Pitcher traded for bats found dead.

[patsox]

1. Trying the drug for the first time is the person's choice. Becoming addicted is not.

This threatens to touch off a whole 'nother discussion. But I'd say they're one and the same.

Do you know anything about addiction? I'm sure that he chose to become a drug addict and was glad about that choice. I'm sure Mickey Mantle chose to become an alcoholic.

(Thanks Patsox.)

Thanking patsox for having your back...I hope it never comes to that for me.

Anyway, I know what you're trying to say. I can see the case for alcohol--but not meth, heroin and whatever else he was doing.

Milo, you must have some severe emotional issues if you seriously feel the need to attempt to make fun of me so much. I pity you.

[Milo Meningocele]

Milo, you must have some severe emotional issues if you seriously feel the need to attempt to make fun of me so much.

Then so must the rest of the board, because you were a pretty long-running butt of ridicule before you decided to lay low for a while.

[patsox]

Not too many people are STILL making fun of me. You, however are still attempting to. I wish I could say I wish you would stop, but I find it mildly entertaining.

[Milo Meningocele]

Not too many people are STILL making fun of me. You, however are still attempting to. I wish I could say I wish you would stop, but I find it mildly entertaining.

Could you please take this to PM? I was arguing the actual topic point-for-point until you started calling names.

[patsox]

Not too many people are STILL making fun of me. You, however are still attempting to. I wish I could say I wish you would stop, but I find it mildly entertaining.

Could you please take this to PM? I was arguing the actual topic point-for-point until you started calling names.

I sent you a PM.

[rangerfan94]

Another "douchebag" and "junkie" with tatoos, which some refer to as body art,is Josh Hamilton. Remember his story?. I dont understand how a discussion about the death of a baseball player....and it is sad...tragic and so on can turn into people here bashing each other. The guy had issues and demons that he faced the wrong way.He needed help and did not deserve to die.

[patsox]

Another "douchebag" and "junkie" with tatoos, which some refer to as body art,is Josh Hamilton. Remember his story?. I dont understand how a discussion about the death of a baseball player....and it is sad...tragic and so on can turn into people here bashing each other. The guy had issues and demons that he faced the wrong way.He needed help and did not deserve to die.

The hard feelings between Milo and myself go back a lot father than this.

[Milo Meningocele]

Another "douchebag" and "junkie" with tatoos, which some refer to as body art,is Josh Hamilton.

I don't have a problem with tattoos. In fact, I'm pretty well covered with them. Tattoos aren't the main issue, I just added a mini-rant about getting them in foreign languages as a small afterthought to the topic at hand.

I do have a problem with junkies, though.

[patsox]

Another "douchebag" and "junkie" with tatoos, which some refer to as body art,is Josh Hamilton.

I don't have a problem with tattoos. In fact, I'm pretty well covered with them. Tattoos aren't the main issue, I just added a mini-rant about getting them in foreign languages as a small afterthought to the topic at hand.

I do have a problem with junkies, though.

And your apparent ignorance about "junkies" is terribly sad...

[Milo Meningocele]

Another "douchebag" and "junkie" with tatoos, which some refer to as body art,is Josh Hamilton.

I don't have a problem with tattoos. In fact, I'm pretty well covered with them. Tattoos aren't the main issue, I just added a mini-rant about getting them in foreign languages as a small afterthought to the topic at hand.

I do have a problem with junkies, though.

And your apparent ignorance about "junkies" is terribly sad...

Nobody who tries hard drugs doesn't know what they're potentially getting into.

[patsox]

Another "douchebag" and "junkie" with tatoos, which some refer to as body art,is Josh Hamilton.

I don't have a problem with tattoos. In fact, I'm pretty well covered with them. Tattoos aren't the main issue, I just added a mini-rant about getting them in foreign languages as a small afterthought to the topic at hand.

I do have a problem with junkies, though.

And your apparent ignorance about "junkies" is terribly sad...

Nobody who tries hard drugs doesn't know what they're potentially getting into.

That is true. However a lot of people who take hard drugs are at a desperate, sad point in their life and their mind can very well be fogged up when they start using. Your argument is somewhat unfair.

[slapshot]

Using a drug once or twice, then stopping, is a choice. So is using the drug more than that to the point of addiction.

At any time up until the person is addicted, the drug use can be stopped.

Even though it's sad to see someone addicted to drugs, it's still that person's choice to use them up to the point of addiction.

But why should we be sorry for people with a lack of willpower? Unless someone held a gun to their head, it's been a choice all along.

[patsox]

Using a drug once or twice, then stopping, is a choice. So is using the drug more than that to the point of addiction.

At any time up until the person is addicted, the drug use can be stopped.

Even though it's sad to see someone addicted to drugs, it's still that person's choice to use them up to the point of addiction.

But why should we be sorry for people with a lack of willpower? Unless someone held a gun to their head, it's been a choice all along.

Someone that purely uses a drug due to peer pressure or on impulse is someone we should not feel bad for.

[Milo Meningocele]

Using a drug once or twice, then stopping, is a choice. So is using the drug more than that to the point of addiction.

At any time up until the person is addicted, the drug use can be stopped.

Even though it's sad to see someone addicted to drugs, it's still that person's choice to use them up to the point of addiction.

But why should we be sorry for people with a lack of willpower? Unless someone held a gun to their head, it's been a choice all along.

Someone that purely uses a drug due to peer pressure or on impulse is someone we should not feel bad for.

But we should feel bad for an idiot who uses them as a coping mechanism?

[patsox]

Using a drug once or twice, then stopping, is a choice. So is using the drug more than that to the point of addiction.

At any time up until the person is addicted, the drug use can be stopped.

Even though it's sad to see someone addicted to drugs, it's still that person's choice to use them up to the point of addiction.

But why should we be sorry for people with a lack of willpower? Unless someone held a gun to their head, it's been a choice all along.

Someone that purely uses a drug due to peer pressure or on impulse is someone we should not feel bad for.

But we should feel bad for an idiot who uses them as a coping mechanism?

Moreso than someone who does so on impulse or because of peer pressure, yes.

[BBTV]

I think Milo's absolutely right, though. It's the latest thing for everyone to be shocked, speechless, at a loss, what-have-you, whenever some fringe member of society dies.

If my cat died tomorrow, half of the members here would be completely devastated by the shocking turn of events, because all of a sudden, you're all a bunch of white knights who are so morally above the rest of us that you have such compassion for all forms of life. If that's the case, then grow a pony tail and start listening to Enya, Francis.

Perspective, kids. Learn it, so you can misspell it while you're acting high-and-mighty.

Ex-effing-actly.

[Wheelhouse]

A former prospect in the San Francisco Giants' chain ? future Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum bunked on his couch in Class A ball ? Odom gladly agreed to interviews. He kidded about the kooky deal that made him famous, saying it would make a better story if he reached the majors someday.

...

On June 5 in Amarillo, the "Batman" theme played while Odom warmed up for Laredo, and he tipped his cap to the sound booth. But he was battered for eight runs in 3 1-3 innings and mercilessly taunted by the crowd. Shwam went to the mound.

"The chants, the catcalls, they were terrible. I had to get him out of there for his own good. He was falling apart, right in front of our eyes," Shwam said.

...

Odom pitched five good innings at San Angelo on June 10 in what turned out to be his third and last start. On the bus after the game, Odom said he needed to speak with Shwam the next day.

"He came in and said, 'Skip, I'm going home. I just can't take it. I've got some things to take care of. I've got to get my life straightened out,"' Shwam recalled.

...

"He was a fun-loving guy. I mean, just high energy all the time," he said. "I stayed on his couch just because he was on the same team I was on. I asked around a couple guys who I could stay with until I could find a place."

Remembered infielder Kevin Frandsen: "He was always wanting to joke around, always wanting to keep the clubhouse mood light."

Man, he really sounds like a piece of human trash! How could anyone feel any remorse for this guy?

[Milo Meningocele]

A former prospect in the San Francisco Giants' chain ? future Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum bunked on his couch in Class A ball ? Odom gladly agreed to interviews. He kidded about the kooky deal that made him famous, saying it would make a better story if he reached the majors someday.

...

On June 5 in Amarillo, the "Batman" theme played while Odom warmed up for Laredo, and he tipped his cap to the sound booth. But he was battered for eight runs in 3 1-3 innings and mercilessly taunted by the crowd. Shwam went to the mound.

"The chants, the catcalls, they were terrible. I had to get him out of there for his own good. He was falling apart, right in front of our eyes," Shwam said.

...

Odom pitched five good innings at San Angelo on June 10 in what turned out to be his third and last start. On the bus after the game, Odom said he needed to speak with Shwam the next day.

"He came in and said, 'Skip, I'm going home. I just can't take it. I've got some things to take care of. I've got to get my life straightened out,"' Shwam recalled.

...

"He was a fun-loving guy. I mean, just high energy all the time," he said. "I stayed on his couch just because he was on the same team I was on. I asked around a couple guys who I could stay with until I could find a place."

Remembered infielder Kevin Frandsen: "He was always wanting to joke around, always wanting to keep the clubhouse mood light."

Man, he really sounds like a piece of human trash! How could anyone feel any remorse for this guy?

First off, anybody that dies instantly becomes The Greatest Person That Ever Lived. Anybody that knew them or knew of them lines up to extol their many virtues.

Secondly, we're miles away from my original beef. Not whether this is a sad story, or whether he was a decent guy--but the hyperbolic outpouring of grief here on the boards, which seems a little much for a guy we've only heard of in relation to his quirky trade.

[Lee.]

The Internet is serious business.

[BJ Sands]

A former prospect in the San Francisco Giants' chain ? future Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum bunked on his couch in Class A ball ? Odom gladly agreed to interviews. He kidded about the kooky deal that made him famous, saying it would make a better story if he reached the majors someday.

...

On June 5 in Amarillo, the "Batman" theme played while Odom warmed up for Laredo, and he tipped his cap to the sound booth. But he was battered for eight runs in 3 1-3 innings and mercilessly taunted by the crowd. Shwam went to the mound.

"The chants, the catcalls, they were terrible. I had to get him out of there for his own good. He was falling apart, right in front of our eyes," Shwam said.

...

Odom pitched five good innings at San Angelo on June 10 in what turned out to be his third and last start. On the bus after the game, Odom said he needed to speak with Shwam the next day.

"He came in and said, 'Skip, I'm going home. I just can't take it. I've got some things to take care of. I've got to get my life straightened out,"' Shwam recalled.

...

"He was a fun-loving guy. I mean, just high energy all the time," he said. "I stayed on his couch just because he was on the same team I was on. I asked around a couple guys who I could stay with until I could find a place."

Remembered infielder Kevin Frandsen: "He was always wanting to joke around, always wanting to keep the clubhouse mood light."

Man, he really sounds like a piece of human trash! How could anyone feel any remorse for this guy?

First off, anybody that dies instantly becomes The Greatest Person That Ever Lived. Anybody that knew them or knew of them lines up to extol their many virtues.

Secondly, we're miles away from my original beef. Not whether this is a sad story, or whether he was a decent guy--but the hyperbolic outpouring of grief here on the boards, which seems a little much for a guy we've only heard of in relation to his quirky trade.

His story makes it sad. He was used by the teams involved in the trade for publicity and he got nothing out of it.

That he died the way he did and in complete anonymity makes this a pretty damn sad story.