Byrd suspended 162 games

[southsider2k5]

Chris Cotillo ‏@ChrisCotillo 12m12 minutes ago

 

Indians outfielder Marlon Byrd receives an 162-game suspension for his second positive PED test:

[flavum]

Talk about a guy that deserves a lifetime ban right now. The guy is scum.

[southsider2k5]

Talk about a guy that deserves a lifetime ban right now. The guy is scum.

 

At 38 years old, this is basically a life time ban.

[flavum]

Lifetime ban, like a Pete Rose type lifetime ban.

[Rowand44]

Talk about a guy that deserves a lifetime ban right now. The guy is scum.

 

 

Lifetime ban, like a Pete Rose type lifetime ban.

Has he done something else besides the PED stuff?

[StrangeSox]

yeah that seems like a bit of an overreaction to a 2nd PED test, but like ss2k5 said, at his age 162 games is basically a lifetime ban anyway

[flavum]

Has he done something else besides the PED stuff?

 

No, but they should get to the point where PEDs are as big of a penalty as gambling if there is proof of trying to cheat. The party is over and I think a lot of players agree. It's going to be interesting to see if changes come in the next CBA.

Edited June 1, 2016 by flavum

[southsider2k5]

yeah that seems like a bit of an overreaction to a 2nd PED test, but like ss2k5 said, at his age 162 games is basically a lifetime ban anyway

 

And I believe a 3rd suspension is a life time ban, no?

[Kyyle23]

Dan Haren is going hard at Marlon Byrd on Twitter

[Soxfest]

That Byrd has flown.

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

Doubtless not the only end of career example of this at the moment.

[caulfield12]

http://www.cleveland.com/budshaw/index.ssf...art_maj-story-1

 

Cleveland writer lays into Byrd...

 

They're also waiting on Abraham Almonte to return from his 80 day suspension...has about 30 more days left to go.

[Y2Jimmy0]

No, but they should get to the point where PEDs are as big of a penalty as gambling if there is proof of trying to cheat. The party is over and I think a lot of players agree. It's going to be interesting to see if changes come in the next CBA.

 

 

Meh. I can't build up outrage over something I don't really care that much about. We have no idea who used and who didn't and who is using and who isn't. I also want to be entertained and like seeing humans do superhuman s***. My favorite sport is football and I love the NFL. Kind of hard for me to be outraged about PED's.

[Panerista]

Year ban is fine. No need for lifetime ban. He didn't throw games, after all.

[Dick Allen]

So he won't appeal and claims he used a tainted supplement. Total accident. Alrighty then.

 

When the Tribe were in town, Byrd hit a homer the first game of the DH. My buddy was yelling "Balco" at him. He's a genius.

[StrangeSox]

What's the criteria the MLB uses for determining whether or not a supplement is okay?

[Balta1701]

What's the criteria the MLB uses for determining whether or not a supplement is okay?

The leagues have all set up agreements and testing programs with various reputable companies, such that there is a list of "approved supplements that we have tested and guaranteed" for each league. But, as you know the supplement industry is basically totally unregulated due to act of Congress so there are thousands of supplements out there that have zero reputable testing and zero guarantee that they contain what they're supposed to contain with nothing else in it.

 

As a player in these leagues you have ~3 options. First is use supplements that are widely available only because some state-level attorney general will probably test those every now and then. Second, use only items from the approved lists from the league. Third, use items that you test yourself or that you have some reason to trust. The latter obviously still has some risk associated with it. Finally, you could throw caution to the wind and use whatever you want and maybe its clean, maybe its not.

 

 

[LittleHurt05]

What's the criteria the MLB uses for determining whether or not a supplement is okay?

 

If David Ortiz uses it, then it's definitely okay.

[Rowand44]

If David Ortiz uses it, then it's definitely okay.

Ha...but seriously. I personally couldn't care less who uses and who doesn't but I do find it interesting just how different some people are treated when they get caught as opposed to others.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Rowand44

[StrangeSox]

The leagues have all set up agreements and testing programs with various reputable companies, such that there is a list of "approved supplements that we have tested and guaranteed" for each league. But, as you know the supplement industry is basically totally unregulated due to act of Congress so there are thousands of supplements out there that have zero reputable testing and zero guarantee that they contain what they're supposed to contain with nothing else in it.

 

As a player in these leagues you have ~3 options. First is use supplements that are widely available only because some state-level attorney general will probably test those every now and then. Second, use only items from the approved lists from the league. Third, use items that you test yourself or that you have some reason to trust. The latter obviously still has some risk associated with it. Finally, you could throw caution to the wind and use whatever you want and maybe its clean, maybe its not.

 

No I mean what makes some specific chemical or compound go on the banned list in the first place versus being perfectly okay, not necessarily the brand or blend but the components that are okay or not.

[Texsox]

I have no sympathy for these guys and the supplements. When it is your job to know what you eat and drink contains and that you could lose your career for eating or drinking the wrong stuff you just make damn certain the ingredients are not banned. But at his age, he's just trying to hang on and not have to work a "real job".

[Dick Allen]

I have no sympathy for these guys and the supplements. When it is your job to know what you eat and drink contains and that you could lose your career for eating or drinking the wrong stuff you just make damn certain the ingredients are not banned. But at his age, he's just trying to hang on and not have to work a "real job".

Especially a guy like Byrd who has already been suspended. He knew what he was taking. I think the innocent mistake does happen once in a great while, but it would surprise me if most of the busted don't have other things the tests haven't caught up with in their systems as well.

[Rowand44]

Especially a guy like Byrd who has already been suspended. He knew what he was taking. I think the innocent mistake does happen once in a great while, but it would surprise me if most of the busted don't have other things the tests haven't caught up with in their systems as well.

I guarantee the honest mistake happens every now and then. Unfortunately no one is going to believe when more often than not that's definitely not the case.

[Balta1701]

No I mean what makes some specific chemical or compound go on the banned list in the first place versus being perfectly okay, not necessarily the brand or blend but the components that are okay or not.

There's no hard and fast line of "this is a performance enhancing drug and this is not". Caffeine is a performance enhancing drug and this post is possible in part because of it. The actual decision is something of a hodgepodge - vitamins and caffeine are ok, speed isn't. Things that metabolize into hormones such as testosterone in the body have been well agreed to be PEDs, things that enable the body to carry more oxygen are considered PEDs, painkillers sometimes are.

 

Basically the setup winds up being some version of "what does it do in the body" and "does the government consider it legal". This of course always leaves open the gap for someone to figure out a new supplement or chemical that leads to enhanced performance that the law and tests haven't caught up with yet. I think the modern tests are probably extremely reliable in catching recent use of just about any version of anabolic steroids, depending on what the definition of "recent" is. Figuring out what other things do is much more challenging.

[Texsox]

Especially a guy like Byrd who has already been suspended. He knew what he was taking. I think the innocent mistake does happen once in a great while, but it would surprise me if most of the busted don't have other things the tests haven't caught up with in their systems as well.

 

 

I guarantee the honest mistake happens every now and then. Unfortunately no one is going to believe when more often than not that's definitely not the case.

 

I am certain there are some honest mistakes. But those can't be excused. No one takes a supplement by accident. If you are subject to drug screening and testing, you better be 100% certain of everything you put in your body. No other policy works.