This season, San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera came out of nowhere and captivated fans with his outstanding play. He was voted a starting outfielder for the National League All Star Team and was also dubbed,the “Melk Man” by adoring fans.
“He was my favorite player on the Giants. I thought he was an inspiration. On the back of my softball jersey I wrote Cabrera,” said senior Grace Gravley. “He was kind of a ‘go-getter’ and he set an example for kids.”
To some, it seemed too good to be true. Cabrera had been a fourth outfielder sporting a middle-of-the-road .275 career batting average. He suddenly became a superstar with, second in all of Major League Baseball, with a .346 batting average and a title of second in all of Major League Baseball.
Turns out, it was too good to be true. Cabrera was popped with a 50-game suspension by Major League Baseball for en elevated testosterone level.
Many Redwood students voiced their disappointment about these events on Facebook.
Junior Matthew Walter said he was very disappointed about Cabrera’s suspension but he agreed with the principle of it.
“It made sense though, how does someone whose batting average is so inconsequential get that good, that fast? I just hadn’t connected the dots,” Gravley said. “He represents a team and a community and a lot of people looked up to him and he kind of let us all down.”
Some fans also felt that Cabrera’s suspension left the team shorthanded down the stretch.
“I am unhappy that he got suspended because obviously he was big part of the team,” said sophomore Devon Pence, who played on the freshman baseball team last year. “I feel like he is the only legitimate hitter besides [Buster] Posey that we had.”
At the time of his suspension, Cabrera was leading the Giants in batting average, runs, and hits. He was also second in home runs and runs batted in.
“Just that fact that he used steroids, and all of that being taken away is kind of devastating,” said Nikolaj Leszczynski, junior.
With professional athletes directly in the public eye, some people believe the MLB should do more to make sure professional players are setting a good example for the next generation of players.
“I think they should do more,” Pence said. “I think there are a lot more [cheaters] in baseball than they are actually catching.”
Even without Cabrera, some fans are still optimistic about the Giants’ chances to make the postseason for the second time since 2003. As of press time, they are eight games ahead of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers with 15 games left as of press time.
