Thursday, May 7, 2009

Breaking: Manny Ramirez Suspended 50 Games for Testing Positive to a Banned Substance!

Wow! ESPN

The commissioner's office didn't announce the specific violation by Ramirez, who will lose about one-third of his $25 million salary.

Ramirez's test result was first reported by The Los Angeles Times.

Scott Boras, Ramirez's agent, told ESPN's Peter Gammons that his client did not test positive for steroids, but for a drug that was prescribed by a doctor for a medical condition.

(...)

The report of a Ramirez positive test is the second to rock the sport in three months. In February, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez admitted that he used steroids from 2001-2003 while with the Texas Rangers.

A-Rod and Manny were supposed to be the two "natural" talents that weren't juicing. Baseball gets another black eye. All the major stars of the era are frauds.

UPDATE: I've been waiting all day for Red Sox fan and Manny defender Bill Simmons to comment, and he didn't disappoint with this column on ESPN:
We look at the 2004 banner again. I always thought that, for the rest of my life, I would look at that banner and think only good thoughts. Now, there's a mental asterisk that won't go away. I wish I could take a pill to shake it from my brain. I see 2004 and 2007, and think of Manny and Papi first and foremost. The modern-day Ruth and Gehrig. One of the great one-two punches in sports history. Were they cheating the whole time? Was Pedro cheating, too? That 2004 banner makes me think of these things now. I wish it didn't, but it does. This makes me sad. This makes me profoundly sad.

My son can read it in my face. I am sad. He can see it.

"That's OK, Dad," he says, rubbing my shoulder. "Everyone cheated back then."

5 comments:

  1. Later in life, it is fun to try and pick out the current athletes, that will eventually crash and burn. Manny has been on that list for while. He is a lose cannon. How long after retirement do you think Manny will last, before he goes broke?
    Baseball has turned a blind eye on their steroid problem for a long time. This problem will take a long time to heal.

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  2. Yes, Manny is the dumbest athlete since Leon Spinks.

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  3. Now that we cancel out Bonds, A-Rod and Manny, I wonder who the best player in my lifetime was? I think either George Brett or Mike Schmidt. Possibly Tony Gwynn. Pitcher, we can cancel Clemems, I'd have to say Nolan Ryan or Steve Carlton. Possibly Greg Maddox.

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  4. Well, I definately know which anonymous person wrote that!

    Still, he had a few good years but not as long term good as Brett or Schmidt.

    Mind you, he was an old man by the time I was watching. Apparantly, he was playing left field when Maris hit #61 in '61.

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