Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Getting Around

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Apr 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals teammates watch a tribute video to memorialize former Cardinal Oscar Taveras before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Please, MLB: Communicate With These Dominican Players!

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The list is getting shockingly long:

That’s a list of Dominican Republic-born baseball players or prospects killed in traffic wrecks in their native country in just the past 2-plus years.

This country is already notorious for its traffic safety issues: the World Health Organization concluded in 2015 that the DR has the highest mortality rate in accidents in this hemisphere.

What’s equally shocking is that many of these wrecks are not being survived. This strongly is suggestive of one of the following factors: speed, alcohol, and failure to use seat belts.

We don’t yet have details on either of this weekend’s wrecks, but this is a bad trend among Dominican players, and Major League Baseball needs to have a fatherly sit-down with these kids at the end of each season.

Tell them in no uncertain terms that they are not invincible. They are not bullet-proof. They are not protected even within the shell of a car … or motorcycle. Show the pictures. Show the deaths. To quote a favorite movie line: ‘They’re kids…. scare ’em’.

Perhaps the influence of Pedro Martinez or David Ortiz could be used well here… people who these players would clearly respect.

We’re losing too many… and many times for reasons that are preventable.

Next: So What are We Looking at Here?

Will this latest pair be enough to spur some to action?

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