Drug Testing at its Finest...

By Corey R. Cunningham 

Mr. Tim Beckham, you have failed yet another drug test. After being the 1st draft pick of the 2008 draft, Tim Beckham was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays. Beckham will be suspended for 50 games, for yet his second drug violation.

 

Those of you who do not recall the 2008 draft class, there were better selections than the drug user of Tim Beckham. I realize not every draft pick is going to make an impact on the MLB club; however, drug violations are just unacceptable and have a zero tolerance in the game of baseball. The Rays gave him $6.15 million signing bonus, they passed on prospects at the time such as, Buster Posey, Pedro Alvarez, Eric Hosmer, Justin Smoak, and Brett Lawrie. The above named players are all currently on MLB rosters, except for the overall No. 1 pick in 2008.

 

This is will just diminish Beckham’s career, and I hope somewhere in the bonus he received he is obligated to return some of the cash. Perhaps drafted for position of choice at the time of SS, Beckham was considered 'gold' however; the other current MLB players in that particular draft class have all helped their MLB clubs in one way or another. Beckham is the 38th player to be suspended in 2012 for violation of the Minor League drug testing program.

 

Beckham has a career total of 1717 AB's, 452 H, 261 R, 99 2B, 14 3B, 24 HR, 208 RBI, 59 SB, 159 BB, 412 K, a .263 BA, .330 OBP, and a .379 SLG during his minor league stint. He spent 08' to 10' from rookie ball to High A Charlotte. In 2011 he spent most of the season at AA Montgomery, followed up by AAA Durham. He started 2012 at AAA Durham, where he has only played 13 games thus far.

 

If you have drafted Tim Beckham in your dynasty league minor draft, I suggest you just drop him. I doubt he contributes ever again, and the Tampa Bay Rays organization is known for putting out great prospects both offensively and defensively and I am sure they are less than pleased with Tim. There are plenty more SS prospects in the system, and too note keep your eye on the 2013 class coming around the corner.

 

The drug testing situation has been fantastic for Major League Baseball (except for the Ryan Braun part) and many minor leaguers try to 'beat the system'. Keep trying fellows, I don't think you nor will anyone else beat the system enough to improve your skills to earn a ticket into the big show. I feel many players try to make this game a lot harder than it should be taken as. This is a game of fundamentals. F-U-N... Yes just have fun, and enjoy what you are doing. I take a quote from Rube Baker in 'Major League 2', "Hey Willie, Willie, I can't believe you said that. I talked to a boy in the bleachers the other day that hales from down town; he told me the most grass he has ever seen in his whole life, is the patch we get to play on every day. We are in the gone darn Major League boys".