According to a report from the L.A. Times, current Dodgers left fielder, Manny Ramirez becomes baseball’s biggest superstar to be suspended since MLB implemented it’s testing program in 2003.
Starting today, Ramirez will be suspended for 50 games, the standard penalty for first time offenders and won’t be able to return to playing until July 3.
Highest Paid Players Rocked By Scandal
Ramirez had signed a two-year, $45-million contract with the Dodgers during the off season which made him the second highest paid player in the league, in terms of average yearly salary behind Alex Rodriguez.
This is the second biggest drug scandal to hit MLB this year after Sports Illustrated revealed that Alex Rodriguez had used steroids in 2003, prior to there being a drug policy in place. Players weren’t subject to suspensions before 2003, which makes Ramirez the sports highest profile player to be suspended.
Jose Canseco Correct Again?
Jose Canseco, who has been almost prophet-like when it comes to baseball’s steroid problem, told people that he felt 90% sure that Ramirez’s name was on a list of 104 players who had tested positive in 2003. The very same list that Rodriguez was on.
No details have been made public yet and fans won’t find out what exactly it was that Ramirez tested positive for but according to the report from the L.A. Times, Ramirez’s camp will be trying to pass the blame of the positive test on a prescribed medication.
Hall Of Fame Bound No More?
Until all the details come out, Ramirez’s reputation has been diminished and he has now been added to the list of players such as Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire that will have a hard time getting into the Hall of Fame because their stats may not have been achieved without a little extra help.
No matter what happens from now until he retires from the game, Ramirez’s stats will seem tainted. Barry Bonds may be the home run king and Mark McGwire may have won the hearts of all baseball fans during the summer he chased the magical number 61, but where are they now? Bonds has been basically kicked out of the game since no MLB team will sign him and McGwire has retreated away from the game after his refusal to deny or admit to steroid use during those infamous congressional hearings on steroids.
Unless Ramirez comes out and admits to taking steroids, his career will never be viewed the same and that fun loving, free-wheeling Ramirez that fans have all come to love over the years might not be smiling as much as he used to.
