3:57pm: Quinn points out (links to Twitter) that Mondesi Jr. is the first player to receive a reduced suspension — a possibility that was added to the latest drug agreement. Had he tested positive for a stronger substance, the reduction wouldn’t have been possible, but Clenbuterol is specifically listed among the substances for which a substance can be reduced if lack of intent can be proven.
Meanwhile, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports that as part of the reduced punishment, Mondesi Jr. will still be eligible for the postseason (Twitter link).
3:45pm: Royals top prospect Raul Mondesi Jr. has received a 50-game suspension after testing positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol, the league announced today. The son of the former big league outfielder of the same name, Mondesi saw his suspension dropped from 80 games to 50 games after the league and the MLBPA showed that the substance was present in a cold medication which Mondesi had taken, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Royals GM Dayton Moore said in a statement today that the team believes that Mondesi did indeed unknowingly take the substance:
“This is an unfortunate incident that we believe to be an innocent mistake, but these are the consequences that players face when they do not adhere to the policies that have been collectively bargained. We have a protocol in place with our medical team should a player ever have questions about what they may be taking, even if an over-the-counter medication. In this particular case, the protocol was not followed and the consequences are such. We remain supportive of Raul Mondesi Jr.”
Mondesi Jr. himself has also commented on the punishment, via press release:
“Today I agreed to accept a 50 game suspension from Major League Baseball. It is by far one of the hardest moments I have had to face in my life, but it is a decision that I accept and one that I take full responsibility for as a professional. I took an over-the-counter medication (Subrox-C) which I bought in the Dominican Republic to treat cold and flu symptoms. I failed to read the labeling on the medication or consult with my trainer or team about taking it and did not know it contained a banned substance. … I apologize to my organization, my teammates, the fans and everyone who has supported me in my career. Never did I intend to take a substance that would give me an unfair advantage on the field. It is solely my mistake and there are no excuses for my carelessness in not being fully informed of what I put in my body.”
Mondesi Jr., 20, rated as the game’s No. 29 prospect entering the season, according to Baseball America. He also rated 33rd on MLB.com’s Top 100, 73rd on the Top 100 of ESPN’s Keith Law and 16th on the Top 101 of Baseball Prospectus. The toolsy shortstop began the season at Double-A — his second stint at the level — and was hitting .250/.304/.462 with five homers and 11 steals through his first 113 plate appearances. Mondesi, of course, famously made his Major League debut for the Royals not only in the playoffs last season, but in the World Series against the Mets (he was 0-for-1 with a strikeout). While he’s likely a ways from an everyday role with the Royals’ big league club, he’ll miss out on 50 days of developmental time as a result of the punishment. His presence on Kansas City’s 40-man roster means that the team will also free up a 40-man spot during Mondesi Jr.’s time on the restricted list.
Recent reports from ESPN’s T.J. Quinn indicated that further PED suspensions would be on the horizon following the 80-game suspensions dished out to Miami’s Dee Gordon, Toronto’s Chris Colabello and Philadelphia’s Daniel Stumpf. Mondesi Jr. isn’t necessarily a household name, but Quinn stated at the time that it’s unlikely any significant names would be involved.
and this is why you drink Brandy for colds
This is very unfortunate for him, but they have to suspend him. I’ve seen people saying he shouldn’t be suspended since its pretty obvious he didn’t do it to cheat, but he was still negligent and therefore deserved a suspension.
Never thought I’d see the day where the excuse “I have no idea how that got into my body” actually held up.
Wasn’t that the same excuse collabello used
yeah, he just refused to explain it in any detail
this may be the first time a player’s ever been willing to tell us by name what the ‘tainted substance’ was, instead of just nebulous ‘i dunno’ denials
I’m pretty sure mondesi just had to show that the substance was in the medicine, he didn’t have to prove that’s how it got into him. I’m not saying he took peds intentionally, but he technically didn’t prove how they entered his system
They probably match it up to other substances that were found in both the system and his body. Who knows, he could’ve taken it and taken the medication as a cover up. No need to speculate. He’s gone for 50 and won’t have the PED label on him, from the looks of it.
“No need to speculate. He’s gone for 50 and won’t have the PED label on him”
And if he used it to mask the PEDs, he could serve 80 and have a PED label. Thus the need to speculate, or at least beg the question.
He’ll have the PED label on him no matter what. I think it foolish to have a reduced suspension, especially if he proved that it was in the medicine he took and it was his first offense. I get that people could take advantage of that, but it it better for 10 guilty parties to get off than one innocent party be punished. That is basically the motto of the US judicial system and it should be adhered to in all aspects of punishment in America.
Different incentive structures work for different situations. It’s worth delineating between 1) elements needed to support a punitive measure; and 2) the standard of proof as to those elements. As to the first, look into the concept of strict liability. As for the second, basically anything outside of the criminal realm requires far less than “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
It WAS the motto of the US justice system. Not anymore
I’m not suggesting that Mondesi did this by any means, but couldn’t almost any Dominican player who gets dinged for PEDs just grab a bottle of Subrox-C and say, “see, it has clenbuterol in it, give me 50 games instead of 80!”?
Or perhaps the process of showing proof that he took that medication (although I’m curious as to how one could prove that).
Just a thought.
Basically just a rehashed excuse of anyone guilty of any crime performed, just a different flavor here.. Dude’s guilty, get over it.
I have no ties to the Royals, in fact, I actually can’t stand them or their fans.
I just asked a question. You can drop the hostility.
You must have had relatives that lived in Salem in the 1600s.
Why would anyone take clen to play better. If anything, he’d play worse while on it than off of it.
it’s a steroid that improves breathing performance
improved breathing efficiency means more oxygen to the blood during competition, which, long sciency story short, significantly improves endurance. It’s not a steroid commonly seen in team sports, but ‘endurance’ athletes have been known to take cough medication before competition for this very reason, which is why they wind up on PED lists
i buy Mondesi’s story and all, but yeah, it’s a banned substance for a reason
I did not know that. I had only known it as the weight loss drug that Brittany Spears took.
A friend of mine orders clem from Moldova to help him cut basically as a hobbyist bodybuilder. If anything I would guess it and the other stuff he is doing would reduce his athletic performance if he still played sports, it just makes him look more cut, not performance enhancing at all.
yeah the whole concept of what a “performance enhancing drug” is has gotten rather complicated. Anabolic Steroids are clearly “performance enhancing” ..in the mid term. A stimulant drug such as Ritalin , will only “enhance performance” over a few hours, and only if you have a condition that it treats (ADD)..Otherwise it is simply a recreational drug, an drug of abuse and THOSE kinds of drugs DO NOT “enhance performance” , they inhibit performance. There are also non scheduled, non regulated “supplements” on the list of “performance enhancing substances’ for which there is no medical, scientific data at all showing they do much of anything, especially to enhance performance
Mlb is too strict
No it’s not
Interesting article from a few years ago. Apparently, steroids are readily available and legal in the DR…….even if you don’t have a cold.
newsday.com/sports/baseball/in-dominican-you-buy-s…
Lifetime ban for anyone who violates a strict paleo diet!
This seems a bit heavy handed. I would imagine that the get a sample show ppm levels. They should be able to extrapolate the dosage if its a cold level result come on MLB give the guy a break slap him on the wrist 10 games or a season long testing to see he doesn’t repeat it but 50 games for what you seem to have accepted was an accident your starting to act t like Roger Goodell is the Commissioner of MLB too.
Perhaps that’s what they did?
These guys are professionals and should be cautious about everything going into their body. What’s more, at least in Mondesi’s case, is that his dad had a lengthy MLB career. Jr should know better.
I am close to a couple of MLB players (both from Nebraska, so that narrows it down, somewhat) who have stated that they won’t even take a simple over-the-counter drug without consulting a team doctor first. While that might be excessive, it also helps to prevent anything from happening down the road.