Steven Wright suspended 80 games for PEDs

cornwalls@6

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I don’t care at all about the positive test in a vacuum. But coming off his suspension for the admittedly murky DA charges, and his decision to not inform the club this was going on, I think it’s entirely fair to question his judgement. But the main issue for me is that is a guy who, for a variety of reasons, has been largely unavailable to contribute to the ball club for a couple of years now. And while he has at times been a useful piece, he simply isn’t good enough to keep waiting on. Seems like it’s time to free up a roster spot, free up some cash, and cut bait.
 

lexrageorge

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At least no-one has blamed Farrell yet for this latest incident.

It's unclear if Wright is ever going to be able to contribute. But I can see the Sox keeping him around in order to have bullpen depth during the dog days of July and August when it can come in handy. I can also see him being released once his suspension is over. I will not be all that broken up if he does get released; he just doesn't seem like the brightest bulb.
 

Mugsy's Jock

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I have a hard time squaring Wright’s selfish decision not to tell the Sox with Cora’s culture of team.

Always love having a knuckleballer on the team as a bullpen saver when games go crazy into extras. But now I guess the Sox can just ask Eovaldi to handle that.
 

DeadlySplitter

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I honestly couldn’t care less about the HGH but opting not to tell the team is really messed up.
if he tested positive before the non-tender deadline, he really could not tell them.

Pete also said it's kosher.

Pete Abraham‏Verified account @PeteAbe 18h18 hours ago
Did a some checking because it seemed odd Steven Wright did not inform the Red Sox of his pending suspension until last week. Sox and MLBPA sources said a player is told not to inform his team until the appeal is complete. So the Sox were not bothered by that.
 

Al Zarilla

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It's strange how we accept PEDs in the NFL, but work ourselves into a lather about PEDs in baseball. How many people were calling for the Pats to cut Edelman last summer?

.
For one, Edelman is Brady’s favorite receiver. Or, if you don’t like that term knowing Gronk is on the team, most targeted, by a lot.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Sampo Gida

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Well, he should be healthy for the 2nd half, thats a plus. No post season for him though

I dont know how you can inadvertently have something like this in your system. I guess if he was tested for adult hormone deficiency since a diagnostic agent that is marketed by Kaken Pharmaceutical in Japan in a single-dose formulation for the assessment of growth hormone deficienc contains this chemical, but his Doctors would know of this so I have to assume he was trying to get an edge

This is a fine line to me. Trying to recover from an injury and using all medical tools available to recover gets you suspended in one case but UCL replacement, cortisone, pain killers, red bull are all OK

Well, he knows the rules. Got caught.
 

Cesar Crespo

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How would you realistically use a pitcher in the 2nd half that you can't use in the playoffs? Mop up duty and spot starts? You can't become reliant on him.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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You can use him like you normally would, just knowing you won't be able to do so in the postseason, when there is more time off and you can use a starter or two in relief.

You can also use him to give other guys rest.

Lots of value there.
 

Cesar Crespo

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You can use him like you normally would, just knowing you won't be able to do so in the postseason, when there is more time off and you can use a starter or two in relief.

You can also use him to give other guys rest.

Lots of value there.
This is true. I was thinking more along the lines if he somehow became our 1st bullpen option, would you still use him in the most important bullpen role or just continue using him in the same role as always? If he's the 3rd-6th guy out of the pen, I'm not sure it matters at all.
 

BornToRun

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if he tested positive before the non-tender deadline, he really could not tell them.

Pete also said it's kosher.

Pete Abraham‏Verified account @PeteAbe 18h18 hours ago
Did a some checking because it seemed odd Steven Wright did not inform the Red Sox of his pending suspension until last week. Sox and MLBPA sources said a player is told not to inform his team until the appeal is complete. So the Sox were not bothered by that.
Well I stand corrected.
 

Muppet

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I feel like my post was fairly nuanced and addressed both these posts but you cherry pick a line from me and carry on with the hate without responding to the whole. Of course context matters. But do you really believe with 100% certainty that this is all so black-and-white? Anyone accused of violating substance abuse should be tossed out the door in all circumstances? Anyone that is accused of non-violent domestic abuse should be forever vilified? We know very very little of the details and facts of these cases - shouldn't that matter? Or is everything a litmus test that you're either for PEDs and wife-beating or against it and so in order to show our bonifides we need to hurl our hate and scorn at the latest person brought to our attention?

I mean I think paedophiles are some of the lowest of the low, but if an 18-year old is convicted of having consensual sex with a 17-year old because his state has strict legislation that says essentially 'the age of Consent is 18 and therefore this is a adult-child relationship and therefore rape' I'd defend the kids. Would you really take your 'the law is the law' attitude and lump him together with some of the worst animals in society?
Great post.

For me personally, due to personal experiences I have a very low tolerance for anyone that would do anything to harm their spouse or family. This usually results in me being firmly of the position that I would personally disapprove or think negatively towards one who has committed an act like this, providing there was enough evidence to prove it happened. This is my emotive response, which is a personal opinion only, and should only matter to me.

I don't have the same convictions towards the use of PED's, simply because I know they aren't a magic pill that would make me, a fat, bald talentless prat a, MLB quality player. You still need the talent and a lot of work to be put in to achieve the results.

Having said all of the above, if one breaks a rule in relation to the any of above, if someone is proven to a sufficient standard that they have violated the rule, then I expect them to be punished accordingly. I expect the punishment would acknowledge the nuance and context of the incident that you mention and be adjusted to fit "the crime". This is/should be an non-emotive response and should be done objectively.

Once punishment is served then they should be allowed to return unconditionally.

An example I suppose is Michael Vick. I abhor people who abuse animals and to this day I will never forgive what he did. I also had a incredibly heated argument with someone who suggested he should have never been allowed to play again following the completion of his punishment.
 

Plympton91

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Great post.


I don't have the same convictions towards the use of PED's, simply because I know they aren't a magic pill that would make me, a fat, bald talentless prat a, MLB quality player. You still need the talent and a lot of work to be put in to achieve the results.
But the people using PEDs for a banned and often illegal advantage aren’t competing with old, bald, fat, no-talent guys. They’re competing with other twenty-something very talented men who are working their ass off to get to the major leagues without cheating. That’s the comparison you should make.
 

Muppet

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But the people using PEDs for a banned and often illegal advantage aren’t competing with old, bald, fat, no-talent guys. They’re competing with other twenty-something very talented men who are working their ass off to get to the major leagues without cheating. That’s the comparison you should make.
Sorry for not being clear, I wasn't arguing that one was more heinous than the other, just that my personal bias was towards the domestic abuse side than the PED side.

In my mind both are illegal for a reason, there's just one I have more of an issue with personally, for completely subjective reasons.
 

John DiFool

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I mean I think paedophiles are some of the lowest of the low, but if an 18-year old is convicted of having consensual sex with a 17-year old because his state has strict legislation that says essentially 'the age of Consent is 18 and therefore this is a adult-child relationship and therefore rape' I'd defend the kids. Would you really take your 'the law is the law' attitude and lump him together with some of the worst animals in society?
Getting off-topic, but most states have Romeo & Juliet laws to cover just such contingencies.
 

Cesar Crespo

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In my mind both are illegal for a reason, there's just one I have more of an issue with personally, for completely subjective reasons.
I'd hope everyone else too. Steroid usage and DV aren't in the same stratosphere.
 

JimD

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What would be the payroll implications of cutting Wright - any savings to be had, or is his 2019 salary already locked in at this point?
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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What would be the payroll implications of cutting Wright - any savings to be had, or is his 2019 salary already locked in at this point?
They're on the hook for his full salary if they cut him. If they hang on to him, I think they get relief on the salary not paid during the suspension. He's slated to make $1.375M, so any savings they could get isn't going to do much for them in the way of luxury tax implications.
 

joe dokes

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They're on the hook for his full salary if they cut him. If they hang on to him, I think they get relief on the salary not paid during the suspension. He's slated to make $1.375M, so any savings they could get isn't going to do much for them in the way of luxury tax implications.
Thats it. They save 80 games of salary due to the suspension. Its roughly equivalent to the major league minimum.
But like Sandoval, they have to pay him the rest regardless and the salaries count.
 

JimD

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Ah, thanks. Guess it makes sense to let him use the time to complete his rehab and be ready to contribute out of the bullpen or as a spot starter. Hopefully he'll be in a position to help save some wear and tear on the top relievers in August and September.
 

Sandy Leon Trotsky

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Ah, thanks. Guess it makes sense to let him use the time to complete his rehab and be ready to contribute out of the bullpen or as a spot starter. Hopefully he'll be in a position to help save some wear and tear on the top relievers in August and September.
Knowing Sale’s history he’ll be starting once every 5 games from late July to mid September
 

donutogre

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Knowing Sale’s history he’ll be starting once every 5 games from late July to mid September
I know this is a cheeky comment, but given that Sale has thrown 200+ innings 3 of the last 4 seasons, I don't think his history is all that set in stone (even though the pessimist in me is also gearing up for another half-season of injury).
 

Bad Penny

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Bingo - with an additional "I didn't tell the team about it" bonus!

I will preface this by saying I am no expert, maybe one of the Endocrinologist's can clarify any mistakes that I make.

His excuse is BS. HGH is not your run of the mill steroid. You could, if sloppy and unlucky ingest a supplement that has some anabolic "accidentally" mixed in. If you stick with the MLB approved products, the odds of this happening are minuscule.

HGH is an entirely different kettle of fish. It has to be refrigerated, if it is black market it has to be mixed in a very specific way with a certain type of fluid or it dies. All of these things could have happened without his knowledge, but here is the catch. HGH must be injected. He was taking regular shots from some guy at his gym.

I am not a betting man, but I would wager he is lying.

I probably should have read the 2nd page. Doh.
 
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effectivelywild

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I will preface this by saying I am no expert, maybe one of the Endocrinologist's can clarify any mistakes that I make.

His excuse is BS. HGH is not your run of the mill steroid. You could, if sloppy and unlucky ingest a supplement that has some anabolic "accidentally" mixed in. If you stick with the MLB approved products, the odds of this happening are minuscule.

HGH is an entirely different kettle of fish. It has to be refrigerated, if it is black market it has to be mixed in a very specific way with a certain type of fluid or it dies. All of these things could have happened without his knowledge, but here is the catch. HGH must be injected. He was taking regular shots from some guy at his gym.

I am not a betting man, but I would wager he is lying.

I probably should have read the 2nd page. Doh.
He didn't get popped for HGH. His positive test was for growth-hormone releasing peptide-2. And while it can be injected, it can also be taken orally.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15230633

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pralmorelin


He's still dumb even if it was in a supplement that he thought was "legal," but let's not make things up, if we can.
 

Van Everyman

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Is there any case for guys using PEDs unintentionally? Do sports medicine doctors slip up periodically with the constant updating of the list of what is an isn’t allowed?

I’m not looking to exonerate Wright here – I am fully on board with the idea that athletes are responsible for what they put in their own bodies. And I know we all have a jaundiced view of athletes today and the stupid GMAC vitamin shake explanation. But I’m also wondering if the “I have no idea” excuse could ever be valid.
 

effectivelywild

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Is there any case for guys using PEDs unintentionally? Do sports medicine doctors slip up periodically with the constant updating of the list of what is an isn’t allowed?

I’m not looking to exonerate Wright here – I am fully on board with the idea that athletes are responsible for what they put in their own bodies. And I know we all have a jaundiced view of athletes today and the stupid GMAC vitamin shake explanation. But I’m also wondering if the “I have no idea” excuse could ever be valid.
In theory its possible, if a doctor is not totally up to date on the list of banned substances, though I would assume most sports doctors keep a close eye on what is banned, out of professional obligation more than anything else. Perhaps an athlete's primary care doctor (especially if in another country) could accidentally prescribe something from the banned list (Raul Mondesi, for example, was suspended after taking an over-the-counter flu medication that contained clenbuterol).

And not that it exonerates athletes who get caught for PED use, but the prevalence of banned substances being found in "supplements" is way higher than I would have thought (https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/10/1093 has an interesting review). Bottom line is, any athlete, especially one at a professional level, has to be very careful about what they put into their body and test their supplements regularly. It would probably behoove most organizations to mandate that any supplement that one of their athletes uses must be carefully tested and approved by the organization itself.