Bartolo Colon suspended 50 games

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

From MLB.com

 

A's pitcher Bartolo Colon was suspended for 50 games Wednesday after testing positive for testosterone, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The suspension, which will be without pay, is effective immediately. It was the second time in a week that a prominent Major Leaguer was suspended for testosterone usage, following the banning of Giants All-Star left fielder Melky Cabrera for using the same substance.

 

"I apologize to the fans, to my teammates and to the Oakland A's," Colon said in a statement issued by the MLB Players Association. "I accept responsibility for my actions and I will serve my suspension as required by the Joint Drug Program."

 

The 39-year-old right-hander was 10-9 with a 3.43 ERA in 24 starts and was 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA in his past five outings. He leads the A's in wins, innings pitched and starts.

 

Oakland, 66-56, has 40 regular-season games remaining on its schedule, including Wednesday afternoon's game against Minnesota. Barring rainouts, Colon will miss those 40 games and the first 10 games of the postseason if the A's advance that far. If they don't, the remainder of the suspension would be served whenever Colon, eligible for free agency, signs another Major League contract.

 

"The Oakland Athletics are disappointed to learn of today's suspension of pitcher Bartolo Colon," the team said in a statement. "The organization fully supports Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and its efforts to eliminate performance-enhancing substances from our game. Per the Basic Agreement, the A's will have no further comment."

 

Oakland entered Wednesday's action a half-game behind Baltimore for the second Wild Card spot in the American League. Colon had been scheduled to pitch Thursday at Tampa Bay.

 

"It's a shock," A's reliever Grant Balfour said, according to The Associated Press. "He's a guy that we're definitely relying on right now. I guess you could say it's bad timing any time, but especially now."

 

Colon, the American League Cy Young Award winner in 2005 when he went 21-8 for the Angels, was in his second year after missing the 2010 season due following elbow surgery. He underwent a stem-cell procedure, reportedly reviewed by MLB, and made a comeback last season with the Yankees, going 8-10 with a 4.00 ERA.

 

The A's signed him as a free agent in January.

 

Five Major Leaguers have been suspended this year for positive tests in violation of the drug program. In addition to Cabera, Giants reliever Guillermo Mota was suspended for 100 games in May following his second career positive, and Phillies infielder Freddy Galvis and free-agent outfielder Marlon Byrd (most recently with the Red Sox) was each suspended for 50 games in June.

 

 

Hah fat f*** tested positive for testosterone. Sure not many people are surprised. I remember last year Forsyth calling this in game threads Have a nice vacation punk.

[Laser Show]

Those dirty (ex) Yankees.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Guy took a year off and comes back throwing like Pedro Martinez.

[a700hitter]

This will hurt the A's.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Test all current and ex-Yankees who played for them at least 4 years ago

[Station 13]

Damn f*** this guy. He ran from the Red Sox when he found out he was told to work out the BP in the playoff.

[ibot2much]

Hell, it is a west coast thing. Look at Manny...he was pure until he went west to the Dodgers

[FenwayWest]

These guys just don't get it.... Guess they gotta get tougher...

[Laser Show]

Should be 1 year suspensions for first offense, and lifetime for second offense. There should be mandatory bi-monthly testing for every player in the majors and monthly in the minors.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Idk how I feel about the lifetime. I feel like it's the right thing to do but harsh.

[a700hitter]

The penalty is too light. Melky Cabrera was a 4th OFer type that would top out making $1 to 3 million. He takes PEDs starts leading the league in hitting, wins MVP of the All Star game etc. And he drives up his market value five-fold. If he gets a 50 games and has to forfeit 30% of a $10 million salary, he's still way ahead of the $2 million that he would have made without the PEDs. It's absolutely worth it for players to cheat. Unfortunately for Melky, he got caught before his FA eligibility, so he may never get a $10 million/year contract, but he did make $6 million this season and he'll still have $4 million after the suspension. That's better than he would have made as a 4th OFer.

[Behindenemylines]

The $pankees had to know something was up with Colon. I thought it was a little strange when in the off season they resigned F. Garcia over him. Some of these guys are looking to extend their careers any way they can. If I was a guy who was clean and didn't make a team because of one of these suspended guys I would be pissed.

[a700hitter]

It was well known that Colon's doctor used HGH in his treatment regime. He stated that he didn't use it with Colon. It was very fishy. Everyone figured that he was cheating.

[kapsis21]

forgive me for having no knowledge on HGH but is there a % of HGH they look in the urine sample.. ?

if the doctors are giving them medicine does a lower dose avoid them from being detected.

[Laser Show]

forgive me for having no knowledge on HGH but is there a % of HGH they look in the urine sample.. ?

if the doctors are giving them medicine does a lower dose avoid them from being detected.

 

Melky and Bartolo both tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone. From what I've read, the test measures the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone in their blood. A 1:1 ratio is considered normal, and anything above 4:1 is an positive test. The lab conducts an isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) test on anything above 1:1. The IRMS test determines whether the testosterone is exogenous, meaning it came from outside the body.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Well, since he's a former Yankee, this makes sense. I have always associated the Yankees with injecting testosterone into Colon.

[Thunder]

Well, since he's a former Yankee, this makes sense. I have always associated the Yankees with injecting testosterone into Colon.

 

Well, there aren't a lot of men who don't want testosterone injections.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Too subtle, I guess.

[jacksonianmarch]

Makes sense now

[YAZMAN]

Well, since he's a former Yankee, this makes sense. I have always associated the Yankees with injecting testosterone into Colon.

 

Well played!

[Palodios]

After all the ******** Frankenstein garbage he pulled, they get him for cheating in a different way?

 

And so ends the career of my least favorite player of all time. May a picture of your ass be placed in display in the Yankee hall of fame.