December 06, 2007
Documentary Suspensions
Jay Gibbons and Jose Guillen draw 15-day suspensions for evidence linking them to performance enhancing drugs (PEDs).
Both players have never been linked to a positive test for a banned substance. Instead, both were linked to such substances through documentary evidence.
In its actions, Major League Baseball appears to be creating a framework for how it will deal with players that may be named in Mitchell's report. Mitchell has been provided with documentary evidence by Kirk Radomski, a former Mets clubhouse attendant who provided dozens with players with drugs from 1995 through 2005 and has since pleaded guilty to steroid distribution.
But the players in the Mitchell report, like those suspended today, may have a documentary link to performance-enhancing substances and not one involving positive tests. So they, too, could be facing the type of discipline levied against Gibbons and Guillen. In contrast, a player who now tests positive for steroid use is suspended 50 games for a first-time offense, with the penalty becoming more severe for a second or third offense.
Not everyone is getting suspended, however:
Four of those players, the commissioner's office also announced today, will not be suspended because the office "had determined that, with respect to each player, there was insufficient evidence of a violation of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program in effect at the time of the conduct in question."
Those four players are Scott Schoeneweis of the Mets, Gary Matthews Jr. of the Los Angeles Angels, Troy Glaus of the Toronto Blue Jays and Rick Ankiel of the St. Louis Cardinals.
The rumor is the Mitchell report comes out next Thursday. Stay tuned for more names.
If you believe the use of these drugs started with the shipments indicated in the article, it takes about a year for them to have an effect. Gibbons best power season was 2005, and Guillen's power exploded in 2003, both in the second season of receiving the drugs. The thing I'd like to see most in the Mitchell report is start dates for players so we can see just how much these drugs meant to their production.
Correction: Jay, not John Gibbons.
Posted by David Pinto at
07:53 PM
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I am guessing that the evidence against the four players that were not suspended covered either steroids before 2004 or HGH before 2005 and thus use before penalties for these substances were part of the CBA. Likewise I am guessing that the evidense against Guillen and Gibbons covered either use of steroids after 2003 or HGH after 2004 and thus at a time in which the CBA had penalties for their use.
As an aside, if I am correct this would say to me that this standard will be applied to those uncovered in the Mitchell Report as well which would be good news for Barry Bonds since all his aleged use was 2003 or earlier.
I always thought that the Gibbons you're talking about, (hitting 26 homer runs in 2005) was named Jay and not John. There's a good chance your right though I checked baseballreference.com and it listed his name there as Jay. Just thought I'd make a note.
James