Raffie...whoda thunk it?

[Otter]

The Orioles confirmed Monday that first baseman Rafael Palmeiro has been suspended by Major League Baseball for violating the steroid policy. The suspension will last 10 days.

Palmeiro recently became the fourth player to amass 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. He wasn't at Camden Yards Monday but he issued a statement before a scheduled conference call with reporters.

From the WP

 

[jazz lady]

Say it ain't so, Joe.

 

[AK-74me]

Holy crap, no way!

 

[Ken King]

Listening to his explanation it seems he has an ex-Clinton public affairs rep. "I didn't intentionally take that illegal substance", "I must have accidentally ingested it". What a bunch of BS. Maybe Congress should bring him up on perjury for his earlier testimony.

 

[tomchamp]

Listening to his explanation it seems he has an ex-Clinton public affairs rep. "I didn't intentionally take that illegal substance", "I must have accidentally ingested it". What a bunch of BS. Maybe Congress should bring him up on perjury for his earlier testimony.

Did he testify before congress? If so ..lock him up!

 

[Ken King]

Did he testify before congress? If so ..lock him up!

Yes, indeed he did. Spouting loudly that he never used steriods.

 

[Kizzy]

Doesn't anyone think there is the possibility that some OTC product he took caused a "false" positive?

Maybe a testosterone supplement? :shrug:

 

[tomchamp]

Yes, indeed he did. Spouting loudly that he never used steriods.

There's a chapter in Zell Millers book about this subject!...He talks about how he grew up watching baseball. And as a young kid had all these heros (Ruth, Mantle and others). And this drug thing has ruined it all. Making all the stats like ( HR's, RBI's ER's) useless.

 

[Ken King]

Doesn't anyone think there is the possibility that some OTC product he took caused a "false" positive?

Maybe a testosterone supplement? :shrug:

Well he certainly isn't claiming that, so why should we think that is what might have caused it?

 

[Kizzy]

Well he certainly isn't claiming that, so why should we think that is what might have caused it?

He isn't claiming anything. He is denying that he knowingly took a steroid substance. It is just something that could be "possible."

I wonder if they ordered another test immediately. :shrug:

There is always a possibility of errors on these test, user errors.

I'm just not quick to hang the guy by his toe nails and call him guilty, when there could be other reasons.

 

[Ken King]

He isn't claiming anything. He is denying that he knowingly took a steroid substance. It is just something that could be "possible."

I wonder if they ordered another test immediately. :shrug:

There is always a possibility of errors on these test, user errors.

I'm just not quick to hang the guy by his toe nails and call him guilty, when there could be other reasons.

And I thought by now, especially with your field of endeavor and your experience, that it would be obvious when someone was lying through their teeth.

 

[Kizzy]

And I thought by now, especially with your field of endeavor and your experience, that it would be obvious when someone was lying through their teeth.

Yeah that kind of hit me after I posted it.

And NO, I don't want to buy that waterfront property in Arizona.

 

[Otter]

Well he certainly isn't claiming that, so why should we think that is what might have caused it?

This whole thing is strange..Palmeiro appealed when he was notified he had flunked a steroid test. Baseball heard his appeal, thats a first, the others that have been suspended were told to pound sand when they tried to appeal. The appeal decision was split, so they sent it to an arbitrator. The arbitrator upheld the suspension because there was no refuting that there were steroids in his system.

There has to be something to his story about 'not knowingly taking steroids" if they allowed his appeal and still couldn't decide, then sent it to arbitration. A lot of this just doesn't make sense, the vehemence in front of Congress with which he denied using and also, he was involved in baseballs anti-steroid program. If I sound biased, I am, I've always liked Palmeiro and figured him to be one of the good guys. Unless they release more info, I'll probably never know what to think.

 

[Ken King]

This whole thing is strange..Palmeiro appealed when he was notified he had flunked a steroid test. Baseball heard his appeal, thats a first, the others that have been suspended were told to pound sand when they tried to appeal. The appeal decision was split, so they sent it to an arbitrator. The arbitrator upheld the suspension because there was no refuting that there were steroids in his system.

There has to be something to his story about 'not knowingly taking steroids" if they allowed his appeal and still couldn't decide, then sent it to arbitration. A lot of this just doesn't make sense, the vehemence in front of Congress with which he denied using and also, he was involved in baseballs anti-steroid program. If I sound biased, I am, I've always liked Palmeiro and figured him to be one of the good guys. Unless they release more info, I'll probably never know what to think.

Maybe they allowed it because he is such a high dollar player (all others popped so far aren't really big name starters). His suspension of 10 games might total a $ amount requiring an appeal based on the content of the players contract. I don't know but it was evident that it was turned down.

 

[Otter]

Maybe they allowed it because he is such a high dollar player (all others popped so far aren't really big name starters). His suspension of 10 games might total a $ amount requiring an appeal based on the content of the players contract. I don't know but it was evident that it was turned down.

10 days, not games. I thought the same with him being high profile, but why was it sent to an arbitrator because the folks on the appeal board couldn't make a decision??

 

[Ken King]

10 days, not games. I thought the same with him being high profile, but why was it sent to an arbitrator because the folks on the appeal board couldn't make a decision??

10 days, 10 games okay. I guess it could have rained all 10 days and he wouldn't miss a thing huh. Where is a hurricane or two when Baltimore needs them?

Who was on the board? He might have had some friends on it. You said "split-decision" and that means some thought he did it and an equal amount thought he didn't, thus arbitration where an objective decision was made.

 

[Otter]

You said "split-decision" and that means some thought he did it and an equal amount thought he didn't, thus arbitration where an objective decision was made.

No clue who or what makes up the appeal board, I'm just going off of what the baseball guy(can't remember his name) on ESPN reported an hour ago. He found it odd that baseball even allowed his appeal since others have tried and they have told them to kiss off. I find it hard to believe a player who has been a class act his whole career would still hold to his story about 'not knowingly taking steroids', plus the appeal and arbitration. It's a done deal now but I would love to see the transcripts of the appeal.

 

[Penn]

The players on ESPN2 are dumbfounded; saying just about what you all are.

What they can't figure out is - he says he took some thing "unknowingly". What's that supposed to mean?

Rationale follows:

Further, they said, players these days are much more conscious about their bodies, their health, the rules, yada, yada, yada - what they're putting into their systems - so what is he trying to tell us?

They want to hear a lot more on this before they pass judgement.

Me? I'm truly shocked; I thought he was a fair and square kind of guy.
(hope he is)

 

[Agee]

G. Bush who owned the Texas Rangers, while R. Palmero was a player for the team, was quoted on ESPN, saying:

"Raphel Palmero is a friend, if he stated he unknowingly took Steroids... I believe him"

I've always had respect for his baseball skills, and is character. Like Otter, the jury is still out, and the sports spin doctors have already forged ahead.

I'll wait and see.

 

[AK-74me]

What I want to know is this, what are the banned substances in baseball? Anyone know, I know they really tighten up the policy lately but in my opinion there is a big difference between Dinabol (a real steriod) and some of these (banned substances) they have but into place recently like Ephedra. Maybe to baseball there is no difference but to me there is, I would just like to know exactly what was found in him before everyone hangs him.