For the second time in two years a pitcher from the Atlanta Braves organization has been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol. Last year it was 35-year-old starter Derek Lowe who was arrested for DUI after cops caught him racing another vehicle in the middle of the night. This time it was another 30-something pitcher.
Instead of racing at high speeds, Braves reliever Cristhian Martinez was arrested after allegedly weaving in and out of a lane and traveling at a low speed. This according to ajc.com.
Like many DUI offenders, Martinez was pulled over in the middle of the night, at 2:42 a.m. he was clocked going 40mph in a 65mph zone.
Reeking of alcohol, officers administered a field sobriety test, which Martinez failed. He also failed a breathalyzer test, blowing a .13.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez obviously was not happy and said that the team will follow the rules outlined in Major League Baseball’s most recent collective bargaining agreement.
This incident mars a great spring so far for the 30-year-old hurler. Martinez has secured a spot in the Braves bullpen this spring after going 0-0 with a 1.38 ERA in eight appearances, allowing two runs in 13 innings, with three walks, 13 strikeouts and a .159 opponents’ batting average.
Martinez is in his third season in the Braves organization after appearing in 64 major-league games over the past two seasons. Hopefully he will proactively enroll in an Georgia alcohol class and seek counseling for a possible drinking problem.