{"id":522,"date":"2009-05-08T08:06:11","date_gmt":"2009-05-08T13:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.homeboyznetwork.com\/?p=522"},"modified":"2009-05-08T08:08:44","modified_gmt":"2009-05-08T13:08:44","slug":"just-manny-being-manny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.homeboyznetwork.com\/?p=522","title":{"rendered":"Just Manny being Manny?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mannywood is gone and so is its chief resident. Manny Ramirez\u2019s(notes) 50-game suspension left both the Los Angeles Dodgers and baseball reeling at the news the sport\u2019s second highest-paid player was banished for a drug violation.The dreadlocked outfielder was suspended by Major League Baseball on Thursday, adding another chapter to what will forever be known as the Steroids Era.\u201cThe worst thing I think a person can be is a disappointment to somebody else and Manny feels like a disappointment,\u201d Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.<\/p>\n

Ramirez said he did not take steroids and was given medication by a doctor that contained a banned substance. A person familiar with the details of the suspension said Ramirez used the female fertility drug HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the banned substance wasn\u2019t announced.
\n\u201cAs tough as it is for us, it\u2019s pretty tough for Manny, too,\u201d Torre said. \u201cI know he\u2019s the one that did the wrong thing and nobody is trying to cover that up, but it\u2019s still something that I know he\u2019s sorry about.\u201dending a cycle of the drugs. The body may stop producing testosterone when users go off steroids, which can cause sperm counts to decrease and testicles to shrink.<\/p>\n

Ramirez\u2019s suspension was based not on a spring training urine test result but rather evidence obtained afterward, a second person familiar with the suspension said, speaking on condition of anonymity because those details also were not released. MLB had concluded the spring test was positive, but the person said the players\u2019 association would have challenged the result because of \u201ctesting issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a dark day for baseball and certainly for this organization,\u201d Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. \u201cThis organization will never condone anything that isn\u2019t clean.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ranked 17th on the career home run list with 533, Ramirez became the most prominent baseball player to be penalized for drugs. His ban came three months after Alex Rodriguez(notes) admitted using steroids, and at a time when Barry Bonds(notes) is under federal indictment and Roger Clemens(notes) is being investigated by a federal grand jury to determine whether he lied when he told Congress he never used steroids or human growth hormone. And Miguel Tejada(notes) was sentenced in March to one year of probation after pleading guilty in federal court to misleading Congress about the use of performance-enhancing drugs.<\/p>\n

The revelations have put into question the legitimacy of many of baseball\u2019s recent home run and pitching records. Sluggers Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa(notes) have been tainted by steroid allegations, Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for a banned drug and Jose Canseco said he used them.<\/p>\n

In every case, players once believed to be locks for the Hall of Fame may now be locked out.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t have arguably the greatest pitcher of our era, arguably the two greatest players of our era and now another very, very good player be under this cloud of suspicion and not feel like it has ruined it for everybody,\u201d Atlanta star Chipper Jones(notes) said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what are you going to do? You can\u2019t be born in a different era. It is the Steroid Era,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Colletti and Torre said they found out about Ramirez\u2019s suspension during an early morning phone call from team owner Frank McCourt. Both said they were surprised and saddened at the news.
\nTorre spoke to the rest of the team during a closed-door meeting before batting practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mood was sad in the clubhouse,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can\u2019t have someone who\u2019s as much of an impact player and personality as Manny missing without it affecting people.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 36-year-old Ramirez tried to make amends right away, telling the Dodgers and fans he was sorry for \u201cthis whole situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRecently, I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me,\u201d Ramirez said in a statement issued by the players\u2019 union.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I\u2019ve taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baseball added HCG to its list of banned substances last year.
\nWhile Ramirez had little to say, Canseco was quick to explain why someone might use HCG.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be that a player used it because he used steroids and went cold-turkey and needed HCG to get his (testosterone) levels back to normal. I had to use it when I quit steroids cold-turkey,\u201d Canseco, who pleaded guilty last November to a misdemeanor of trying to bring HCG across the Mexican border into the United States illegally, told the AP. \u201cI had to go to a doctor to get it and get my levels back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ramirez became the fourth player suspended this year under the major league program, following Philadelphia reliever J.C. Romero(notes), Yankees pitcher Sergio Mitre(notes) and San Francisco pitcher Kelvin Pichardo.<\/p>\n

Because MLB imposed the suspension as required by the drug agreement, the Dodgers cannot further discipline Ramirez. He is allowed to work out with the Dodgers but must be out of uniform when the stadium gates open for games.<\/p>\n

Ramirez\u2019s agent, Scott Boras, and the players\u2019 association had gathered materials for a possible appeal to an arbitrator, but Ramirez decided not to file one because he didn\u2019t want to risk missing significant time in the second half of the season, the person familiar with details of the suspension said. The union said merely that he waived his right to contest the suspension.
\nRamirez\u2019s suspension began Thursday, a day after the Dodgers broke the modern major league record for a home winning streak, opening the season 13-0. They lost 11-9 to Washington on Thursday night.<\/p>\n

Barring any postponements, he will be able to return to the Dodgers for the July 3 game at San Diego. Ramirez will lose $7,650,273 of his $25 million salary.<\/p>\n

Losing Ramirez could be a huge blow financially for the Dodgers. The slugger has been single-handedly responsible for increasing attendance, merchandise sales and interest in the team, besides helping it win the NL West after his late-season arrival in 2008.<\/p>\n

Torre, however, insisted Ramirez is welcome anytime.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing that was toughest for Manny is how he disappointed everybody,\u201d he said. \u201cHe loved it here, and he loves how the fans get turned on by him. He was devastated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Associated Press Baseball Writer Ron Blum reported from New York, with AP Sports Writer Beth Harris in Los Angeles. AP Sports Writers Dan Gelston in Philadelphia, Joe Kay in Cincinnati, R.B. Fallstrom in St. Louis, Stephen Wilson in London and Steve Wine in Miami, National Writer Ben Walker in New York and AP Writer Donna Cassata contributed to this report. -yahoo.com<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

Wow, well who else is just sick and tired of this steroid thing. \u00a0And also sick and tired of these players lying about it? \u00a0As stated any player has the ability to take something to MLB and say my doctor is prescribing this for me do you allow this or not. \u00a0He dug his own grave right here and I have no remorse for him at all. \u00a0As a professional who’s making MILLIONS you should have someone HIRED as your nutritionist, if not that you are a dope (no pun). \u00a0Sorry Manny but maybe you are that one out of a thousand “rare” case, but I’m not buying it. \u00a0Such a shame all of these Athletes have so many children that look up to them and what message does this give those children? \u00a0Just gotta shake your head… <\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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