Melky, Melky, Melky... [50 game ban]

[Laser Show]

SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera has been suspended for 50 games without pay after testing positive for testosterone.

 

The commissioner's office said Wednesday the suspension is effective immediately. Major League Baseball said Cabrera tested positive for the banned performance-enhancing substance, which violates MLB's joint drug prevention and treatment program.

 

"My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used," Cabrera said in a statement released by the players' union. "I accept my suspension under the Joint Drug Program and I will try to move on with my life. I am deeply sorry for my mistake and I apologize to my teammates, to the San Francisco Giants organization and to the fans for letting them down."

 

The MVP of the All-Star Game last month in Kansas City, Cabrera is batting .346 with 11 home runs and 60 RBIs in his first season with San Francisco. He was initially in the lineup for the series finale against the Washington Nationals, playing left field and batting third.

 

"We were extremely disappointed to learn of the suspension of Melky Cabrera for violating Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention & Treatment Program," the Giants said shortly before game time. "We fully support Major League Baseball's policy and its efforts to eliminate performance enhancing drugs from our game. Per the protocol outline by Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement, the Giants will not comment further on this matter."

 

The 28-year-old Cabrera , who became a marketing phenomenon with nicknames like "Got Melk?", Melk Man and Melky Way, produced a 51-hit month in May. Cabrera batted .429 in May with three homers, five triples, seven doubles and 17 RBIs. He hit safely in 25 of 29 games. The 51 hits matched Randy Winn for most hits in a month since the club came to San Francisco in 1958.

 

Cabrera also set the San Francisco record for most hits in May, passing Hall of Famer Willie Mays' 49 from 1958.

 

Cabrera came to the Giants in a trade with Kansas City last November that sent left-hander Jonathan Sanchez to the Royals. Cabrera -- who signed a $6 million, one-year deal to avoid salary arbitration -- batted .305 with 44 doubles, 18 homers and 87 RBIs last season.

 

The Giants have 45 games remaining this season. Cabrera's suspension will carry over into the playoffs if the Giants advance to the postseason. If not, Cabrera will be suspended for the first five games of the 2013 season.

 

If I were the AL rep going to the WS, I'd feel cheated, knowing the MVP of the game was cheating for who knows long.

[Divinity]

you mean to tell me Melky didn't truly go from a .255 hitter to .346 in a couple years the legit way? say it ain't so!

[Laser Show]

you mean to tell me Melky didn't truly go from a .255 hitter to .346 in a couple years the legit way? say it ain't so!

 

Plagiarizer!

 

(Is that even a word?)

[Behindenemylines]

Melky came up in the Yankee system what do you expect.

[Taz]

Personally, I think MLB would benefit from being brought into line with the World Anti Doping Agency's standards, including punishments and suspensions for athletes that are found to be in breach. As Divinity pointed out, he went from a .255 to .346 hitter, so it's unlikely that this is an isolated case, rather just the first time he has been caught - and for that he misses roughly 1/3 of a season, whereas in other sports athletes can find themselves out for 2 years or more. Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United (& the former England soccer captain) was once suspended for 8 months for simply missing a drugs test!

[Youk Of The Nation]

Personally, I think MLB would benefit from being brought into line with the World Anti Doping Agency's standards, including punishments and suspensions for athletes that are found to be in breach. As Divinity pointed out, he went from a .255 to .346 hitter, so it's unlikely that this is an isolated case, rather just the first time he has been caught - and for that he misses roughly 1/3 of a season, whereas in other sports athletes can find themselves out for 2 years or more. Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United (& the former England soccer captain) was once suspended for 8 months for simply missing a drugs test!

 

Man, that's harsh. He must have missed out on scoring like, four goals.

[Taz]

Man, that's harsh. He must have missed out on scoring like, four goals.

 

lol, Ferdinand's a defender, so his job is to stop goals being scored, but that's neither here nor there, lol.

 

The point is, I was using that case as an example of how serious this issue is taken by sports elsewhere compared to the relative slap on the wrist that baseball issues. It's not just in football (soccer), there are countless examples I could provide to demonstrate the point in any number of professional - and amateur - sports.

[Behindenemylines]

I agree that MLB has to keep improving their testing because the cheaters are always looking for a way to beat the system. The New York Daily News had a story in the paper about Melky and this whole incident. MLB has to be kidding themselves if they think he is the only one looking to beat the system. The News also took a little jab at A-Rod by putting a little picture of him and Melky together when he was still with the Yankees. A lot of noise at the time that the Evil ones got rid of Melky because he was a bad influence on Cano. Makes you wonder the real reason the Spanks pushed him out of New York.

[Station 13]

Melky tried to fabricate a hoax by setting up a fake site and blame them for selling him those stuff. Heh.

[jung]

I am actually kinda' happy that this has come to light. Both MLB and the Players Association are dirty here in my opinion. MLB has not in my view developed a solid system of testing. They do a good deal of testing but they are pretty far behind the times. Just because you test a bunch does not mean that you are conducting testing that is effective and comprehensive. The Players Association takes every opportunity to ding MLB for its testing but not really in an effort to improve it or demand that MLB improve it...they want it discontinued!

 

MLB simply does not want to come to grips with the issue. I think they are afraid to see MLB completely clean with the implications it would have on offense. As for the Players Association, the only thing they really care about is that salaries increase...that is it.

 

Hopefully we will see an effort on the part of baseball to redouble their efforts and finally address this issue.

[example1]

I am actually kinda' happy that this has come to light. Both MLB and the Players Association are dirty here in my opinion. MLB has not in my view developed a solid system of testing. They do a good deal of testing but they are pretty far behind the times. Just because you test a bunch does not mean that you are conducting testing that is effective and comprehensive. The Players Association takes every opportunity to ding MLB for its testing but not really in an effort to improve it or demand that MLB improve it...they want it discontinued!

 

MLB simply does not want to come to grips with the issue. I think they are afraid to see MLB completely clean with the implications it would have on offense. As for the Players Association, the only thing they really care about is that salaries increase...that is it.

 

Hopefully we will see an effort on the part of baseball to redouble their efforts and finally address this issue.

 

Absolutely right. Synthetic testosterone can be tested for. MLB just doesn't do it until after a first positive. So players who can keep their levels under the allowed limit (still bordering on super-manish T levels) get away scott free.

 

I'm confident that many players are still doing this, probably including a few on the Sox.

[jung]

I was interested to hear that the Giant's players are really white hot pissed off at Melky. Maybe....just maybe the length of time on these suspensions and the impact on a team of players might provide enough incentive to curtail this activity. However I only think that will be true if players feel like chances are pretty darned good that they will be caught. If the players feel like they can get away with it, I don't think the wrath of the players amounts to much of a deterrent.

[Divinity]

NL should forfeit there All-Star game victory due to this.

[jimbob728]

I'd like to see PED use punished by making the guilty player's team having to play shorthanded for the entire 50 games. If it is a pitcher that gets busted you can't have anymore pitchers on your staff than you did on the day of suspension. Fielders the same way. Kinda like the hockey penalty box. That would hurt and would really increase peer pressure to play it straight.

This would be tough for some teams. For others,like the Red Sox, not so much. Where would they be if Punto was suspended?

[Thunder]

NL should forfeit there All-Star game victory due to this.

 

AL can't hold home field advantage.

[Laser Show]

I'd like to see PED use punished by making the guilty player's team having to play shorthanded for the entire 50 games. If it is a pitcher that gets busted you can't have anymore pitchers on your staff than you did on the day of suspension. Fielders the same way. Kinda like the hockey penalty box. That would hurt and would really increase peer pressure to play it straight.

This would be tough for some teams. For others,like the Red Sox, not so much. Where would they be if Punto was suspended?

 

This is also a great idea. I bet teams would police themselves a lot better if everyone had to pay for the stupidity of one.