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Jocketty: Players have to police themselves
Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock
Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said Tuesday the club had little knowledge about pitcher Josh Hancock's off-field activities and that the responsibility for policing players' activities lies with the players.
Answering questions for the first time since Hancock died in a Sunday morning traffic accident, Jocketty said he was aware that Hancock was a social drinker but nothing more.
"There's a lot of guys who like to have a cocktail now and then, and maybe some more than others," Jocketty said. "But unless you go out and socialize with the guys, which I don't, how are you going to know? … It's not like we police these guys away from the ballpark," Jocketty said. "It's up to them to police themselves."
Witnesses told the Post-Dispatch on Monday that Hancock had several drinks at a downtown restaurant shortly before his sport utility vehicle plowed into a tow truck in use on Highway 40.
Sources close to the crash investigation told the Post-Dispatch on Tuesday that a small amount of marijuana, in a small tin, was recovered from Hancock's demolished vehicle. A Cardinals source said the club was made aware of the finding Monday night.
Hancock's death comes on the heels of a drunken-driving arrest of Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. Jocketty said he doesn't believe La Russa's March 22 arrest has compromised his ability to confront players over alcohol abuse.
Dr. Michael Graham, the St. Louis medical examiner, said Tuesday he would not release any autopsy findings until after Hancock's memorial service in Mississippi on Thursday.
The general manager cited the responsibility of the team's veterans in monitoring their less-experienced teammates, but added, "I'm not putting the blame on them. There shouldn't be blame on anybody."
Jocketty said he knows some players drink.
"Do I think there's a problem? I don't know," he said. "Do I know guys like to drink and party? Yes, mostly from what I understand, on the road when they're not driving."
Sauget accident
Hancock's death occurred less than 72 hours after he was involved in an accident in Sauget, when a tractor-trailer clipped the front bumper of his vehicle at the intersection of Illinois Route 3 and Yellow Brick Road. The accident occurred about 5:30 a.m., barely four hours before the pitcher was due at Busch Stadium for an afternoon game against the Cincinnati Reds. Hancock was late for the game.
La Russa declined Monday night to say if he knew of Hancock's accident on Thursday morning. But Jocketty said Tuesday that neither he nor La Russa learned of that accident until the weekend.
A couple at the restaurant where Hancock dined hours before his death say they overheard him say he was "too hung over to play" in the Thursday afternoon game.
Hancock gave differing accounts for his tardiness Thursday, Jocketty said. He told some club members he overslept and others that he had forgotten the game's early start time. La Russa fined Hancock for being late but made him available for the game, although he didn't play. Jocketty said he spoke with Hancock after he arrived at Busch Stadium shortly before game time and did not believe him to be hung over. Jocketty described Hancock as "frantic because he was late" but said he did not press him about his whereabouts.
Jocketty said he has inquired further about Hancock's habits since Sunday's accident.
"I've now talked to two guys who said they talked to him about (his drinking) from time to time, but I don't know how much they knew," Jocketty said. " … These guys are grown men. They have to know how to conduct themselves."
Jocketty emphasized the club is cooperating with St. Louis police and is still learning details about the accident.
"We're not trying to cover up this thing," Jocketty said. "A lot of stuff is unfolding, and we're learning it as it comes out. But we're also trying to respect the family and their wishes. Once the entire investigation is done and we get the facts, then we'll be able to react to it and determine what we have to do, and what we have to say."
La Russa's arrest
La Russa is awaiting trial on misdemeanor charges stemming from his March arrest. He has declined questions about his arrest since making a brief statement to media hours after being released.
"I don't know what more we could have done at the time of Tony's situation. It is what it is. He got put in jail for the night for it and charged," Jocketty said. "It's not like he's an alcoholic and needs to go in rehab. He worked his tail off. He had a long day after a night game. If anything, he shouldn't have been out there that late. But he was seeing a bunch of different people before they left town."
Pressed on whether La Russa might be more aggressive dealing with suspected alcohol problems if not for his own arrest, Jocketty replied, "Personally, I don't think so. I see how he deals with things. I think he would tell a player, 'Look, it could happen to anybody. It happened to me. You've got to be careful how you conduct yourself.'"
Jocketty said the club may further address the issue after attending a Thursday memorial for Hancock in Tupelo, Miss.
"I've talked individually to guys about making sure they don't have any more problems," Jocketty said Tuesday.
Source: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/spo...F?OpenDocument
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