With the news of Todd Helton‘s DUI arrest, which adds his name to the long list of MLB players who have been caught drunk driving in recent years, I thought it would be appropriate to post a piece I wrote nearly two years ago on the subject. (It first ran in May 2011.)

Here’s Helton’s mug shot. How charming.

In my opinion and in the opinion of many others, MLB still has a long way to go in how they deal with their players being arrested for operating vehicles while under the influence. It seems a little backward that there’s more outrage when someone is caught using PEDs than when someone is exhibiting behavior that can kill other people.

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While some people are pointing to the low attendance numbers so far this season as a problem for Major League Baseball, others–like me–think that the rash of drunk driving arrests is an even bigger issue.

This spring alone, six Major Leaguers have been picked up for DUIs: Adam Kennedy (Seattle Mariners); Coco Crisp (Oakland Athletics); Derek Lowe (Atlanta Braves); Cleveland’s Shin-Soo Choo and Austin Kearns; and Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers).

My question is, how is this even possible?

These players aren’t rookies. The guys listed above are veteran players who have been around the league. Surely they’ve made enough money to–oh I don’t know–hire a driver to pick them up when they’ve become too intoxicated to drive home?

What’s worse? This wasn’t even Miguel Cabrera’s first offense.

From an article from Business Insider on his most recent DUI arrest:

The reports indicate that Cabrera forced at least two cars off the road due to his reckless driving. The Range Rover he was piloting caused a Wal-Mart tractor trailer to go off of a main road, and another car to swerve on the grass to avoid a head on collision with the inebriated Major Leaguer.

When will these players get it through their thick skulls that drinking and driving is dangerous? When someone gets killed? Oh, right, that’s already happened.

Two years ago, Major League Baseball was dealt a major blow when Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart and two friends were killed in a horrific accident caused by a drunk driver. The accident cut short a promising baseball career, ended two other young lives and sent shockwaves throughout Major League Baseball.

Apparently those shockwaves have become barely visible ripples because how else can you explain the rash of recent drunk driving incidents?

Now, Major League Baseball–finally–wants to do something about it.

As it stands, the current collective bargaining agreement, which expires later this year, has provisions for drugs like cocaine and marijuana but there is no way of disciplining players for alcohol related offenses. In the past, only confidential counseling and treatment were offered on a case-by-case basis.

The new plan, according to two anonymous baseball officials, is to make the punishment for alcohol-related offenses mirror the punishments handed down for drugs like marijuana: mandatory counseling and possible suspension if the player refuses to cooperate.

I say it’s about time.

Derek Lowe, who was picked up for his DUI on April 28, took a no hitter into the seventh inning of last night’s game against the Phillies. I, along with a few other people, voiced our unhappiness at the possibility of his pitching a no hitter when he probably should have been suspended for his arrest.

Luckily, Shane Victorino got a base hit and Lowe just picked up a win instead of adding his name to baseball’s history books. I’m all for redemption story lines but he hadn’t even been punished for his transgression.

Good job by MLB for finally doing something–or at least talking about doing something–but also shame on them for it taking so long.

I really love when nights like tonight occur.

People were down on the Yankees for signing Derek Lowe. They were wondering why they would even bother with a guy who was let go by Cleveland of all teams.

Well, Lowe showed them why the Yanks took a chance on him by shocking pretty much everyone who watches the sport of baseball.

And the other subplot was that Ryan Dempster, who reportedly was thisclose to becoming a Yankee at the trade deadline, was making the start for Texas.

But let’s start from the beginning of the game, shall we?

The matchup tonight pitted David Phelps, in for an injured CC Sabathia and the aforementioned Dempster who was 1-0 with a 6.35 ERA since coming over to Texas from the Chicago Cubs.

The Rangers struck first against Phelps with a run in the first – Nelson Cruz hit an RBI single – and they picked up a run in the second – on a home run by David Murphy. picking up a run in the first and second innings.

Meanwhile, Dempster set the Yankees down in order during his first two innings.

When the bottom of the third rolled around, Dempster wasn’t so lucky.

Of all of the people in the Yankees lineup, Russell Martin got things started with a single. Raul Ibanez followed with a single of his own to runners on first and second with no outs. Ichiro Suzuki hit a sacrifice bunt and Martin and Ibanez advanced to second and third. Dempster followed that with a walk to Derek Jeter which loaded the bases for Nick Swisher.

Swisher deposited an 1-0 slider into the second deck of right field in about three seconds. It was Swisher’s 15th home run of the season, the 6th grand slam of his career and it was the 200th home run of his career.

It was also the Yankees’s 9th grand slam of 2012 and put them up 4-2, a lead they wouldn’t give up.

While the offense was a big story in tonight’s game, the biggest story was Lowe’s performance.

As I mentioned in the beginning of this recap, the Yankees acquired Lowe off the scrapheap this past weekend. A signing that was made fun of by pretty much everyone – fans of the Yankees, fans of other teams, writers, bloggers etc. And coming into tonight’s game, people weren’t expecting much from Lowe.

Well, he showed them! Lowe pitched four innings of two-hit ball with four strikeouts. He was able to keep the Rangers off the scoreboard and he picked up an elusive four-inning save. It was his first save since 2001.

People are already poo pooing the performance claiming that it’s only one game. I know it was only one game, even Lowe himself knows that but this was a game in August against a very good, division leading Texas Ranger team who is looking to make their third World Series in a row.

So why can’t people be happy about it?

And it wasn’t as if Lowe was pitching against a terrible team or even a mediocre team. He had this performance against a fellow Division leader when the Yankees really needed it.

And, of course, we cannot forget David Phelps who did a good job starting in CC Sabathia‘s absence.

Phelps lasted a full five innings and gave up two runs on six hits. He surrendered one walk, struck out three and gave up a home run to David Murphy in the second inning.

So the combination of Phelps and Lowe gave guys like Boone Logan, Clay Rapada and Cody Eppley a much needed break tonight. Another victory for the Yankees who don’t have off until a week from today.

Some game notes:

• Eric Chavez who returned to the lineup and batted fifth, continuing his hot hitting, picking up two more tonight. His average is now .293 on the season.
• Ichiro hit a stand up triple which led to the Yankees scoring two more runs in the seventh inning.
• And last but certainly not least, Derek Jeter picked up his 154th hit of the year. He’s now tied with Nap Lajoie for 13th all-time with 3,142 hits. Next up: Eddie Murray. Jeter needs 13 more hits to get there.