Stephen Strasburg’s crusade to quit dipping tobacco

Now time for a post about a ballplayer that isn’t hideous. But the act of what he’s trying to accomplish; at least in our experience, is very hideous.

Stephen Strasburg is attempting to kick his smokeless tobacco habit. This comes after hearing about the bout of gland cancer that Tony Gwynn is going through (with chewing tobacco being tabbed as the unofficial cause).

“I’m still in the process of quitting,” Strasburg, 22, said. “I’ve made a lot of strides, stopped being so compulsive with it. I’m hoping I’m going to be clean for spring training. It’s going to be hard, because it’s something that’s embedded in the game.”

If by ‘compulsive with it’–he means after a meal, while driving anywhere over 15 minutes, while on a baseball field, while playing video games, while watching sporting events, while on a golf course, at his desk at work, while in a movie theater, after drinking caffeine or coffee, first thing in the morning, before he brushes his teeth at night–then we know what he means.

Hey, we applaud Stras in his efforts here. As someone who has tried to quit several times–we know what a bear this can be. But is a year on the sidelines without even playing really the time to try and quit? You know, with all that extra free time on your hands and all? Okay, now we sound like addicts don’t we?

Good luck in your efforts in trying to leave Dipville forever Stras. You’ll probably be successful, so long as you aren’t hanging around Dunner too much.