Alex White Arrested For DUI

Colorado Rockies pitching prospect Alex White was arrested this past Saturday night in Scottsdale for driving under the influence of alcohol. Since that time White has apologized via written statement and Twitter and addressed his teammates. The Denver Post provided the following comments from White: “It’s very unfortunate and I’m completely embarrassed…It was very stupid and I let down a lot of people, most importantly my family, this organization and the fans. That’s not the type of person I am.”

Jim Tracy and Dan O’Dowd have expressed that they believe White has handled the aftermath of the incident with professionalism. Tracy said: “The sincerity with which he talked to me, there’s no doubt I trust this kid and I know that he was being completely sincere with anything and everything as far as what took place.” O’Dowd said that the team will not discipline White further, saying that he has already been punished enough.

In White’s apology on Twitter he said that he embarrassed himself, his family, and the Rockies organization. He then directed his tweets to the Rockies fan base:

“Most importantly I would like to apologize to the fans of the Rockies. My conduct was inappropriate and not who I am…I will learn from this difficult lesson and be a better man because of it.”

Many fans have noted that two of the key pieces of the Ubaldo Jimenez trade have now been arrested for incidents off the field. Drew Pomeranz was arrested for disturbing the peace this past October in Mississippi (the charges were eventually dropped). Combined with White’s behavior this past weekend, the two incidents stick out because they run so contrary to the super squeaky clean image Jimenez enjoyed during his time in Colorado.

Any comparisons or conclusions about these two prospects should end there, however. One incident does not constitute the truth of who they are as people, just like two separate incidents do not combine to constitute the merits of a trade the Rockies completed this past July. Like Pomeranz’s arrest, White’s DUI is only noteworthy for what it is: in this case, an incredibly dangerous and upsetting mistake.

Nobody should make excuses for White, but everybody should grant him the chance to show us that this was a single incident and not a trend. Until that time nobody should try to build this into a reflection on him as a prospect, the organization’s judgment, or anything else that runs deeper. Just be mad at him; that’s plenty for now.

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