in the 1840’s baseball has always had a peaceful resolve in many ways. It was a way for soldiers in the Civil War to forget battle for a little while. It served as a great diversion for fans during WWI and WW II. But it also had its problems. Back before the turn of century and after, many ball players were hard drinking, fast living men who led unsavory lives but knew how to play the game. It was nothing right into the 1940’s to see players in the dugout puffing away on cigars and cigarettes. At its worst it took almost one hundred years before the game finally crossed the color line. There was the Black Sox scandal of 1919, the period of “greenies and reds” very prevalent in the 60’s and 70’s, the big strike to end the season in 1995. Then came the huge PED scandal of the McGwire, Sosa, Bonds era. There was the betting scandal involving Pete Rose and his omission from ever being in the Hall of Fame where he belongs. Now in the twenty teens MLB may be facing the toughest time of all with the rising spike in domestic violence cases. To add even more damage, there is a current case of pedophilia, sex with a minor! In many ways Rose’s transgressions pale in comparison to what is taking place in the game today.

Baseball has overcome everything that has been thrown in its path as far as scandal and putting a black mark on America’s pastime, but now the game faces a very serious problem that must be dealt with in the strictest, harshest way it can. Oh, where is Kenesaw Mountain Landis now? It is a problem that has, unfortunately, been a part of the American landscape for many, many years and has always been dealt with between families, the courts and basically in private. Of course with today’s media frenzy, anything regarding domestic violence, especially where celebrities are concerned is front page news. Major league baseball players are, like it or not, celebrities and their every move on and off the field is watched and put through the microscope. They are lauded and applauded for their accomplishments on the field, they are hailed role models for their devotion to the community and they are ripped and scorned when they do something against the grain of normalcy. But while the media and fans may be the ones to really let their feelings be known and teams say all the “politically correct” things, baseball, meaning the Commissioner and his office, for whatever reason, refuse to be tough enough on the players involved in these incidents.

Just look at the past few seasons and the players involved in domestic violence incidents and what it got them. There has been the Astros Marcel Osuna when he was with the Blue Jays, , the Yankees Aroldis Chapman, the Cubs Addision Russell, Odubel Herrera of the Phillies, Yasiel Puig when he was a Dodger, Juerys Familia when he was a Met, Steven Wright of the Red Sox, Miguel Sano of the Twins are just some among them. In some of these cases the players were not suspended at all or for a certain amount of games, not an entire season or a lifetime ban. On top of that they continued to get paid, which sure as hell would not happen if it were Mr. Average Joe. You can see a comprehensive list here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_investigated_for_domestic_violence

Now in the past week or so two more are on the list, Domingo Germain of the Yankees and this one which is truly disgusting, Felipe Vasquez of the Pirates for child pornography, having sex with a minor who was just 13 and other charges. The Germain incident, which was witnessed by an MLB employee at an event, is under full investigation and Germain is on the restricted list for now. As for Vasquez, he is in jail in Pennsylvania awaiting extradition to Florida to face additional charges and MLB is monitoring this case very closely. What will happen in the Germain case we do not know at the present time, but as in many domestic violence cases, a lot will depend on whether Germain’s girlfriend will file charges, testify and tell the truth or decide against it and just let it continue to happen to her and to others. Therein lays a big problem with domestic violence, women too afraid to file charges or testify against the husband, boyfriend or whoever. They live in fear of retaliation. These men know it and prey on these women keeping them in their grasp. It makes no difference if the male is a truck driver, a teacher, a cop or an athlete, they wield the power and too many women are afraid to fight back and just let it continue to happen. In many cases, charges are dropped and life goes on, but for the women who are afraid to stand up,  speak out and help rid society of these kind of animals, it will continue to go on and manifest itself into something that becomes much more life threatening or worse.

So what can Major League baseball do to put a stop to this? First of all, the penalties need to be much harsher. Forget 15, 20, 40 games and still get paid. A full one year suspension, no pay and a huge fine would be a good start. The problem here is the Player’s Union and that would take a lot of work to make that happen. Right now these players who have been guilty of domestic violence are getting a little slap on the wrist and it doesn’t affect their wallet one bit. They also know they can get away with it because, as has been the case in many incidents, the women involved are too afraid to speak out.

For me as a baseball and sports fan I have an idea that should be seriously looked into. While I have centered on baseball, we all know this has been happening in every sport. I would like to see the commissioners of MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL along with the players union heads from each league sit down together and map out a plan that is the exact same for each of their leagues. Make the suspensions longer, a half season, full season, lifetime depending on the infraction. Make the fines heavier and especially do away with getting paid during the time they are suspended. If they can do that and come up with a universal plan that will be the same for all players in every league then maybe, just maybe, this will be a way to help stem the tide of a problem that is growing day by day, week by week and season by season.

The 2019 season will finish, the post season will go on and a world champion will be crowned in October. But let us hope that come the 2020 season the powers that be have come together and forged a plan. A plan that can lift the dark cloud from baseball so the sun can once again brightly shine on this grand old game.

One final word to MLB. If this Felipe Vasquez incident turns out to be hands down all true and proven, there is only one thing to do along with his prison time, void his contract and issue a lifetime ban…………..period! Anything less will be an insult to those who have suffered from these abuses. Enough is enough!

Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN