Manny suspended for 50 games?

[EarnedStripes44]

...I hold my head low in dissapointment

[Dad 818]

Manny to serve 50-game suspensionComment Email Print Share ESPN.com news services

Major League Baseball announced Thursday that Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for violating its drug policy.



Ramirez

The commissioner's office didn't announce the specific violation by Ramirez, who will lose about one-third of his $25 million salary.

Ramirez's test result was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Scott Boras, Ramirez's agent, told ESPN's Peter Gammons that his client did not test positive for steroids, but for a drug that was prescribed by a doctor for a medical condition.

Triple-A outfielder Xavier Paul has been told by the Dodgers that he will be promoted later today, according to The Times. Ramirez would be eligible to return to the Dodgers' lineup for their July 3 game against San Diego.

In his first full season as a Dodger, Ramirez is batting .348 with six home runs and 20 RBIs. Los Angeles has bolted to a 21-8 record -- best in the majors -- and a 13-0 record at home that set the modern major league record for home winning streak to start a season.

The report of a Ramirez positive test is the second to rock the sport in three months. In February, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez admitted that he used steroids from 2001-2003 while with the Texas Rangers.



Thanks for shooting your way out of town Manny. (no pun intended of course)

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Dad 818

Scott Boras, Ramirez's agent, told ESPN's Peter Gammons that his client did not test positive for steroids, but for a drug that was prescribed by a doctor for a medical condition.

It gets better--the drug prescribed by a "doctor" for his "medical condition"--is a fertility drug.

The Los Angeles Dodgers star said he did not take steroids and was given medication by a doctor that contained a banned substance.

A person familiar with the details of the suspension said Ramirez used HCG, human chorionic gonadotropin, which is prescribed to stimulate female fertility and testosterone production in men and to treat delayed puberty in boys. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the banned substance wasn't announced

"Recently, I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me," Ramirez said in a statement issued by the players' union.

"Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons."

Baseball added HCG to its list of banned substances last year.

"It's not infrequently part of the mix of the poly-drug approach to doping," said Dr. Gary Wadler, chairman of the committee that determines the banned-substances list for the World Anti-Doping Agency. "It typically is used most when people are coming off a cycle to restore to normal biophysiological feedback mechanisms."




Apparently, juicers commonly take it at the end of a steroid cycle because it re-stimulates the body's natural production of testosterone

[Cool Beans]

Just read on Yahoo news that it was a medication for Erectile Disfunction...... That is too funny!!!

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Mike P

It gets better--the drug prescribed by a "doctor" for his "medical condition"--is a fertility drug.

Best part is that it is a *woman's* fertility drug.

[Cool Beans]

Manny + Woman hormones = Manny being more than Manny

[striperman36]

I am verry happy for him. Maybe he do QVC selling grills.

[Raider Ronnie]

All of baseball is under suspicion in this era.
F*** Manny, Arod, Sosa, Mcgwire, Canseco,Clements,Palmero,ect..........
All frauds !
I have no doubt many Red Sox players are juicers, Varitek, Ortiz, Pedro, ect....
MLB says they are concerned about the integrity of the game, BULL
They are only worried about the integrity of their profits $$$$
Players who got caught say they made a mistake, are sorry, ect....
BULL, they are only sorry they got caught !
And all these frauds get what for cheating, HUGE contracts $$$$
And who pays for them, ?
The saps who shell out their hard earned $ buying tickets !
Baby Ruth, Willy Mays, Frank Robinson, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris ect..... all must be enjoying this because their accomplishments look that much greater without cheating.