12:30 pm PST: The updates are pouring in and I will post a couple links that may shed some more information on the Manny news from today. I will add this note with all the allegations against Bonds, ARod, and Clemens this news today puts Manny in a long list of stars that have been implicated in the use of performance-enhancing drugs, Ramirez is the most prominent suspended under the drug policy players and owners put in place in 2002.
T.J. Quinn and Mark Fainaru-Wada from ESPN say the drug was HCG - "a women's fertility drug typically used by steroid users to restart their body's natural testosterone production as they come off a steroid cycle. It is similar to Clomid, the drug Bonds, Giambi and others used as clients of BALCO."
A source with intimate knowledge of steroids told ESPN that a male athlete usually uses HCG after a cycle of steroids because steroids often shut down the testosterone-making ability of the testicles. HCG restores their capacity to make testosterone. The source said that some males may use HCG in lieu of steroids also. HCG by itself can provide a substantial boost in the body's own testosterone, and this may provide some performance-enhancement benefits.
Ramirez had scheduled an appeal and MLB officials were in Los Angeles to meet with him on Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter told ESPN. Ramirez, however, withdrew the appeal Wednesday and accepted the suspension. Under the union agreement, the drugs major league players test positive for are not released by MLB or the players' union.
Manny played this out perfectly, whatever the substance is and whether or not he knew becomes irrelevant. The worse thing he could do is deny and file an appeal. Manny does not want to go down that road. Look at Bonds and Clemens they are trying to protect what they have done through their careers. All the asterisk talk and erase the stats etc. Manny does not want that in any shape or form. Manny is taking this like a man and even though a prescription was issued he is accepting blame. He does not want to put his character or future in jeopardy so hopefully he rides this thing out.
11:45 am PST: Yahoo writers Tim Brown and Steve Henson have this to add to the Manny suspension today. A source close to Manny Ramirez said Thursday that the illegal substance for which the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger tested positive was not “an agent customarily used for performance enhancing.”
At least not on the baseball diamond. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the substance is supposed to boost sex drive.
“The substance is not a steroid and it is not human-growth hormone,” the source said.
Ramirez, the source said, acquired the substance through a prescription from a doctor in Miami for his medical condition. The source intimated that Ramirez might bring legal action against the physician.
Anonymous sources to me is typically erroneous information. At this point to me somebody is trying to break a story and get lucky or just throw out random information just to get publicity. Similar to the ARod allegations involving steroids currently. However this situation could be a little different and it should be interesting to watch this thing play out. Check out the full article it has some pretty interesting things to say.
Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was okay to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons.
According to Bill Shaikin and Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times, Dodgers star Manny Ramirez "tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and will be suspended for 50 games starting today." The journalists have word on Manny's defense:
Ramirez is expected to attribute the test results to medication received from a doctor for a personal medical issue, according to a source familiar with the matter but not authorized to speak publicly.
Manny was hitting .348/.492/.641 and 6 HRs in 120 plate appearances and in his absence Juan Pierre figures to get significant playing time starting in leftfield. Ramirez will be eligible to return July 3rd, and the Dodgers are already up 6.5 games in the division. The Dodgers will be fine with or without Manny and this certainly will be an issue for Manny and his contract situation. He has to decide in November whether to opt out of his $20MM 2010 salary. Also, Manny will lose nearly $8MM in salary.
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