Romero Suspended 50 Games For ‘Negligence’ In Taking Drug
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Tue, January 06, 2009 12:06 AM | Comments: 58
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UPDATE (11:30 p.m.): Phil Sheridan has the most thorough piece. Please read it.
He spoke with Romero, who concentrates on the fact that he’s defending his pride by taking the suspension and speaking out before Major League Baseball officially announces it tomorrow.
Then there are more details on the drug:
Romero said he went to the store to look for a supplement in July, the time of year he typically starts weight training again. He went to the shelf where his usual supplement was stocked and noticed a new product, 6-OXO Extreme, next to it. Because the familiar supplement required him to take eight large pills a day, he was intrigued by the other product.
The Major League Baseball Players Association has told players that supplements purchased in U.S. retails stores should be safe and within the guidelines of baseball’s drug-testing program. The union acknowledged giving that advice in a letter it sent out to players and their advisers in November. That letter, which arrived too late to help Romero, informed players that three over-the-counter supplements were found to create positive tests under baseball’s drug program.
In July, Romero showed the new supplement to Phillies strength coach Dong Lien, who recommended that Romero get a second opinion before using it. Romero then showed it to his personal nutritionist, “the guy I’ve been working with since I’ve been in major-league baseball,” Romero said.
That nutritionist checked the product’s label and saw nothing on MLB’s banned list. Romero began taking the supplement at that point.
Meanwhile, according to the arbitrator’s report, Lien sent a sample of the supplement to MLB for testing. The tests showed the supplement contained a substance that could result in a positive drug test. A copy of those results was sent to commissioner Bud Selig’s office in July.
Considering it was the first time a banned substance was found in an FDA-regulated, over-the-counter supplement – one available to every major-leaguer and millions of youths – that should have sounded alarms. But no one from MLB, the players’ association or the Phillies told Romero that there was a problem with the supplement.
***
Major League Baseball has suspended JC Romero 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
ESPN reports:
Romero said on Monday that he bought a supplement from a GNC store in Cherry Hill, N.J., last July. The Players Association had told players the supplement was acceptable, but now the left-hander will receive a suspension and lose $1.25 million.
“I still cannot see where I did something wrong,” Romero said. “There is nothing that should take away from the rings of my teammates. I didn’t cheat. I tried to follow the rules.”
According to the article, the Players Association notified players the drug Romero purchased was legal, but in November, the PA sent a letter to players telling them that wasn’t true.
“The season is a grind,” Romero said. “When you’re a middle reliever, you have to be ready to get up and down and pitch every day. Everyone takes something. Some guys drink coffee, others supplements. We try to make sure they’re all legal. I certainly did.”
Posts: 0 Eb
Read the ESPN article the whole thing does not make a lot of sense the way they flip flop on if it is illegal. He should of gotten a definitive answer from the MLB.
Posted: 12:10 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
I’m adding that stuff in. Just getting all of this.
Posted: 12:13 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Fran
Yeah i saw the ESPN article 1 min after it came out and i flipped. the MLB is a joke if they dont take away this suspension
Posted: 12:21 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
That necessitates a left-handed relief signing.
Posted: 12:22 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Anth
WTF!!!???? This is ridiculous. I wonder how many other dudes bought this supposed “banned” substance???? I cannot see how this could be upheld. Romero should sue the pants off the union…
Posted: 12:22 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 christopher
makes absolutely no sense. hopefully they’ll be able to fight this.
Posted: 12:26 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Phil
Oh god…I can just imagine the responses from the douche bag Mets fans to this.
If he bought it at GNC what could be illegal about it? It’s not like you can go to GNC and buy some roids and a side of HGH.
Posted: 12:28 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
I’ll have more on this tomorrow, but boy, Major League Baseball really, really dropped the ball here.
Posted: 12:28 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
or…Happ to the bullpen, phillies step up pursuit of lowe…this is a big problem…romero is very important to the bullpen…alarm bells galore here: priority number one…sign more pitching….two….hoard relief pitching…three…right handed bench bat
Posted: 12:31 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Phil
Yeah, they drop the ball pretty often. Even Peter Gammons seemed to be siding with Romero. Now he’s going to look like a cheater the rest of his career, and people are going to start saying the Phillies don’t deserve their rings, blah blah blah.
Posted: 12:32 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 scbaldwin
this cant be the end of the story. just like that? at 10:38 on a random Monday, Romero gets 50 games!!!!!
Posted: 12:35 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Joe O'Phillie
Must be more to it IMO.
Big loss for the Phils. On the bright side, when he gets back, it will be like the Phils acquired a top relief pitcher mid-season .
Posted: 12:40 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 ryan
this is one of the most insane things ever. gimme a break. they cannot be serious.
Posted: 12:42 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
What gets me is MLB said “25 games if you admit guilt.” Bud Selig’s legacy is just getting worse and worse as each season goes on.
Posted: 12:44 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Anth
The Phils aren’t going to stand for this. Something has to happen, whether federal or what not. What can he do? I want a I support J.C. T-Shirt!!!! GNC logo baby!
Posted: 12:46 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Joe
I just saw this on Murphy’s blog on Philly.com. The first thing that popped in my head was that it was an Onion article. 50 games for Romero? No way. Doesn’t make any sense. But then I read the ESPN article, and WOW. Way to go MLB. What an absolute joke.
Posted: 12:48 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 558 Brian Michael
It sounds more like the MLBPA might be to blame…it depends if the substance was always banned and the PA sent an a letter with bad info or if MLB banned it mid-season. If the former, I think JC should sue the Players Association for the fine and lost wages. If MLB flip-flopped on the substance then they have a different rule for related suspensions. This does sound real flimsy.
Also confusing is how something that can be bought legally is illegal in MLB…I feel like there could be constitutional issues there or something.
Posted: 12:50 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 MARK
cheaters there needs to be a * on the phillies 2008 banner
Posted: 12:51 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Greg V.
For all facebook users, I started a J.C. Romero is Innocent group.
This is pathetic! What a crock MLB is becoming! I support you JC!!!!!
Posted: 12:51 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Mike T.
this really hurts. while the phillies fight this, they must go out and sign a lefty reliever as soon as possible.
Posted: 12:52 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 MARK
why dont u guys go sign bonds and clemens while your at it
Posted: 12:54 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Greg V.
This is absurd! They let that junkie, Bonds crank his record breaking dinger but suspend Romero for a third of the season because he took some GNC vitamins!
Posted: 12:57 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Greg V.
Hey Mark, why don’t you sort out the dopers that are most likely on whatever loser team you root for! GNC vitamins are legal my friend!
Posted: 01:05 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
GNC’s homepage also says their main clientel is to cater to “Sports Nutrition.”
Something tells me there is a substance that shows up positive the same way poppy seeds show up marijuana positive.
Posted: 01:09 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Bruce
Well.. for the first 50 games of the 2009 season the Phillies do have a in house solution.. a veteran leffy in Scott Eyre. No need to panic and spend money or make a trade that may be most regrettable.
Posted: 01:17 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
Poppy seeds actually show up as opium positive because they are from the plant that produces opium. That’s besides the point.
Anyway, its clear he took a banned substance. He didn’t seek direction from the MLB hotline set up for this type of thing, but listened to the MLBPA. The blame falls on the players association, they should instruct players to be vigilant and call the hotline. The MLBPA should not be providing guidance, they do not make or enforce the rules.
Sucks. Romero is responsible for his own actions, but no cheater.
Posted: 01:27 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Evan
woops, I posted that last comment. I meant to respond to SJ Mike but put his name in as mine by accident. MY BAD!!!
-Evan for realz
Posted: 01:28 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
No prob, Evan. Honest mistake.
I just think MLB is gunning for the wrong person because of confusions on the player’s union fault and will most likely be too stubborn to repeal it.
Posted: 01:39 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
they need to fill the roster spot even if you go with eyre…which is fine. happ to the pen go look for another starter? i mean…they need a move thats for sure…you cant just throw a guy in there just for the heck of it…i mean this has to be someone good…eyre can do it, but eyre was good in his role…so you need someone to do that…happ could do that too, but whos the 5th starter ? no…not park, thats not a real option for a 5th starter, no, kendrick isnt either…maybe carrasco is, but thats asking a lot of him…
Posted: 01:48 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Fran
This is redicilous
Posted: 01:53 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Wilson
this is both ridiculous and unbelievable. the end of sheridan’s article really makes a good point…either MLB is suspending an innocent Romero for 50 games or they knowingly let a cheater compete in the World Series and have a major impact. I’m sure that the announcement tomorrow will not be the last we hear of it. Somehow I don’t think (at least hope) that this holds up. Regardless Romero is still one of my favorite bullpen arms of all time!
Posted: 01:55 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 mets09
haha
Posted: 01:59 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Bonezy
Well I can’t see this hanging on forever. Afterall he is not RRoger Clemens. Besides if he gets off of this thing… Clemens and Mcguire will say they took the same thing.
Posted: 02:12 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 mets09
The mets had two relievers suspended for illegal substances. Just dont expect Romero to be as good when he comes back. And this “unknowingly” crap please, Bonds did’nt know either hah
Posted: 02:15 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 John Fire
Romero was tested at random on Oct. 1 and the test came back negative – the banned product he tested positive for in Sept. had run its course through his system. His World Series performance wasn’t aided in any way.
Posted: 02:16 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
“Just dont expect Romero to be as good when he comes back.”
Uh, that’s a stupid statement.
He took the substance between July and September. Before July he was good. After September (after being cleared before the playoffs) he was good.
Plus, performing-enhancing drugs don’t improve control, which IS the reason Romero will struggle.
Posted: 02:20 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 mets09
Uh, He failed a Drug test at the end of August. So if you believe him that he stopped taking it then thats fine ,but do you believe all the others who said they stopped,or only took it while they were on the dl. The mlb can only test for so many drugs, this could be the tip of the iceburg.
Posted: 02:27 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
mets09, this isn’t steroid use. They’re talking about over the counter vitamins sold at sports nutrition stores like Vitamin Shoppe and GNC that was approved by the MLB Players Union.
Posted: 02:29 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 T Marty
This just suckin’ sucks. All i can say about this past season was “They” couldn’t take this away from us (WFC), we could always say 2008 was OUR year. i don’t blame J.C. , i read all i could, and so, i assume no one else in baseball has taken this.. furthermore it was in a store. Ugh, this just tarnishes The Perfect Season. So Upset.
Posted: 02:30 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Tomato
This plus Burrell’s deal make this a really bad day for Phillies fans.
Posted: 02:31 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
This isn’t about the others. It’s about Romero and Romero only.
If you’re gonna throw everyone else in there, then you’re talking about everyone in baseball. So I’m just gonna throw out your statements now.
Posted: 02:31 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
I suspect Romero will fight it and appeal it and has a decent chance of winning. His story seems sincere and MLB is scapegoating him for their messup and confusion.
Posted: 02:32 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
They got Sergio Mitre also for it.
Posted: 02:35 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Well it doesn’t look exactly great that Romero had a long string of successful outings in August. Still, his April was flawless, so I’m not putting much stock in that.
Posted: 02:37 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Phillies Phan SC
SJ Mike said it best, “Sucks. Romero is responsible for his own actions, but no cheater.”
I won’t say whether he did it or not, but I will say that he is not a cheater, and I would tend to think it was negligent rather than anything. Romero had no reason to enhance his performance, and if anything, this timeframe is when he had the lousy few games. So if it was for enhancement it backfired…. I also agree that Selig is getting worse and worse and MLB did drop the ball as Tim said.
What concerns me though is that last paragraph (I will copy it in case Tim adds more)
“Considering it was the first time a banned substance was found in an FDA-regulated, over-the-counter supplement – one available to every major-leaguer and millions of youths – that should have sounded alarms. But no one from MLB, the players’ association or the Phillies told Romero that there was a problem with the supplement.”
It is for this reason that the 50 games is excessive. I see this suspension dropping some before March. Just a prediction.
Posted: 03:44 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Mike B.
Mark and mets09, obviously you’re all ignorant of the story if you really think this puts an asterisk next to the banner. J.C.’s named way too many names in defending himself To anyone who thinks he’s guilty, he isn’t. He’s named too many people who can corroborate his story – his nutritionist and the Phillies personal trainer – to be as easily suspected as Clemens or Bonds. I think the only person Bonds ever named was Greg Anderson, and he went in jail for not testifying against Bonds. And Clemens hired a lawyer to help clear his name – shades of O.J. trying to track down the real killers. There’s no way that either the team trainer or JC’s nutritionist would lie about the story because of the legal implications that would bring. And seriously, if you were going to try to cheat, would you really run that by the team doctor? Think rationally for once and get out of here you trolls. I’ve no respect for anyone who comes here just to cause trouble because that shows a type of illiteracy and stupidity common only to the degenerates who try to treat others like they belong in the gutter, when it is they, the classless, who have no hope of seeing anything cleaner than the dirtiest of sewers. Eat sludge.
And who can blame Romero for being upset? You’d think that your nutritionist and the team’s trainer would know what would get you in trouble.
Posted: 06:18 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Mike B.
*takes deep breath* Okay sorry about that folks. I was just blowing off some steam. But seriously, what real baseball fan would troll in another team’s blog just to cry havoc when they see a rival team’s player got suspended? Sure, I’d revel privately in whatever misfortune would befall the other team, but I’d never taunt a fan of said team – God knows they feel bad enough as it is, and we, as Phillies fans, have all been there.
But I digress. Phillies Phan SC and all of those who think J.C. will be reprieved, I don’t see that happening because a) MLB hasn’t had a name in a long time and think they need to be doing something, b) God forbid Selig actually do what’s right, but he won’t because it’ll look like he’s abandoning some principle which he claims to hold dear even though everything that happened in the 1990s suggests otherwise, and c) MLB is just going to come up with some bull**** answer that Mitre was classy and didn’t complain, and they’ll say “methinks he doth protest too much” about Romero compared to Mitre and that’ll be all the reason they need to uphold the suspension.
With that being said, 50 games isn’t as much as you think because Romero is a reliever. If it were 50 of his outings, yeah I’d be worried. If he were a position player, I’d be more worried still. But 50 games will be up on the first of June – I counted the calendar. Yeah, last April and May Romero pitched in 24 games, but it was 20 IP, and back then, we didn’t have Eyre, we still had Tom Gordon doing his best Tim Worrell/Rheal Cormier (2005 edition) impression, and Adam Eaton and Brett Myers were having a duel for the dregs. Eaton won’t be here (I hope), and as long as Myers pitches just two-thirds as well as he did after he came back up last season, we’ll be okay. We actually have a logjam of pitchers for that fifth spot in Happ, Kendrick, Chan Ho Park (was a standout for the Dodgers before getting rocked after going to Texas), and Carrasco. There would never be a better time to try these kids out. Let the race for the last spot be between those four, and the remaining three vie for Romero’s and Seanez’s old spot. The loser goes back to the minors.
Posted: 07:05 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Brooks
The actions of the MLBPA are unfounded, unfair. When they realized that there are some traces of banned substances on OTC supplements sold at stores to the general public, that they themselves once had sanctioned, instead of publicly accusing (by implied punishment, there is the implication of guilt) Romero of any wrong-doing, they instead should have publicly denounced this drug and privately contacted the players who were found to have used this drug alerting them of the new developments and that they should cease usage immediately or face stiff consequences. Instead, they chose the path that makes them look the ultimate fool, especially when they optioned to Romero if he admits guilt (guilt of what?) his suspension will be reduced.
How childish.
This is a man who made a decision, based on facts, based on acknowledgement from his trainers to continue a plan that would in good faith assist him in his daily training rituals. This foolishness needs to be stopped in its tracks. Bud Selig needs to be deposed and Romero exonerated. But it should not stop there. Court action should be initiated against the MLBPA policy makers for slander, even if implied.
Posted: 07:13 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 Grrrumpy Miner
Phil…first of all as a Mets fan,I have no comment on the JC Romero situation.Is he wrong? Not for me to answer for I am not a judge or jury.Bottom line,Phils have nothing to worry about.Treat this situation like an “injury” and have him do extended spring training.The Phils pen is a strong pen and will be just fine.So certain people should stop whining because it is what it is.
Posted: 08:21 AM on January 6, 2009
Posts: 0 KB
Get over yourself Mike B. If this story was about Sanchez or Feliciano, the Phils’ trolls would be all over the Mets blog saying the same things. Remember the Mets clubhouse employee that plead guilty to distributing banned substances? Yeah, the Phils trolls were coming out of the woodwork on metsblog.com. Welcome to sports fans on the Internet. Stop crying and get over it.
That said, I feel sorry for Romero. All accounts indicate he was trying to do the right thing, but didn’t take the crucial step and check with MLB. Ouch. Looks like he is being a scapegoat and that sucks.
Posted: 08:55 AM on January 6, 2009