2004 Bowman Draft about to "BUSH PLODE"

[BBCgalaxee]

As he sat in a prison cell, Matt Bush, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 draft, wondered many times whether he'd ever get an opportunity to pitch in the big leagues.

"People used to ask me all of the time," Bush said, "and I just didn't know."

Well, now he does.

Twelve years after he was drafted by his hometown San Diego Padres, Bush finally reached the majors Friday when the Texas Rangers promoted him from the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders.

Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[AnthonyCorona]

I know lots of people hate when people get second chances like this, but as a person whose actually been to prison I'm hoping he doesnt blow this opportunity and stays on the straight and narrow

 

[mrmopar]

I suppose that would very greatly depending on what landed someone in prison. The worse the crime, the greater the despise towards the criminal I would guess and the less likely anyone believes rehabilitation is worth it. Heinous crimes against others probably top that list.

I have no idea what Bush did though and don't care enough to look it up...

I know lots of people hate when people get second chances like this, but as a person whose actually been to prison I'm hoping he doesnt blow this opportunity and stays on the straight and narrow

 

[A_Pharis]

I suppose that would very greatly depending on what landed someone in prison. The worse the crime, the greater the despise towards the criminal I would guess and the less likely anyone believes rehabilitation is worth it. Heinous crimes against others probably top that list.

I have no idea what Bush did though and don't care enough to look it up...

3 DWIs and assaulting a high schooler with a golf club while yelling "I'M MATT F**KING BUSH!"

 

[smapdi]

I'm at the game. Pic of 1st pitch to follow.

 

[smapdi]

Ok can't post pic from phone but he struck out Josh Donaldson. Last two pitches 98 and 97. Nasty curve. Popped up Joey Bats.

 

[Jaypers]

Was waiting for the opportunity to list this.

 

[predatorkj]

Have an auto'd rookie! Yay!

 

[sportscardtheory]

Didn't he permanently disable a guy driving drunk?

 

[death2redemptions]

3 DWIs and assaulting a high schooler with a golf club while yelling "I'M MATT F**KING BUSH!"

He also severely injured & nearly killed someone during one of those DUI's.

 

[BiggioBrooks755]

Sounds like a great guy....

 

[mrmopar]

Based solely on what I have read in this thread and assuming it's all 100% accurate and the full story, I would expect retribution to those harmed, no drivers license possible ever again and I could give the guy a 2nd chance.

 

[tramers]

Padre ? doubt i'll look for any - three 5000 counts on bottom of ten high stack .

 

[jcmint]

[h=2]Legal troubles[edit][/h]A few weeks after the Padres drafted him in 2004, Bush was arrested on suspicion of felony assault, misdemeanor trespass, disorderly conduct, and underage drinking, after he allegedly fought with security trying to escort him out of a bar.[SUP][17][/SUP]
In early 2009, Bush was allegedly involved in a drunken assault at a San Diego high school, which was caught on camera. According to witnesses, a drunken Bush beat up a high school lacrosse player with a golf club while screaming, "I'm Matt ****ing Bush!", which was recorded on videotape. This led the Padres to designate Bush for assignment following the team's signing of Floyd and then trade him to the Blue Jays.[SUP][3][/SUP][SUP][8][/SUP]Only a month later, he assaulted and berated a woman at a party in Florida, and was released by the Blue Jays for violating a "zero tolerance" agreement.[SUP][11][/SUP]

Mugshot from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.​

On March 22, 2012, Bush was arrested and charged with two counts of DUI with property damage, one count of DUI with serious bodily injury, one count of leaving the scene of an accident with an injury, one count of driving with a suspended license, and 2 counts of leaving the scene of an accident with damage to property. In the incident, Bush hit 72-year-old motorcyclist Tony Tufano on the Tamiami Trail (U.S. Route 41) northbound in Port Charlotte, Florida, running over his head as he fled the scene in a Dodge Durango belonging to teammate Brandon Guyer. According to a witness, Tufano survived the incident because he was wearing a helmet.[SUP][18][/SUP] Bush was arrested in North Port, three miles down the road from the accident. He was on the road after getting kicked out of a nearby strip club for trying to climb on the stage. When he was arrested, Bush had a blood alcohol content of .18, more than double the legal limit in Florida.[SUP][13][/SUP] Bush spent the 2012 season housed at the Charlotte County Jail on $440,000 bail (reduced from an initial $1.015 million bond), and pled not guilty at his arraignment (via closed-circuit TV from the Charlotte County Jail) on May 21. Bush remains a suspect in two other hit and run accidents further north on the Tamiami Trail in Venice that occurred earlier that day.[SUP][19][/SUP] The following Sunday, Rays general manager Andrew Friedman announced that Bush would never play for the Rays organization again.[SUP][20][/SUP] The Rays placed Bush on the restricted list for the 2012 season, meaning that he was no longer on the 40-man roster, nor did he accumulate service time.[SUP][21][/SUP] He was officially released on October 6.
On December 18, Bush accepted a plea bargain and pleaded no contest to one count of DUI with great bodily injury. He was sentenced to 51 months in prison. As this was Bush's third DUI conviction in 10 years, he was ineligible to drive legally in Florida for 10 years after his release from prison. In the process, Bush turned down a deal that had less prison time (3 years), but with 7 years probation owing to past alcoholism issues.[SUP][22][/SUP][SUP][23][/SUP] The Tufanos filed a $5 million civil suit against Bush, but settled in 2013 for a reported $200,000.[SUP][24][/SUP]
Bush was housed at the Mayo Correctional Institution in Mayo, Florida, as of January 2015.[SUP][25][/SUP] He was released from prison on October 30, 2015.[SUP][26[/SUP]

 

[Austin]

As a Rangers fan, I'm ashamed to have this worthless piece of garbage on the team.
If he made a mistake or two, fine. But he's repeated the same things over and over for a decade and never showed sincere remorse. Just read the post JCMint made above this.
He has obviously anger issues, a lack of common sense and decency and is just a disrespectful and violent person.

 

[AnthonyCorona]

Allow me to take back my original comment. I thought he had one DUI, I was ignorant to what he had done. Screw this guy

 

[seitas]

As a Rangers fan, I'm ashamed to have this worthless piece of garbage on the team.

As a Rangers fan aren't you used to it?

 

[Austin]

As a Rangers fan aren't you used to it?

If you're talking about Josh Hamilton, he's just a drug addict. And he shows remorse. He's a friendly, likable guy with a loving family, who's trying to conquer his addiction, but has slipped up a few times.

He's not a violent piece of garbage like Bush, who assaults men and women, nor did he commit multiple DUIs putting innocent people at risk, or drive over a man's head trying to escape the scene of an accident like Bush did.

 

[jeremy2]

i think the padres prolly shoulda took verlander with the #1 pick

 

[seitas]

If you're talking about Josh Hamilton, he's just a drug addict. And he shows remorse. He's a friendly, likable guy with a loving family, who's trying to conquer his addiction, but has slipped up a few times.

He's not a violent piece of garbage like Bush, who assaults men and women, nor did he commit multiple DUIs putting innocent people at risk, or drive over a man's head trying to escape the scene of an accident like Bush did.

I know players in both the Angels and rangers clubhouse that don't think he's all that like able.