Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
January 06, 2009
Supplemental Suspension

Sergio Mitre and J.C. Romero each were handed 50-day suspensions for a positive drug test. Mitre is upset:

Romero earned two wins in Philadelphia's World Series victory over Tampa Bay last season. He has called the penalty unfair, ESPN.com reported Monday night. He contends the supplement he took during the season was legal because he bought it over the counter at a nutrition store in the United States. An arbitrator decided against Romero in November.

Mitre is with the New York Yankees' Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Triple A team.
The arbitrator ruled Romero was guilty of negligence. The penalty will cost the left-hander $1.25 million in salary, ESPN.com said.

"I still cannot see where I did something wrong,'' Romero told the Web site. "There is nothing that should take away from the rings of my teammates. I didn't cheat. I tried to follow the rules.''

I wonder if other players took this supplement? If so, why is he the only one testing positive. It was my understanding that players knew OTC supplements are risky.


Posted by David Pinto at 11:51 AM | Cheating | TrackBack (0)
Comments

OTC supplements are risky - and not just for athletes who may show a positive test.

The same Congress that called the steroid hearings in order to advise us of the health hazards of steroids, passed the 1994 DSHEA allowed companies to put whatever they could make on the market with no controls and no idea what is actually in the pills. Think what you children may be ingesting....

Romero was stupid to take them, but if they included substances that were not on the label, he has a nifty lawsuit to file - and athletes have been winning these in the past few years.

Posted by: Bob Tufts at January 6, 2009 12:30 PM

I love how he was allowed to continue playing, pitching valuable and effective innings through the postseason even after the positive test. They couldn't have heard the appeal sooner. I'm always skeptical of the supplement excuse.

Posted by: tom at January 6, 2009 12:44 PM

tom --

He actually tested negative in October, so the substance was out of his system for post-season play.

Posted by: Doc | ballssticksstuff.com at January 6, 2009 12:49 PM

Bob,
Have they? I have not seen one cited, but I expect the NFL players will rout Starcaps. The company may have dodged a financial bullet as the courts blocked the suspensions, limiting damages for the moment.

Posted by: dave at January 6, 2009 10:19 PM

a win from 2005...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/summer/2005-05-13-swimmer-suit_x.htm

one of many pending suits..

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/aztecs/20080312-9999-1s12femi.html


Posted by: Bob Tufts at January 7, 2009 10:57 AM
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