PED Suspension - 80 Games for Starling Marte
 

This sure deals a blow to the Pirates chances. Their #1 prospect, Austin Meadows, may be called up as a replacement.

It does seem like these suspensions have usually been incurred by lesser known major leaguers or minor leaguers.

You would think that the millionaires would realize, by now, how much it will cost them and their teams. What a pity.

You would think the millionaires would be able to buy better PEDs that are undetectable for now. Chances are without those PEDs they wouldn't be making those millions.

He should have consulted the two best experts on masking agents:

bonds and clemens

I agree Ben, but don't think its quite that simple, as the last post alludes to. Most likely, if Marte was taking straight nandrolone (a steroid), he would have to have been injecting it (it is far less effective taken orally). He likely was taking a masking agent with it which he erroneously believed would be effective in concealing the metabolites of the drug, thereby making it undetectable in a urine sample. The cheaters are still there, and are usually ahead of the testers, at least initially. Then the testers catch up, and a whole new round begins. With tens and even hundreds of millions of bucks at stake, this vicious cycle is inevitable--not only to improve performance, but to enable the PED user to maintain performance over what is most certainly a very physically grueling schedule. See Lenny Dykstra's relatively new book, "Tough as Nails (?)," which indicates that Lenny got a prescription for the 'roids simply to enable his body to withstand the rigors of the long, long season, when he hadn't been able to without them.

Highest regards,

Larry

I felt bad for the team that had Marte in my fantasy league. That team had been in our league for a long time and been in the money very few times.

Turns out now, I have Bumgarner - what an idiot. I'm surprised there's not some clause in his contract that would deter him from doing 'hazardous' activities. He cost me >35% of my pitcher's budget. Arrrgh.

I play in a $100 Yahoo roto league and have Marte in my league. Within the first five rounds, I selected Manny Machado, Starling Marte and Justin Verlander. I am currently 11th in the league. We're not even out of April yet, and the season already looks hopeless. :(

Way to early to give up hope!!

I read an interesting take from a player re: PEDs and appropriate penalties for the players who are caught using them. The player suggested there be an earnings cap on players who receive PED related suspensions. That way there is a real deterrent to taking them. Take Melky for example, he was suspended for PEDs and then signed a $16 million dollar deal with Toronto, followed by an even bigger contract with the White Sox. This player suggested that the union vote to instate a rule that says any player caught using PEDs will not only serve a suspension, but be limited to the league minimum for the rest of their career. The point being that the only way to truly hurt a player is to go after their wallet.

Now that is a great suggestion. It will never happen but it would help. One of the biggest thing with PEDs are the long term affects to your body. When you are young and doing them you feel invincible. Then reality sets in as you get older and start having health problems.:(

That is very true, but, in this case, it will have a noticeable effect on the NL Central race. The Pirates don't have a replacement that even remotely fills Marte's shoes.

His actions will have a negative ripple effect on his teammates and the Pittsburgh fans...and I thinks they deserve better.

...and once again, like Braun, Giambi, ARoid, bonds, Clemens, palmeiro and so many more...we will NEVER be able to tell exactly which statistics are legitimate. :mad:


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