Vicente Padilla Has a Drinking Problem (And Maybe Ruined the All-Star Game)

In an ESPN.com chat yesterday, Keith Law nonchalantly dropped a serious allegation about Vicente Padilla. The full chat is on accessible to Insider subscribers, but here's the relevant Q&A:

Ulises (Managua, Nicaragua): Keith, for two weeks I've been trying to get your thoughts on Vicente Padilla and Devern Hansack, but you won't answer me. :( Is any Nicaraguan player in your 100 prospect?

SportsNation Keith Law: I thought I answered that one a week ago, but maybe not. Padilla's got the stuff to be a #3, but his command isn't good and he has a drinking problem. Hansack's an extra guy ..."

Wait, what? That's it? I cut off the rest of his answer because it's strictly about Hansack with no explanation, no follow-up, no anything more about Padilla's drinking problem. Maybe that's all that needs to be said, but I'm surprised he just put that out there as a matter-of-fact.

Now, this is where it gets fun (well, as fun as drawing conclusions about people with an alleged drinking problem gets): Defensive Indifference connected the dots and suggests that Peter Gammons was talking about Padilla when he said last spring that "the reason the 2002 All-Star Game ended up tied was that a pitcher on one of the two teams was imbibing in the clubhouse and was not in condition to pitch, hence the game ended."

And why not? One blind item and one out-of-the-blue bombshell is enough to convince me. All I know is that we wouldn't still be talking about this five years later if those members of the media in the know would quit being so coy with their readers.

Update: Looks like Padilla's problems have been documented in the past.