MLB: Suspensions looming for 20 players connected to Miami clinic

[Parker 1st MRB]

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Players Under Scrutiny

Major League Baseball will seek to suspend about 20 players connected to Biogenesis, OTL has learned.

Among the players who might ultimately face discipline:

Player Team

Ryan Braun Brewers

Everth Cabrera Padres

Melky Cabrera Blue Jays

Francisco Cervelli Yankees

Bartolo Colon Athletics

Nelson Cruz Rangers

Fautino de los Santos Free agent

Gio Gonzalez* Nationals

Yasmani Grandal Padres

Fernando Martinez Astros

Jesus Montero Mariners

Jordan Norberto Free agent

Jhonny Peralta Tigers

Cesar Puello** Mets

Alex Rodriguez Yankees

* Sources told ESPN that Gonzalez received only legal substances

** minor leaguer, not a member of the MLB Players Association

[Ruggiero]

Braun should get a bigger suspension... he just confirmed his first test.

[Parker 1st MRB]

Interesting report by ESPN. Apparently the biogenesis clinic founder Tony Bosch went to A-Rod in March in hopes of getting money to fight a lawsuit being brought against him by the MLB. When A-Rod refused to give him any cash, Bosch opened up to MLB. In exchange for Bosch's full cooperation, MLB agreed to drop the lawsuit filed against him in March. A-Rod you should've paid him

On a serious note, how long will this steroid era last? I can't take these stories anymore. Screw these 50 game suspensions, perma ban anyone caught with steroids and be done with it. I think you'll find less people trying to cheat the system if the consequences are severe.

[Watkis]

Braun should get a bigger suspension... he just confirmed his first test.

WRONG!!

Wether you like it or not the results of the first test have already been discredited and thrown out during the arbitration process so they can have no bearing on this case. Also, it has been reported by cbs(link below) that Bosch innfact new Braun in his college days so once again this has nothing to do with the null/void test. Also is it not wierd that the guy passed almost or over 100 tests before the null/void test and has probably been tested like crazy over the past year and 1/2 and has still not failed a test that has been taken 100% correctly. Now I know this hurts but the only evidence that connects Braun to Bosch other than the snakes testimony, is his name on a piece of paper which was explained and plausably as a consultant fee. The only other piece of evidence connecting him to steroids is the drug test which if you remember has been null/voided by a Arbitrator. So I ask you what test has been confirmed and were is your evidence?

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-b...-turning-to-mlb

Edited June 6, 2013 by Watkis

[Zorbanos 1st MRB]

Dude, Braun got off on a technicality. They "mishandled the sample". SOunds like some legal bullshit you pull to get out of trouble to me. Sounds lik what OJs attorneys did to get him off on murder. $30,000 for a consulting fee? Followed by a $1500 transaction? C'mon, please...

Parker i agree, especially for A-Rod and Braun. A-Rod has admitted to using steroids previously in his career, now he's doing this and lying about it. I also read a report in the NYT a few weeks ago about him buying up documents from the clinic to prevent the MLB having access to them. SO he owns / destroyed the evidence against him. Seriusly fuck that shit, he should be forever removed from baseball.

For Braun, im convinced he's guilty and got off on a technicality, and the way he flaunted his "innocence" after everything happened with his case is a kick in the nads to the game of baseball. If there is any more proof that he used banned substances, he should be gone. I am sick of this shit in baseball, the real steroid era guys already fucke dup the records books, why are we tolerating this anymore?

What do y'all think? Is pursuing these guys good for baseball or is the possibility of a long drawn out arbitration process bad for the game in the long run?

Edited June 6, 2013 by Zorbanos 1st MRB

[Watkis]

Oh my bad didn't know a test that has been thrown out is now evidence again? Technicality or not it is no longer admissible therefore I ask you what test did he fail that is 100% legit? Never mind let me answer that for you, this might blow you mind but the answer is a big ol fat 0, zilch, nada, none, zippo. Oh but you don't want to hear this you just want to label people guilty and facts are of no importance.

[Parker 1st MRB]

Watkis I'm sorry to say it but Braun took steroids. I get that you're a Brewers fan but please don't buy in to the fact that evidence was "mishandled". That's got shady written all over it everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. And what exactly is he consulting about from a biogenesis clinic in Miami that costs $30,000? Seriously, you believe he's innocent? Come on man!

[Kabasares]

Ironic, I just spent the whole month of May doing my senior project on the steroid era. But yeah, Braun took steroids, "technicality" or not.

[Watkis]

Is it not weird that the only test he has failed was the one that was mishandled, now that's shady. The thing that makes me laugh about this whole things is that I still have not been presented with facts that go against Braun's side of the story. Now if there was some hard evidence that proved he took steroids like abnormal size, abnormal spikes in numbers *cough* Bautista *cough* Mauer *cough* I will probably change my mind, but nothing said up to this point shows that without a doubt he took steroids.

Alas it is useless to argue for the defendant in a kangaroo court.

[Zorbanos 1st MRB]

What happens next for A-Rod? Think the Yankees will cut him?

[Englebretson 1st MRB]

This is progress. I still think if MLB were to up the lengths for PED use it would deter even more people. For example 1st offense = 1yr suspension with no play and a 2nd offense = 3yr suspension with no play.

[evo-lution ßÄЯ]

Screw these 50 game suspensions, perma ban anyone caught with steroids and be done with it. I think you'll find less people trying to cheat the system if the consequences are severe.

Honestly im not the biggest MLB fan... or really one at all but that is the most rational thing to do in my very humble opinion. you get caught you are done just like any other job you use illegal substances you get fired not suspended.

[Englebretson 1st MRB]

Is it not weird that the only test he has failed was the one that was mishandled, now that's shady. The thing that makes me laugh about this whole things is that I still have not been presented with facts that go against Braun's side of the story. Now if there was some hard evidence that proved he took steroids like abnormal size, abnormal spikes in numbers *cough* Bautista *cough* Mauer *cough* I will probably change my mind, but nothing said up to this point shows that without a doubt he took steroids.

Alas it is useless to argue for the defendant in a kangaroo court.

If Mauers taking roids then he should get his money back.

[Parker 1st MRB]

The only difference between Bautista/Mauer versus Braun is they never failed a test or had their name associated to a steroid clinic in Miami soooooo.....

Nice try tho.

[Parker 1st MRB]

Braun suspended the rest of the season and he accepts the punishment and apologizes for his wrong doings.

You were saying?

[Watkis]

Umm ok? You just keep acting like you wouldn't defend a player on your team who was caught up in stuff like this. That being said I'm still a Brewers fan and oddly enough still a Braun fan and I am excited for next season. Regardless he will serve his time come back and hopefully play out the rest of his contract. You were saying?

[Zorbanos 1st MRB]

How can you still be a fan of someone like this? Blind devotion to your team? Man nobody seems to actually care about guys who cheat in baseball, and thats why they keep doing it. That and they still have a fat ass contract waiting for them when they return. "he's gonna serve his time and he'll be back" man thats just a bullshit way of looking at it.

And Parker can speak for himself, but im certain if Melky Cabrera gets suspended due to all this shit, you won't find Parker defending him.

Edited July 23, 2013 by Zorbanos 1st MRB

[Parker 1st MRB]

Fans like Watkis are the reason people still try to cheat in sports.

Blind fan: "Oh you cheated? That's ok, I still like you."

Athlete: "Really? Thanks, I'll try not to get caught next time."

Owner: "Fans still like him? Damn we better reward him with a big contract next time."

[C. Small 1st MRB]

Braun suspended the rest of the season and he accepts the punishment and apologizes for his wrong doings.

You were saying?

He's not sorry , He's just sorry he got caught.

[Watkis]

Fans like Watkis are the reason people still try to cheat in sports.

Blind fan: "Oh you cheated? That's ok, I still like you."

Athlete: "Really? Thanks, I'll try not to get caught next time."

Owner: "Fans still like him? Damn we better reward him with a big contract next time."

You know what bud, you don't know me. Also I might not have stated this before but I'm not saying he didn't do it anymore he is guilty, doesn't mean I should stop being a fan. So what if I decide that I want to forgive people that's my right. He has done a lot for the city of Milwaukee why shouldn't I forgive him? Am I not entitled to do so? If you want to bash me for forgiving someone than you go ahead bud.

[Watkis]

I would also like to apologize if I said anything inflammatory or the like.

[Parker 1st MRB]

It's one thing if he cheated the sport and admitted to it when he got caught the first time, but for someone to put on a ridiculous show like he did and tell everyone that the system is wrong and that he is innocent and later admit to using drugs after all the bullshit he spewed at people is unforgivable to me and any logical fan. When he got off scot-free the first time after the "mishandling" of evidence, he made everyone believe that he was innocent and that the system was targetting legitimate players. He built himself up to be a victim of the system that was put in place to catch cheaters and make the beautiful sport that we call baseball clean of any performance enhancing drugs. Now, all of a sudden he admits he was lying and that he did cheat the game and in doing so cheated Matt Kemp out of a NL MVP award in 2011.

So can I forgive someone like that? Hell no. If that was Jose Bautista I'd write a letter to the Blue Jays telling them to ship his ass off to Siberia and let him play baseball in a prison full of killers and rapists. I even find it hard to forgive players that have taken drugs and admitted about it without lying, but I can see myself giving those players a second chance to prove themselves and possibly forget their wrong doings, however I would not be completely comfortable doing it. In Braun's case, however, there is no chance in hell that I will forgive him for what he did, he made a mockery out of the sport that I love and he tried to fool everyone into thinking he was a victim. You can add A-rod to that list for me too.

You have the right to your opinion just like I have the right to mine and in my opinion fans who continue to forgive these kinds of players will never help expedite the process of making the game of baseball clean. 65 game suspension? What will A-rod get? 100? The punishments should be increased, forget this 50-game suspension for the first offense, 100-game for the second, and life for the third. Make it 162 games for the first offense and life for the second offense. I guarantee you'll get rid of this bullshit because players will be too afraid of the consequences if they get caught.

[Zorbanos 1st MRB]

Also, it should start being thrown into contracts that if you use PEDs and are caught, your contract is voided. Braun is giving up like 3 million due to his suspension this year, yet he's still owed what, 113 million? (don't quote me on those, but those are vaguely the numbers i remember hearing) sure his reputation is tarnished, but when you're making that kind of money, who really cares? Clemens didn't. A Rod doesn't. Baseball has done little to actually bite these guys. Until the league and the teams really punish players beyond just suspensions the players won't be afraid of trying it. Use PEDs one year, have an amazing season, sign a fatass contract, and if you get away with it, you're set for life. I think thats how some of these guys really look at it.

[Lopez]

The punishments should be increased, forget this 50-game suspension for the first offense, 100-game for the second, and life for the third. Make it 162 games for the first offense and life for the second offense. I guarantee you'll get rid of this bullshit because players will be too afraid of the consequences if they get caught.

Oh I'm so down for that

But I'm not sure that comment on Watkis was fair, I've never thought guys do it for a reason other than the money. Likewise, the ownership does not base their decisions on the fan reception for a certain player. I think fans like that have really no impact on the amount of cheaters, cause for every Watkis, there is a Parker ready to grill at the stake. It has way more to do with the league and PA and how lenient they are willing to be. If those bodies show any weakness in dealing with cheaters, that directly affects the future of the sport. Then again, I base this off limited experience to be sure, but thats my take.

[Parker 1st MRB]

Fans drive the game, if fans don't show up to watch games there will be no profit in baseball and no investors to back it. If all fans want harsher punishments, there will be harsher punishments believe me. Ultimately, fans make the decision.