Robinson Cano busted for PEDs

[Vanimal46]

Huge blow to Seattle.

[ashbury]

Was he a shoo-in Hall of Famer up to this point? How about now?

[gocgo]

Whaaaaaaaaat?  Let me guess - accidentally took something....thought it was a vitamin B shot....the guy from my hometown assured me that it was legal....blah blah blah.  Tired of it all.

[bluechipper]

A 1st ballot HOFer, not anymore.

[Mike Sixel]

Sucks for us all....but moreso for SEA

[Vanimal46]

Was he a shoo-in Hall of Famer up to this point? How about now?

Definitely a shoo-in prior to today. I still think he gets in depending on his response or 'apology' after the news today.

[nicksaviking]

Don't all teams have Dominican academies these days? Why doesn't every team have a resident physician at these academies and everyone in the organization who winters in the DR and the minor leaguers who still live there are told by the teams that the team physician and ONLY the team physician can give them supplements, medicine and what not? 

 

Robinson Cano will be paid about 12M during these 80 games he misses. Seems like it would have been cheaper to have one doc on retainer.

[RaymondLuxuryYacht]

Took a diuretic, a common masking agent (What I read, not a medical person)

[cmoss84]

 

Don't all teams have Dominican academies these days? Why doesn't every team have a resident physician at these academies and everyone in the organization who winters in the DR and the minor leaguers who still live there are told by the teams that the team physician and ONLY the team physician can give them supplements, medicine and what not? 

 

Robinson Cano will be paid about 12M during these 80 games he misses. Seems like it would have been cheaper to have one doc on retainer.

They get paid during suspensions?

[Vanimal46]

They get paid during suspensions?

No. I thought Erv's suspension was unpaid.

[KirbyDome89]

 

Don't all teams have Dominican academies these days? Why doesn't every team have a resident physician at these academies and everyone in the organization who winters in the DR and the minor leaguers who still live there are told by the teams that the team physician and ONLY the team physician can give them supplements, medicine and what not? 

 

Robinson Cano will be paid about 12M during these 80 games he misses. Seems like it would have been cheaper to have one doc on retainer.

In theory it sounds nice, but those same supplements ect. are one phone call and shipment away too. If these guys can't be bothered to check into what they're ingesting (assuming it's accidental) or contact their teams to ensure everything is approved, then I'm not sure having a team physician in the DR will really be all that effective. At some point it's just a matter of personal accountability. IMO we're seeing part of the risk teams take when handing out contracts. 

[Shaitan]

 

Don't all teams have Dominican academies these days? Why doesn't every team have a resident physician at these academies and everyone in the organization who winters in the DR and the minor leaguers who still live there are told by the teams that the team physician and ONLY the team physician can give them supplements, medicine and what not? 

 

Robinson Cano will be paid about 12M during these 80 games he misses. Seems like it would have been cheaper to have one doc on retainer.

 

I'm pretty sure players aren't paid during drug suspensions.

[jun]

I don't understand why everyone is so high on Polanco. He has not achieved anything at the major league level and he's already busted for PEDS. Should he be a starter over Escobar? Someone who is busted for PEDS over someone who is always hardworking and well-liked in the clubhouse? Give me a break.

[gunnarthor]

Not really a surprise, he had lots of PED connections. When he was with the Yankees, ownership emailed ARod and asked if he could hook Cano up. Cano worked with Angel Presenal who MLB banned b/c of PEDs. I'm really more surprised he was caught.

[Blake]

 

Whaaaaaaaaat?  Let me guess - accidentally took something....thought it was a vitamin B shot....the guy from my hometown assured me that it was legal....blah blah blah.  Tired of it all.

You must have written Cano's apology.

 

Anyway, I think I see a landing spot for Mr. Dozier at the trade-deadline.

[Mike Sixel]

Players are not paid. Money goes into a fund, that there is not a clear purpose for, iirc. I'd like the money to go to minor league players....

[wsnydes]

 

In theory it sounds nice, but those same supplements ect. are one phone call and shipment away too. If these guys can't be bothered to check into what they're ingesting (assuming it's accidental) or contact their teams to ensure everything is approved, then I'm not sure having a team physician in the DR will really be all that effective. At some point it's just a matter of personal accountability. IMO we're seeing part of the risk teams take when handing out contracts. 

Fair points, but I'll never understand why players don't get their supplements through the team.  The would eliminate any risk of taking something banned.  I'm all about personal responsibility, but if I'm a player, I'm getting everything through the team just to be safe.

[gunnarthor]

 

Fair points, but I'll never understand why players don't get their supplements through the team.  The would eliminate any risk of taking something banned.  I'm all about personal responsibility, but if I'm a player, I'm getting everything through the team just to be safe.

Teams want the players to take PEDs.

[amjgt]

Players are not paid. Money goes into a fund, that there is not a clear purpose for, iirc. I'd like the money to go to minor league players....

I thought we resolved this before.... team doesn’t pay the money to anyone. Their expenses just went down by $12M

 

I think you are thinking of fines.

[Mike Sixel]

I thought we resolved this before.... team doesn’t pay the money to anyone. Their expenses just went down by $12M

I think you are thinking of fines.

I was!

[snap4birds]

 

Fair points, but I'll never understand why players don't get their supplements through the team.  The would eliminate any risk of taking something banned.  I'm all about personal responsibility, but if I'm a player, I'm getting everything through the team just to be safe.

I think I read that Consumer Reports or somebody tested some supplements they bought at GNC.  You'd think those would be on the up-and-up, but there were a lot of problems (things that weren't supposed to be in there, not as much of the active ingredient as advertised, etc.).  Basically, there isn't a lot of regulation and testing going on in the supplement industry.

 

[KirbyDome89]

 

I think I read that Consumer Reports or somebody tested some supplements they bought at GNC.  You'd think those would be on the up-and-up, but there were a lot of problems (things that weren't supposed to be in there, not as much of the active ingredient as advertised, etc.).  Basically, there isn't a lot of regulation and testing going on in the supplement industry.

Basically yes, a little bit no.

 

The FDA is limited in their ability to regulate anything considered a "supplement." In the pharmaceutical industry companies are pouring millions into R&D/testing (not a defense of drug costs here, just the reality of the difference in these industries) while companies that manufacture supplements, i.e. anything labeled as not intended to cure/prevent disease can essentially skip the testing and go straight to market. I've never worked in the supplement industry so I can't attest to how much time is invested in mechanism, metabolism, purity, ect. but I can say from the other side they're viewed as snake oil salesmen. I believe the FDA does have some power in an instance of contamination that you mentioned, but obviously even then they don't have much muscle to flex. 

[jctwins]

DIdn't he just go on the DL with a broken hand? How does that time factor into the suspension?

 

You'd think were they knew this was about to hit, they could have avoided DLing him and just let the suspension cover his time away. Unless they can do that anyway?

[Mr. Brooks]

DIdn't he just go on the DL with a broken hand? How does that time factor into the suspension?

 

You'd think were they knew this was about to hit, they could have avoided DLing him and just let the suspension cover his time away. Unless they can do that anyway?

It doesn't factor at all.

I don't believe there is any advantage or disadvantage either way, so I don't think it matters at all whether they DL'd him or waited for the suspension.

[Mr. Brooks]

What Cano won't tell you in his "apology", is that because he tested positive for a masking agent, and not an actual PED, the league was forced to prove intent before they could suspend him.

So he absolutely cheated, and absolutely intended to cheat, and actively attempted to mask his cheating.

[yarnivek1972]

I don't understand why everyone is so high on Polanco. He has not achieved anything at the major league level and he's already busted for PEDS. Should he be a starter over Escobar? Someone who is busted for PEDS over someone who is always hardworking and well-liked in the clubhouse? Give me a break.

Polanco has a career bWAR of 3.1. Escobar’s is 5.0 in roughly 3 times as many PA.

 

Polanco is a better player, period. Better defensively and I still am not convinced Escobar will maintain a 135 OPS+. As good as he was last year, he still posted only a 101. The main reason I like Polanco is that his contact approach balances a lineup full of guys that swing and miss a lot. I think the Twins need that in their lineup.

[h2oface]

 

What Cano won't tell you in his "apology", is that because he tested positive for a masking agent, and not an actual PED, the league was forced to prove intent before they could suspend him.
So he absolutely cheated, and absolutely intended to cheat, and actively attempted to mask his cheating.

 

"Prove" intent might be a bit of an over statement. In MLB eyes, proof is usually not necessarily something that will hold up in court. But they surely were satisfied with their investigation to suspend. 

[yarnivek1972]

"Prove" intent might be a bit of an over statement. In MLB eyes, proof is usually not necessarily something that will hold up in court. But they surely were satisfied with their investigation to suspend.

They apparently proved it enough to satisfy whatever appeals process there is outlined in the CBA.

[h2oface]

 

DIdn't he just go on the DL with a broken hand? How does that time factor into the suspension?

 

You'd think were they knew this was about to hit, they could have avoided DLing him and just let the suspension cover his time away. Unless they can do that anyway?

 

He was going to be out, for probably an extended period of time on the DL with his hand injury, which may even required surgery. Quite lucky if he gets to accumulate suspension time while he is on the DL, which I think I read. He forfeits less playing time - how much not determined yet, but definitely will be getting a break. He would have been out anyway, but paid. Perhaps there should be a stipulation for these types of suspensions, that the "games" only can accumulate while someone is on or can be on the active roster?

[Mr. Brooks]

"Prove" intent might be a bit of an over statement. In MLB eyes, proof is usually not necessarily something that will hold up in court. But they surely were satisfied with their investigation to suspend.

According to the ESPN story, Cano dropped his appeal when he was presented with the league's proof of his intent. I don't think a player would drop his appeal if the evidence wasn't extremely strong.