On Tuesday, 19-year-old Cincinnati Reds prospect Ian Kahaloa was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball for a second violation of the league's drug policy for recreational drug use. Videos that were posted by a Reds fan account weeks earlier have now become more widely circulated, and they show the Reds pitcher snorting what appears to be cocaine, smoking pot, and doing other weird things like sticking his tongue out and using a Snapchat filter to make himself look like Bambi.According to Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Reds director of player development Jeff Graupe said the team has known about the videos since they were posted and are "really concerned" about the "alarming" nature of the videos. Presumably, Graupe and the Reds are worried because of the drug use, but they should also maybe be concerned with how stupid a person has to be to film themselves violating an employment drug policy while wearing his team's shirt and uploading it for the public to see. Sure, it's Snapchat, you say, and it automatically deletes, you say. And yet:
Advertisement
@MiLB @MLB @Reds @CinRedsTweet @BsbLifestyle__ @SportsCenter #Kahaloa pic.twitter.com/5oz54qRK9X
— C.Reds (@Reds_1fan) March 18, 2017
Not smart!Kahaloa had already failed a second drug test by the time the videos were uploaded—maybe they had been filmed earlier, or maybe he found out he failed another test and decided to go on a bender. Who knows.Kahaloa's agent says he is in rehab now, and that the Reds have been supportive of his client. "We're working to get Ian the help and assistance that we believe he needs to get his long-term future to a more stable place," Graupe said. "We're kind of putting the baseball on the back burner."Please also consider having him put being stupid on the back burner, Cincinnati.#Kahaloa is a Pot&Coke head. Very disappointing! I'm the biggest Cincinnati Reds fan! &this discusses me! @MLB @Reds @CinRedsTweet pic.twitter.com/eQ2JaSz5MH
— C.Reds (@Reds_1fan) March 18, 2017