Cincinnati Reds pitcher Edinson Volquez has been suspended for 50 games for using a banned, performance-enhancing substance. Volquez is still recovering from Tommy John surgery last year and is allowed to serve the suspension while continuing his rehabilitation. I find that to be a dumb rule, I think he should have to serve the suspension from the time when he rejoins the active roster. This way, Volquez won't have to miss any games he wouldn't already be missing from his injury sustained last year, although he will not be getting paid for this time as he otherwise would.
Volquez said that what triggered the positive test was a sort of treatment he received to start a family with his wife and that nothing about it was to gain a competitive advantage. He said he was embarrassed and that this was an isolated incident. Stop me if you've heard this before. Dodgers left fielder Manny Ramirez said he wasn't trying to gain a competitive advantage after testing positive for a female fertility drug last year and drawing a 50 game suspension himself. I'd like to believe these guys, but it's just hard to do. Major League Baseball and individual clubs give players abundant information so that they know what is and what isn't okay to take and other things of that nature. To me there isn't an excuse for a positive test.
Volquez, 26, is a very talented pitcher and started the All-Star Game for the National League in Yankee Stadium in 2008. He went 17-6 that year with a 3.21 ERA and was off to a decent start last year before getting injured. The Reds are 6-8 so far this year and take on Ramirez and the Dodgers (6-7) tonight at 5:10 p.m. MT at Great American Ballpark on MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. The Reds won the series opener last night 11-9.
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I agree that the suspension shouldn't start until he's recovered from surgery. After all the outrage directed at Barry Bonds over suspected steroid use, it's remarkable that this guy gets a slap on the wrist and that all is apparently forgiven for A-Rod and Manny.
ReplyDeleteYeah it's silly that the suspension doesn't hurt the team at all. It should have to be served when a guy isn't on the disabled list. I believe that a full year suspension (when healthy) should be in order for a first offense, and a lifetime ban for a second. Yeah I also agree that Bonds has been unfarily villified. Those same Dodgers fans who booed Bonds and claimed they did so because he hurt the integrity of the game were giving Manny Ramirez a curtain call on Sunday after a home run. I find that pretty remarkable.
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