Esteban Loaiza arrested for DUI

[The Big Train]

OAKLAND - Oakland A's pitcher Esteban Loaiza, 34, was arrested early Wednesday morning on DUI charges after officers pulled him over for speeding, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.
CHP Officer Mike Wright said Loaiza was driving his Ferrari in excess of 120 mph about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday on northbound Highway 238 near San Lorenzo when he was stopped.

Loaiza was arrested for reckless driving and driving under the influence when he failed a Breathalyzer test, Wright said.

Loaiza - who signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the A's in November - spent the night at North County Jail and will likely face steep fines and probation because of the combined charges, Wright said.

A's assistant general manager David Forst said the A's are aware of the incident.

``It's an ongoing legal matter,'' Forst said. ``We'll have no further comment."

Loaiza is still scheduled to start Thursday's series finale against the Seattle Mariners.

[mak1277]

I still don't understand why it is such a headline when a pro athlete gets arrested for DUI. I mean, unless he's a multiple offender, this never results in jail time. I'm not endorsing drunk driving, but tons of normal people get DUI's and nothing happens to them. They pay a fine, take a class and it's over. This should not be news.

[The Big Train]

You are certainly right about that, it shouldn't be news. But in terms of fantasy baseball, he was picked up in a number of leagues I'm in by owners hoping that his solid start coming off the DL might make him a worthy turnaround play. I guess if I was going to play an armchair psychiatrist, I would ask if I wanted to start a guy with that on his mind going into a start the next day. Not me.

[mak1277]

No you're right. I certainly wasn't condemning your post...more just a minor rant about the media's portrayal of DUI's in general.

[BigZ38]

i wonder if he drunk dialed J.J. Redick?

[AdvRider]

I still don't understand why it is such a headline when a pro athlete gets arrested for DUI. I mean, unless he's a multiple offender, this never results in jail time. I'm not endorsing drunk driving, but tons of normal people get DUI's and nothing happens to them. They pay a fine, take a class and it's over. This should not be news.

Totally disagree. In the very public world of professional sports fans want and deserve to have insight into the character of the players they support and pay to watch. Getting arrested for a DUI shows shortcomings in character, intelligence, responsibility, and commitment to the team.

Let's not forget these guys make millions of dollars and can afford a $40 cab ride home!

I agree that some athlete DUIs might be overplayed. There are instances when a player had three beers and got nabbed after a cop spotted him not using a turn signal. Then there's Loaiza, racing a Ferrari at 120 mph and obviously endangering his life and others. That is flagrantly reckless. Is it news? Uh, yeah.

It's not true that "nothing happens" to ordinary people who get DUIs. In plenty of smallish towns the local paper publishes the arrest. For some that publicity results in losing a job or being viewed negatively when up for a promotion. Along with all sorts of other consequences in family and social realms.

[mak1277]

Totally disagree. In the very public world of professional sports fans want and deserve to have insight into the character of the players they support and pay to watch. Getting arrested for a DUI shows shortcomings in character, intelligence, responsibility, and commitment to the team.

Why do fans need to know about a players character? I don't want to start a huge debate, but to me, what a player does off the field/court is pretty much completely irrelevant. Pro athletes don't owe the fans anything. That attitude frankly disgusts me.

Let's not forget these guys make millions of dollars and can afford a $40 cab ride home!

No disagreement from me on this, but there are plenty of other ways to exhibit stupidity that aren't reguarly reported.

I agree that some athlete DUIs might be overplayed. There are instances when a player had three beers and got nabbed after a cop spotted him not using a turn signal. Then there's Loaiza, racing a Ferrari at 120 mph and obviously endangering his life and others. That is flagrantly reckless. Is it news? Uh, yeah.

I agree that this was a particularly egregious incident....but I still don't give a rat's behind about it....now, if he had hit someone else, or killed someone (a la Leonard Little of the Rams) now that's a story.

It's not true that "nothing happens" to ordinary people who get DUIs. In plenty of smallish towns the local paper publishes the arrest. For some that publicity results in losing a job or being viewed negatively when up for a promotion. Along with all sorts of other consequences in family and social realms.

Say what you will about my choice of friends, but I know probably a dozen people that have DUI's on their records. None of these people have ever lost their jobs over it. A DUI isn't a felony. It's not a guy beating the crap out of his wife/girlfriend...shooting someone...dealing crack. It should be a non-issue.

[West Coast Fan]

Well sounds like the 60's and the Green Bay Packers before SBI, going and getting drunk before the big game. Let's remember this guy was slated to start for the A's in a 1pm game. So what we got is a guy who's going to start the game racing home at 3am drunk and speeding in his sports car.

It may have no impact fantasy wise, but I imagine the A's management is pissed. Give this guy $7mil a year for 3yrs, he stinks up his first season, 5 starts and a sparkling 6.39ERA and obviously he don't care a crap about the team cause he's out at 3am.

Good thing for him he won today, but Seattle isn't hitting well recently.

[West Coast Fan]

Well sounds like the 60's and the Green Bay Packers before SBI, going and getting drunk before the big game. Let's remember this guy was slated to start for the A's in a 1pm game. So what we got is a guy who's going to start the game racing home at 3am drunk and speeding in his sports car.

It may have no impact fantasy wise, but I imagine the A's management is pissed. Give this guy $7mil a year for 3yrs, he stinks up his first season, 5 starts and a sparkling 6.39ERA and obviously he don't care a crap about the team cause he's out at 3am.

Good thing for him he won today, but Seattle isn't hitting well recently.

[mcliffy2]

I picked him up off waivers and spot sparted him (prior to the news), but could have pulled the plug, glad I didn't, got a much needed W for the week