AL playoff outfielder on the juice?

[JeeberD]

http://journals.aol.com/dcsportsguy/mrirrelevant/entries/2162

AL Playoff Outfielder Tests Positive for Steroids

Deadspin's 'Who's the Mystery AL 'Roider?' post from yesterday included the following excerpt from this week's USA Today Sports Weekly:

"An American League outfielder on a postseason team tested positive for steroids, according to his agent, but the player is appealing the results."

Certainly interesting, but I didn't make much of it until we talked to Baseball Prospectus' Will Carroll on today's Sports Bloggers Live. Will writes a weekly column for BP that Peter Gammons has called an "industry standard," and he also wrote a book called 'The Juice' earlier this year. His response when told of the rumor?

Carroll: "I really can't talk about it right now. It should be coming out within the next two weeks."

SBL: "Is this a name we're actually going to care about?"

Carroll: "Yes."

SBL: "Is it a World Series champion?"

Carroll: "I really can't talk about it."

SBL: "I would hope not, because that might turn those White Sox black... Will, cough once if he's on the White Sox... Cough twice if it's Gary Sheffield."

Carroll: "I was involved in the appeals process so I can't comment at all."

Here's the full audio interview. The dialogue dictated here takes place between 6:20 and 7:00.

If this is true, there's a 1-in-4 chance someone on the White Sox used steroids this season and then contributed to Chicago's first World Series victory since 1917. And there's a 100% chance a player used and then participated in the playoffs. So... Who was it? And what would Selig do if that player was the World Series MVP or the Game 2 hero? Would it be a Black Sox-level fiasco? Say it ain't so, Jermaine!

Given what we presume to know -- that the guy is in the AL, made the playoffs, is relatively significant and plays outfield -- the list of possibilities is only 12-deep:

· Chicago: Podsednik, Dye, Rowand

· Anaheim: Anderson, Guerrero, Finley

· New York: Matsui, Sheffield, Williams

· Boston: Ramirez, Damon, Nixon

As a fan of the game and none of the teams or players involved here (actually, Vlad is rad), I hope none of them are guilty. But if one is, I certainly hope he isn't on the White Sox.

[jeff061]

Ramirez's last great stunt would be to shoot his trade value to hell. It'd only fit.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I vote Carl Everett. :)

[Ksyrup]

Wow. This would be the second time Damon was in the line of fire. Finley would fit, given his declining productivity.

I guess we'll find out soon enough. And presumably, this is more reliable than the Clemens/Damon rumors, which we're still waiting to break.

[miami_fan]

Are the owners made aware that a member of their team tested positive and is currently appealing?

[jeff061]

I don't think it's Damon. If it is he ranks right up there with Palmeiro. On the plus side he's a free agent, so he'll only be screwing himself.

[Ksyrup]

I don't think it is either, given his pretty strong denial last time. But this is the second finger pointing indirectly at him in 3 months.

[JeeberD]

My money is on Finley...

[Huckleberry]

It's got to be Podsednik. Guy hits no home runs all year long and then two in the playoffs. That's like a bazillion percent improvement. A BAZILLION!!!

[Ksyrup]

My money is on Finley...
He seems the most obvious, as a declining vet trying to salvage an awful season and help his new playoff-bound team. I know nothing about him on a personal level, but just from his situation, he stands out.

[Solecismic]

My guess is Bernie Williams. Just a hunch.

[Chief Rum]

I doubt greatly that it is Finley, although I can't fault the logic of guessing a struggling player wanting to help his new team.

Fact is that Finley is one of those super-physique freaks. The guy has Jerry Rice like workout habits and eats like a monk. A lot was made about his approach to the game when steroids were the big thing early in the season, as he was put up as an example of a player who is very much against using steroids (look at his thin body, too...). I would be shocked if it's him.

I don't think it's Vlad either. The guy just has never needed the 'roids. If it is an Angel, I am afraid I would have to highlight GA as a likely candidate. He has had a ton of injury problems the past couple seasons after playing 155+ every year since his rookie season, and a lot has been made about his loss of power. So I could see him taking steroids this season to try to get stronger and get his power stroke back.

[Rizon]

Well, if it was a White Sock, even if it did help them get to the series, it didn't help them win it. With the way Astrochokes played 3 high school middle infielders* could have beat that team on their own.


* That would be the SS, 2B and a reserve. You know, that kid that sits on the bench and goes like 1-21 during the season.

[Easy Mac]

http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?t=44013

[General Mike]

Sheffield.

[Booj]

It's definitely not Guerrero; I doubt it's Finley. My guess is that it is probably someone on the White Sox; probably Dye or Everett.

[Ryan S]

Sheffield.
Sheffield fired his agent and negotiated his own contract with the Yankees, so that might rule him out (as he has no agent to leak the story).

[Draft Dodger]

He seems the most obvious, as a declining vet trying to salvage an awful season and help his new playoff-bound team. I know nothing about him on a personal level, but just from his situation, he stands out.

There is a LOT more circumstantial evidence than that.

I've been making the Finley arguement for a while now. In Finley's first 7 seasons, he averaged about 6 HR per year, never topping 11. Then, suddenly, at the age of 31, he suddenly became a power hitter: in the next 10 years, he hit 30+ homers 4 times. In fact, since the power surge, he has never hit as few as his pre-surge 11; even this year at 40 he hit 12. A WHOPPING 85% of his career homerun total has been after he turned 31.

And what happened at age 31 to turn this all around? Well, oddly enough, his career reinvention comes at the same time as that of one his Padre teammates: Ken Caminiti. Finley jumping from 11 to 30 home runs happened the same season that Ken Caminiti suddenly jumped from a career high 18 homers to 40 in two season. Just sayin.

[MrBug708]

If Vlad did it then it certainly made him worse as he didn't even hit the hookers outside of the southside...

[sterlingice]

Well, if it was a White Sock, even if it did help them get to the series, it didn't help them win it. With the way Astrochokes played 3 high school middle infielders* could have beat that team on their own.


* That would be the SS, 2B and a reserve. You know, that kid that sits on the bench and goes like 1-21 during the season.
To be fair, they did make it there and the high school middle infielders of the Braves and Cards couldn't do it

SI

[Tom E]

Posendick, he's been trying to come back from an injury. He didn't want to jeopordize not playing in the playoffs and took a short cut...

[JeeberD]

Well, if it was a White Sock, even if it did help them get to the series, it didn't help them win it. With the way Astrochokes played 3 high school middle infielders* could have beat that team on their own.


* That would be the SS, 2B and a reserve. You know, that kid that sits on the bench and goes like 1-21 during the season.


:rolleyes:

[st.cronin]

My guess is Garrett Anderson.

[Mr. Sparkle]

From Rotoworld.com...


Sources have told Deadspin.com that Matt Lawton has tested positive for steroids.
So, this is the notable AL outfielder who has tested positive? According to the report, Lawton is currently appealing the suspension, which is why there has been no announcement from MLB. Nov. 2 - 1:57 pm et



Sheesh, who didn't see this one coming?!? :p

[Ksyrup]

Figures that a Yankee would get caught, and it would be the only one who no one gives a shit about.

[JasonC23]

The only hope for Cubs fans is that Lawton can prove he got it from Dusty during his brief time in Chicago.

[General Mike]

I knew it was a Yankee. :mad:

[DanGarion]

http://deadspin.com/sports/baseball/who-knew-about-lawtons-positive-test-and-when-134821.php

Matt Lawton.

[Ksyrup]

SOunds like someone was really trying to be a smoking gun source by claiming the offender was a prominent AL OF for a playoff team, considering Lawton was left off the Yankees' post-season roster.

Also, from that article, I guess I missed this bit:

"His positive test was the third announced by the commissioner's office since the end of the regular season, following those of Texas pitcher Carlos Almanzar (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=5893) and New York Mets (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nym) pitcher Felix Heredia (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=5677)."


Best time to be suspended for steroids is during the playoffs, I think.

[Rizon]

Who the hell is Matt Lawton?

[Rizon]

Anyone want to call these people and ask them if they want to continue supporting him?

Kawaii Gifts.com (412)687-2480 sponsor(s) this page.

[Ksyrup]

Is this seemingly straight-forward admission a baseball first?


Matt Lawton admitted to using steroids in a statement, saying the positive test came after he joined the Yankees.
He also stated that no appeal was filed. The substance he tested positive for was boldenone, a source told The Associated Press. "It's a veterinary steroid. I think it's primarily used in horses," said Dr. Gary Wadler, a professor of sports medicine at New York University and an expert on performance-enhancing drugs. "It's used like any other anabolic steroid. It's basically injectable." Lawton will serve a 10-day suspension at the beginning of next season. Nov. 3 - 3:04 am et

[rkmsuf]

If anything he should be ridiculed for taking horse drugs and made to eat only hay during the 10 days.

[rkmsuf]

dola, in the program when you go to baseball games they should include a big circled L to indicate which players are first time lasix for today's game.

[Ksyrup]

I'm not trying to be Sherlock Holmes here, but...

From the original article (appears to be a direct quote):

Carroll: "I was involved in the appeals process so I can't comment at all."


From Matt Lawton's statement:

"I take full responsibility for my actions and did not appeal my suspension."


Maybe Lawton isn't the "AL OF from a playoff team" alluded to in the original article? Hmmmm?

[Pumpy Tudors]

dola, in the program when you go to baseball games they should include a big circled L to indicate which players are first time lasix for today's game.
This made me laugh.

[rkmsuf]

This made me laugh.


It's freaking hilarious that they have more stringent monitoring of horses regarding a drug policy than humans. Have Lawton drink a "milkshake" and see how he fares.

[Logan]

I'm not trying to be Sherlock Holmes here, but...

From the original article (appears to be a direct quote):

Carroll: "I was involved in the appeals process so I can't comment at all."


From Matt Lawton's statement:

"I take full responsibility for my actions and did not appeal my suspension."


Maybe Lawton isn't the "AL OF from a playoff team" alluded to in the original article? Hmmmm?

My guess: He appealed the actual results of the test, but did not appeal the suspension? I believe those are separate instances.