Tyler Skaggs lost his life to his addictions. What trauma or traumas were behind his addictions we currently seem not to know. What we do know is addiction of any sort is to manage trauma. Abuse, neglect emotionally unavailable parents all play their part and the more acute the violation the more violent the self soothing of the trauma will tend to be. 

I speak from a place of the knowledge of my own addictions to alcohol, e’s, cocaine and crack. Starting off drinking, swearing never spirits; moving to spirits sweating never hard drugs and needles; it all ended up with cocktails of all. 22 1/2 of the last 26 years clean. A couple of forays into research to make sure drugs and booze were no good for me – they aren’t. 

If I’d died I would hope no one would have chased a dealer blaming them for my death – they provided a service I needed. I’m OD’d numerous time mes and more than a few I would have been glad not to wake from. But I’m here, I’m 54 and I’m reading a heartbreaking story of a young addict who lost their life. 

More heartbreaking is a family needing so ferociously to blame someone for the death of an addict who would have had the finest rehab facilities at his disposal – he was a serious investment for the Angels. Blame Kay, easy fruit. Yes, supplied to definitely a few players it seems. One who’s now at the Red Sox if my memory, that lacks notes on a flight, serves me. Nothing to look at in Boston? 

I do not for one minute believe his family had no idea of Tyler’s addictions. His wife didn’t notice he might be just a shade out of kilter? Apparently she noticed an alcohol problem but did little to address this…was the alcohol in the cocktail what took things over the edge to his death. Needing scapegoats I’d ask the Skaggs to be at least both consistent and honourable and go after the alcohol companies and barmen who served him. 

Because alcohol kills – domestic violence, drunk driving, liver failure. Come to think of it the government needs to be on your he Skaggs sue list – they give a free pass to one of the most abused drugs in our society. It’s of course legal because the tax dollars would have a lineup with Betts, Trout, Acuña, Scherzer, Sale, Cole, Perez, Tatis and more without charging spectators  a dime. The same goes for cigarettes, simply a joke and this is coming from a committed smoker. Sugar. 

The common thread there is great income for the government. I’d like to know the percentage from these takes that go to rehabs, supporting addicts with therapy? I’d wager, another addiction the government, states and sports are allowing to run rampant – who cares about the kids who won’t be able to eat, the battered wives or those ending up on the streets so long as you get the tax dollars and the advertising revenue. 

Each sport should be ashamed of its behaviour but it’s not as it always get away with it.

I feel great sympathy for the Skaggs family, I do. But what does getting a low level dealer get you? Someone your son wanted and needed to provide him with a service; a service to self medicate whatever trauma he was carrying. Was the trauma rooted in experiences in the family or perhaps the trauma of struggling in the minors to make it, to keep a job, to keep the contract. I don’t know. 

Absolutely the Angels screwed up but it’s no surprise it it. But look to the top who were either utterly complicit or ignorant to a degree that probably in excess of fifty front office positions should be going. 

Why no surprise? 

You’ve got Bud Selig in the Hall. A man who presided over the steroid era yet did nothing until he was forced to be journalists who cared about the essence of the game far more than he did. If Selig knew he should be arrested, if he didn’t what the hell is he doing in the Hall….oh yes, turning a blind eye until he could no longer make the owners a lot of money. But you’ve stooges in Bonds and Clemsons who did possibly more that any other individuals to bring baseball back from another strike’s darkness. 

MLB, the Skaggs family have a lot in common. It’s a lot easier to blame the little guy than be accountable at the executive level, the very level where blind eyes were turned so long as there was profit for the game. Selective blindness has colluded in the steroid era and I would hazard a guess it played a part in Tyler Skaggs death and has make a mockery of the Hall not to mention the owners and commissioners past and present however sadly they will be lauded for winning series, growing income at this he expense of their duties of care.

The Skaggs appear to have had their selective denial crushed or, they knew all along their son or spouse was using and now have found someone to take the fall for their son self medicating pain that was evidently unbearable. They seem to have achieved nothing but tarnish their own son’s image and find a defenceless fall guy. No way we’re they going to the top, where the real culpability lies.

Major League Baseball is corrupt, the stench is awful, truly awful. Oh, and America’s pastime is on strike.

#mlb #tylerskaggs #skaggs #opiods #selig #manfred