MLB Suspends J.C. Romero for 50 games
by dajafi on Jan 5, 2009 9:53 PM EST
32 comments
While Major League Baseball never said J.C. Romero tried to cheat, the 33-year-old reliever who won the third and clinching games of the 2008 World Series has been ruled guilty of "negligence" and will be suspended for the first 50 games of the 2009 season. Romero said on Monday that he bought a supplement from a GNC store in Cherry Hill, N.J., last July. The Players Association had told players the supplement was acceptable, but now the Philadelphia Phillies left-hander will receive a suspension and lose $1.25 million. ... On July 22, Romero bought a supplement at the GNC store in Cherry Hill. He had it checked by his personal nutritionist, who said there was nothing in the supplement that was illegal. There was no warning on the label. Romero mentioned it to Phillies strength and conditioning coach Dong Lien. There seems to be some confusion in testimony during the October arbitration hearing. According to Romero, Lien told him to get a second opinion; Romero took the supplement to a second nutritionist, who cleared it. In the hearing, Lien testified to that fact, but at another time he said he suggested Romero not take it. Romero in no way blames Lien. "What they now say I should have done was call the drug hotline," Romero said. "But I had it checked out by nutritionists, and I was following the guidelines laid down by the Players Association in spring training."
Romero has become a fan favorite for his terrific performance and emotive mound demeanor. I don't see him taking this lying down by any stretch of the imagination, particularly as it sounds like there were multiple failures of communication between the MLBPA and the Office of the Commissioner.
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Romero may not be in the wrong, but the MLB isn’t likely to budge so easily on a matter that they’ve been seen as soft on in recent years.
If we assume the worst — that Romero’s suspension will be upheld — then we need to find another lefty for the bullpen. This is where losing R.J. Swindle hurts. Assuming Sergio Escalona and Mike Zagurski (remember him?) aren’t ready for the majors on Opening Day, then we’ll likely need to look outside the organization. Some remaining free agents — who can probably had at low cost — include Eddie Guardado, Ron Villone, Casey Fossum, and maybe Brian Shouse (as I’ve not seen a market take shape for him yet).
by PhillyFriar on Jan 5, 2009 10:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Shit
I really admire him not taking the 25-game suspension because he believed he did nothing wrong. But if it stands, this will hurt…
by ajay on Jan 5, 2009 10:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
This is where Zero Tolerance policies crash, burn, and kill dozens of innocent bystanders on the ground.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
WHY CAN'T US?
by WholeCamels on Jan 5, 2009 10:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Phil Sheridan’s article adds some important detail. But two things jump out:
1) Romero is probably less “negligent” than the league, the union, and the Phillies organization. Short of simply not taking anything—pretty much an impossibility in the context of his job—or maybe getting a chemistry degree, I’m not sure what other precaution he could have taken.
2) That this all came to a head during the World Series—his arbitration hearing was before Game One in Tampa—and he pitched so well anyway, is pretty amazing.
by dajafi on Jan 6, 2009 12:18 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Unbelievable
They put him through the arbitration before Game One? That’s absurd.
by David S. Cohen on Jan 6, 2009 9:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Has is Bud Selig still the commissioner of baseball? He is so unpopular with everyone that knows anything about baseball, I just can’t believe they gave him a contract extension through 2012.
He has tried to sell ad space on top of bases, tried to cheat the small owners of the Expos out of their share of the team when the team was moved, and, most notably, allowed the rampant use of steroids in baseball while he was commissioner. Don’t forget the most important one: made Cole Hamels pitch in a monsoon in freezing temps, and then suspended the game only after the Rays tied it.
The fact that he is trying to make up for allowing steroids by suspending a player who used a supplement bought in GNC only make me hate him more. FIRE BUD SELIG!!!!
by Clyde Simmons on Jan 6, 2009 8:28 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
The commissioner is loved by one very important constituency – the only one that matters to him keeping his ‘job’ – the owners – and as far as the owners are concerned he’s done a fine job.
You can rant and rave and say Buds a terrible commissioner – but he’s making them money and people keep showing up – so how bad could he really be?
Do I think Bud Selig is a good commissioner? Nope – most commissioners suck – but he only has to please one constituency and he does that well – and since the fans don’t seem to care one way or another – sure they bitch but they keep showing up – he’ll be commissioner as long as he wants to be.
by jemagee on Jan 6, 2009 10:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Also, even if we were to assume for the sake of argument that J.C. was “negligent”, 50 games and $1.25 million strikes me as being way, way excessive. Middle relievers – even relatively well-paid ones like Romero – don’t make that much money over the course of their careers. It’s really a pretty crushing heavy-handed penalty.
by taco pal on Jan 6, 2009 10:51 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
The Number of games is set – and as I understand it – there’s very little room for leeway and yes it’s way way excessive. MLB had no choice when they handled this clusterfrack after ignoring the problem for so long – Congress likes over reactions.
by jemagee on Jan 6, 2009 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think they can be as black and white as they seem to want to be.
There is a huge difference between taking Steriods you buy illegally and taking a supplement and average Joe can walk in and purchase. It’s of my personal belief that if it’s legal for anyone to buy why can’t athletes use it.
"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"
by Whodie126 on Jan 6, 2009 10:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well, it’s not quite that simple. For instance, I know that hockey players are (or at least were, at some point) prohibited from using Sudafed because it provides an energy burst. What matters is, did Romero act reasonably, given what a normal person in his position could have known?
by taco pal on Jan 6, 2009 11:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yeah I wasn't argueing the rules I was just saying my personal belief/opinion.
I know what he did can be interpreted as breaking the rules and was, all I’m saying is I don’t think that something that is legal can be banned. The argument is that it gives you an advantage but it is available for EVERYONE so I don’t see it as an advantage. Illegal Steriods on the other hand is available to EVERYONE at a much higher risk and gives an unreasonable advantage and I’m cool with that being banned.
"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"
by Whodie126 on Jan 6, 2009 12:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Amaro agrees with MLB. I love this guy so far…..(sarcasm).
by The DH on Jan 6, 2009 12:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
The phillies have pretty much always towed the commissioner line – why would they change now?
by jemagee on Jan 6, 2009 1:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Of all the cool things Philly fans have done…booing Bud selig 5 minutes after winning the first world series in 25 years was by far the coolest.
by Clyde Simmons on Jan 6, 2009 1:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Amazing
But very consistent with the Phillies’ organization generally.
by David S. Cohen on Jan 6, 2009 1:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Will Carroll has more
Here. Basically, he says that the supplement Romero tested positive for has a label at GNC warning that you’ll test positive for using the product. There’s a dispute though whether that label was the same when Romero used it (see the comments for discussion).
by David S. Cohen on Jan 6, 2009 1:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Another interesting bit from the Will Carroll piece is that the company that makes the stuff that Romero used is run by one of the guys who was involved with BALCO (and served several months in prison in connection with that mess). In light of that, MLB/Selig’s stance/refusal to cut Romero some slack is not the least bit surprising – and, really, can you blame them?
by kuff6 on Jan 7, 2009 8:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Is that really relevant? I doubt that the CEO of the company had his name on the label of the bottle. And it’s obviously unreasonable to expect Romero to go around pulling corporate registration records and running background checks on their principals.
by taco pal on Jan 7, 2009 2:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I wasn’t saying this in relation to anything Romero could have/should have done. Rather, I was just saying that it provides some insight/explanation as to why MLB would be unwilling to make any allowance for the extenuating circumstances/confusion concerning this product.
by kuff6 on Jan 7, 2009 3:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Amazin'
Eric Simon wrote this really good, objective piece over at AmazinAvenue.com earlier. If you go over there, please behave yourselves.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
WHY CAN'T US?
by WholeCamels on Jan 6, 2009 3:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Good piece . . .
Minus the stuff at the end about assuming everyone is on PEDs. I assume that many have taken it and agree that it’s pretty irrelevant in my mind — I’d rather just evaluate performance since I know nothing about how PEDs help in baseball above and beyond caffeine, cortisone shots, etc. But, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that 90% (or anything near that) have used PEDs.
by David S. Cohen on Jan 6, 2009 4:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
didn’t think I misbehaved. I was defending a guy who is being wrongfully labeled a cheater after we won the World Series. That pic just pissed me off.
by Clyde Simmons on Jan 7, 2009 7:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Generally I’m of the opinion that it’s poor form to go to someone else’s blog and “start stuff,” especially if a link is shared in an “I come in peace” manner, as it was here. I really don’t want our sites to become a Mets vs. Phillies pissing contest. We’re better than that.
If someone brings it here, then fire away.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
WHY CAN'T US?
by WholeCamels on Jan 7, 2009 12:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
and it wasn’t mets vs. phillies. Posting a pic of a guy accused of taking a supplement that makes you test false positive with a needle in his ass is wrong, and I let them know. I wasn’t Trolling their site saying the mets suck and they are going to choke again in 2009. If you want to freak out about someone trying to defend a player he is being made the poster child for Bud Seligs crack down on steroids then your just as bad as the Phillies organization that went with the flow.
by Clyde Simmons on Jan 7, 2009 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
alright WholeCamels,
I am sorry I posted on their site. I didn’t think i was what you would have considered “misbehaving” but obviously by your post on their site you didn’t appreciate it. I’m sorry and I’ll drop the issue.
by Clyde Simmons on Jan 7, 2009 3:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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