Former Angel Adam Kennedy charged with DUI

5 years removed from his departure from the Angels, I'm still one of Adam Kennedy's biggest fans. Now, in news that has eluded me for nearly two months, Adam Kennedy was arrested on suspicion of Drunk Driving in my city, Newport Beach, on January 26th. Kennedy, now with the Seattle Mariners, said recently in a statement about the event: "It's something I'm really ashamed of and not proud to bring to the Seattle Mariners, especially not having put on the uniform. It's my first legal trouble, something I'm definitely not looking to ever do again." Today, he was charged with misdameanor driving under the influence. Kennedy is scheduled to be arraigned June 21st. If Convicted, he could face anything from probation and community service to six months in prison.

Now, its really easy for me to defend Kennedy in this situation, and probably the route I would have taken up until recently. I mean, the guy was a childhood hero and someone I've always admired, and I understand that people can make mistakes and foolish decisions, but Andrew Gallo was just making a foolish decision the night he killed Nick Adenhart and two others.

This is tough for me, because on one hand, I want to forgive Adam Kennedy and let all be right with the world. On the other, I know I'd be a total hypocrite if I come down so harshly on one drunk driver (Gallo), but let another off the hook (Kennedy). Granted, Kennedy wasn't as drunk, nor did he kill anyone, but the possibility was still there. Even scarier was the fact that he was literally taking a road that I take home from work.

I think in the end, its going to take time for me to establish how I really feel about the whole thing. Does he do the right thing, serve his time, maybe go around to local schools and speaks about the dangers of driving under the influence? Or does he take the Miguel Cabrera approach and take swigs of liquor in front of cops, then berates them with "Do you know who I am"? I suppose his progress over the next few months will be a good sign on how I feel about the situation.

Adenhart Trial Update

From ABC 7 News Chicago:

The man accused of murder in the collision that killed Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others told police afterward that he blanked out driving home from a bar.

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- A man charged with murder in a drunken-driving crash appeared shocked in a videotaped interview when police told him about the collision that killed Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others.

"I did a horrible thing," defendant Andrew Gallo said as he sobbed in the recording played Monday during the trial in Orange County.

Gallo, 23, also rubbed his eyes as the jury watched the interview done soon after the April 9, 2009, collision.

Adenhart, 22, died just hours after pitching six scoreless innings at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. Two of his companions, Courtney Stewart, 20, and Henry Pearson, 25, also died. Another friend was critically injured.

Gallo sped through a red light in a minivan and smashed into the side of the sedan carrying the four victims, authorities said.

In previously played segments of the interview, Gallo described a night of drinking beer and shots of sake with his stepbrother then claimed surprise that he had been driving, explaining his license was suspended.

"It's a big blur, I don't even know how we got there ... I don't remember how the accident happened," Gallo said in the footage shown Monday.

Gallo was seen sitting in a corner of a small room, rubbing his shoulder and sipping from a cup of water between questions. Investigators asked if he wanted them to relay a message to the victims' families.

"I'm sorry..." Gallo said, his voice cracking. "I didn't mean for anybody to get hurt."

Gallo pleaded not guilty after he was indicted on three counts of second-degree murder, a felony count of fleeing the scene of a traffic collision involving death or permanent injury, and two other felonies involving driving under the influence.

He could face a maximum sentence of 54 years and eight months to life in state prison if convicted of all counts.

Defense attorney Jacqueline Goodman began calling witnesses on Monday, including Gallo's father Thomas.

Goodman has said Andrew Gallo drove while intoxicated but did not intend to kill anyone and thought his stepbrother was his designated driver.

Prosecutors said they took the unusual step of charging Gallo with second-degree murder -- and not the lesser charge of manslaughter -- in part because he had a prior drunken-driving conviction and because he was driving on a suspended license.

Jon Wilhite, the lone survivor from Adenhart's car, suffered what one doctor called extraordinary injuries that included the separation of his skull from his spine.

Wilhite's recovery has been one of the best reported in medical literature for the injury, spine surgeon Dr. Nitin Bhatia testified.

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I'm not a Lawyer, nor do I claim to be, but it seems pretty odd that his defense so far has been "I don't even remember driving". As someone with a past history of DUI charges, it seems like "I don't even remember driving" would be a terrible way to go with your case.

I'm also not a Judge, nor a part of the Jury, but if this is how the whole trial is going to go, this seems to be a pretty easy one case to decide. Throw this clown in jail for as long as you can. Anything else is too good for him.

The Best There Ever Was, and The Best That Could Have Been.

Today is August 24th. Today, Tim Salmon, the Greatest Los Angeles/California/Anaheim Angel of all time turns 42-years-old.

I was lucky enough to be at his final game. I was lucky enough to cheer for him when he took his final curtain call. I was lucky enough to get his signature that day. I was lucky enough to have seen him play.

It was a tough luck game, because he never got that 300th career home run. But we loved him anyway.

I was also lucky enough to be at this years Celebrity and All-Star Softball game. Tim Salmon looked as great as ever, even though he was only hitting underhanded pitches. The crowd went crazy, I went crazy. It was a good night to be an Angels fan.

Tim Salmon will likely forever be the most beloved Angel of all-time. He will be the player I will tell my Nieces and Nephews I was most proud to see in person. My jacket he signed will always be one of my most prized possessions. Even though I could find something bad to say about anyone, I can't think of a single bad thing to say about Mr. Angel, Tim Salmon.

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I was lucky enough to be at his final game. I was lucky enough to see him pitch out of several jams like he was a 10-year-vet. I was lucky enough to give him a standing ovation as he was being lifted from the game for a reliever.

Nick Adenhart was the most promising pitching prospect the Angels have had since Francisco Rodriguez. He had the control, he had the speed, and he had the guts. I always saw all of this on display every time he pitched, but especially on that cool April night. He pitched the game of his life, which was tragically cut short hours later.

The Angels didn't get the win that night, but I vividly remember leaving that game thinking "this kid is going to be great." I remember reading an article a few days after the accident in which the author said something along the lines of "I wont be able to help it, when the 2011 and beyond Cy Young award winners are announced, thinking that Adenhart would have made a run at that award." There isn't a doubt in my mind that Nick Adenhart would have been a Cy Young Candidate, a perennial All-Star, and one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Nick Adenhart would have turned 24 today. Rest in Peace.

We suck again....

Now, before I chicken-little all over this blog. Many things were good today. Matt Palmer, Morales started hitting again, Hunter hits ANOTHER three-run bomb.

However, the million run 4th inning for the Tigers (I might be exaggerating that number a bit) TOTALLY killed us today. It seems like Pineiro isn't going to be this amazing savior of a pitcher, but someone who will be incredibly streaky.

He should fit in pretty well with the rest of the rotation.

Matt Palmer is my early candidate for the Nick Adenhart Award. He has come in and kept the team in the game during some pretty dire situations.

All that being said, this is going to be a LONG season. However, if the Rangers can beat the M's tonight (its currently tied, but Cliff Lee is dealing), all four teams in the American League West will be tied for first place.

Thats right, we will have played a months worth of baseball, and we will back to where we all started. Fantastic.

Record: 12-12
Outlook: The Sky is Falling, sort of.