Cincinnati Reds
Suspension hurts Volquez, not Reds
By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted April 20, 2010 3:22 PM ET
Edinson Volquez will pay for his 50-game suspension, but the Reds will not.
Starting Wednesday, Volquez will be suspended 50 games due to his violation of of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. It will cost him approximately $121,584.70, but it will not change his status on the playing field. Volquez is currently on the 60-day disabled list, however general manager Walt Jocketty said Volquez' return from "Tommy John" surgery is "still on track for the end of July."
"When he starts ready to pitch in games, the suspension should be over," Jocketty said.
By that time, Volquez's suspension will be done. Volquez is currently at the Reds' complex in Goodyear, Ariz., and he will continue to work out there. It will not change anything he's able to do on the field.
Volquez's agent released a statement from Volquez saying he tested positive when he reported to spring training because of fertility drugs. He visited with doctors in Cincinnati and in the Dominican Republic.
"Unfortunately, I now know that the medication the physician in the Dominican gave me is one that is often used to treat my condition, but is also a banned substance under Major League Baseball's drug policy. As a result, I tested positive when I reported to spring training," Volquez said in the statement.
"Although I understand that I must accept responsibility for this mistake and have chosen not to challenge my suspension, I want to assure everyone that this was an isolated incident involving my genuine effort to treat a common medical issue and start a family. I was not trying in any way to gain an advantage in my baseball career. I am embarrassed by this whole situation and apologize to my family, friends, fans, teammates, and the entire Reds organization for being a distraction and for causing them any difficulty. I simply want to accept the consequences, learn from the mistake, and continue to strive to be the best person and baseball player I can be."
The Reds released a statement saying they supported the action and Major League Baseball's policy.
Neither Jocketty nor manager Dusty Baker had spoken to Volquez, yet they said before the game.
"It's sad, I'm sure there's more to it than what came out," Baker said.
Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo said he was surprised, as much because as a younger player, Volquez "hasn't been exposed to that stuff as much." Arroyo also said he doesn't see Volquez taking supplements or anything, but his statement came before Volquez revealed he tested positive for a fertility drug.
The Reds released the following statement: "The Reds fully support Major League Baseball's drug policy and its penalties. The organization does not condone in any way the use of drugs not sanctioned by MLB's medical staff."
Volquez underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament and torn flexor mass in his right elbow on Aug. 3, 2009. The surgery was performed by Reds team medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek.
Volquez is the second Reds Major Leaguer to be suspended in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The first was catcher Ryan Jorgensen in September of 2007. The Reds outrighted him to the minor leagues and he refused assignment. He last played for Minnesota in 2008 and after re-signing with the Reds, he announced his retirement in December of 2008.
Categories: Cincinnati Reds, Featured Stories
Tags: Edinson Volquez, Ryan Jorgensen
Comments (4)
MLB should close that loophole. That's not a sufficient risk of punishment to prevent players from taking PEDs while recovering from injury. Think about it, if you don't get caught, you probably limit your time on the DL because of the recovery effects of the drugs. If you do get caught, you still limit the time on the DL, you just don't get paid for it. That's simply not enough punishment for cheating.
While we're on the subject: There's still way too many incentives for taking PEDs given the current penalty system. I think the system does reduce the incentive for a marquee player in the prime of his career to take them, but for young players trying to make or stick on the big league club, or for older twilight-of-their-career types on their way out of baseball, there's just not enough risk to prevent the gamble.
Think about it with this logical extreme scenario: you take a magic pill and you make the team, you don't take a pill and you don't make the team. Now 10% of the time you take the pill, you get suspended for 50 games. What's the risk exactly? You wouldn't have made the team anyway. Obviously, this is a more likely scenario for players on their way out than on their way in.
1st offense: 1 calendar year suspension
2nd offense: banned from baseball
That doesn't solve every incentive problem, but it surely gets closer.
Reply
I can agree with whatyou are saying, but the Union would NEVER go for it and at the end of the day that is what will keep that from coming to fruition. If it weren't for congress sniffing around, I'm not so sure baseball would've come up with any kind of discipline for using banned substances. Or banning substances period.
What I can't figure out is how stupid a guy like Volquez is for doing them. Of course if he is just losing pay for 50 games he wouldn't be playing anyway why not try it.
Reply
CTRs updated headline says it all. Volquez suffers a dent in his wallet, and the Reds get off scot-free. The thing is though that if Volquez's story is to be believed (and I'm not buying it but hey I'm a cynic, no one ever just says "you got me, I was cheating"), the Reds didn't do their part to prevent this from happening. They should have it drilled in the players heads what is a banned substance and what's not, and have every prescription a family doctor hands out run through the front office to check if it includes something banned.
But in this case, the Reds don't suffer at all for not doing that, because they don't miss one game of Volquez. Way too light. And I'm saying this as a dyed-red-in-the-wool lifelong Reds fan. It's simply not fun rooting for cheaters and I don't want to see it happen again to the Reds.
And the 150k that Volquez loses out on may seem like a chunk of change in his yearly salary, but think about the econmics of the advantage of taking PEDs to recovery from injury. Volquez will get a huge payday of when he becomes a free agent in a couple of years. The only thing that could prevent a contract offer of millions of dollars would be if he had a career-ending injury. So it makes complete economic sense to take the drugs to recover and get back on the field and beef up his resume for his next contract. Pay 150K now, make X millions of dollars more later. That's a great investment. Who's going to turn that down?
Reply
If he really is trying to treat a medical condition why even have a prescription of a banned fertility medication? Edinson Volquez has nothing to do but respect the suspension decision. It's for his own good anyway - though it cost him a lot. All players should know the consequences of every decision they make.
Reply