On Wednesday, the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball announced that Padres starting catcher Yasmani Grandal is effectively suspended for 50 games for violating the substance abuse policy as outlined in the latest collective bargaining agreement between the owners and players of MLB. According to a press release issued by Major League Baseball, Grandal will receive the 50-game suspension beginning at the beginning of the 2013 season.
Grandal tested positive for Testosterone, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Excessive Testosterone is generally a symptom of Anabolic Steroid use, much of it synthesized but showing the same results as having an excess of natural Testosterone in one's system.
Brought to the Padres as part of a trade that sent pitcher Mat Latos to the Cincinnati Reds (along with fellow Cuban-born, University of Miami alumnus first baseman Yonder Alonso, and pitchers Brad Boxberger, and Edinson Volquez), Grandal came up mid-season in 2012 and hit .297 in 227 plate appearances with 8 home runs and 36 runs batted in. Yasmani will not be eligible to return to the Padres line-up until late in May.
The Padres issued a press release that read, "We were disappointed to learn of the suspension of Yasmani Grandal for violating Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention & Treatment Program. We fully support Major League Baseball's policy and its efforts to eliminate performance enhancing drugs from our game. Per the protocol outlined by Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement, we will not comment further on this matter.”
Yasmani Grandal issued the following statement which was passed on by Padres public relations, "I apologize to the fans, my teammates, and to the San Diego Padres. I was disappointed to learn of my positive test and under the Joint Drug Program I am responsible for what I put into my body. I must accept responsibility for my actions and serve my suspension."
Notes:
Prospect Blake Tekotte, who was dropped from the 40-man roster on November 2nd to make room for players who were removed from the 60-day disabled list, was traded to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. The Padres received pitcher Brandon Kloess in return. Kloess, 27, has spent his entire career in the minor leagues, predominantly as a relief pitcher. His fastball tops out in the low 90-miles per hour range but shows good movement and he has a better than 3 to 1 ratio of strike-outs to walks.
The other Padres player designated for assignment was left-handed pitcher Josh Spence, who was then claimed by the New York Yankees. Spence was 0-3 with the club over two years, pitching in 51 games with an earned run average of 3.15 in 2011 and 2012 combined.
On Wednesday, the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball announced that Padres starting catcher Yasmani Grandal is effectively suspended for 50 games for violating the substance abuse policy as outlined in the latest collective bargaining agreement between the owners and players of MLB. According to a press release issued by Major League Baseball, Grandal will receive the 50-game suspension beginning at the beginning of the 2013 season.
Grandal tested positive for Testosterone, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Excessive Testosterone is generally a symptom of Anabolic Steroid use, much of it synthesized but showing the same results as having an excess of natural Testosterone in one's system.
Brought to the Padres as part of a trade that sent pitcher Mat Latos to the Cincinnati Reds (along with fellow Cuban-born, University of Miami alumnus first baseman Yonder Alonso, and pitchers Brad Boxberger, and Edinson Volquez), Grandal came up mid-season in 2012 and hit .297 in 227 plate appearances with 8 home runs and 36 runs batted in. Yasmani will not be eligible to return to the Padres line-up until late in May.
The Padres issued a press release that read, "We were disappointed to learn of the suspension of Yasmani Grandal for violating Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention & Treatment Program. We fully support Major League Baseball's policy and its efforts to eliminate performance enhancing drugs from our game. Per the protocol outlined by Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement, we will not comment further on this matter.”
Yasmani Grandal issued the following statement which was passed on by Padres public relations, "I apologize to the fans, my teammates, and to the San Diego Padres. I was disappointed to learn of my positive test and under the Joint Drug Program I am responsible for what I put into my body. I must accept responsibility for my actions and serve my suspension."
Notes:
Prospect Blake Tekotte, who was dropped from the 40-man roster on November 2nd to make room for players who were removed from the 60-day disabled list, was traded to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. The Padres received pitcher Brandon Kloess in return. Kloess, 27, has spent his entire career in the minor leagues, predominantly as a relief pitcher. His fastball tops out in the low 90-miles per hour range but shows good movement and he has a better than 3 to 1 ratio of strike-outs to walks.
The other Padres player designated for assignment was left-handed pitcher Josh Spence, who was then claimed by the New York Yankees. Spence was 0-3 with the club over two years, pitching in 51 games with an earned run average of 3.15 in 2011 and 2012 combined.