Astros right-hander Francis Martes has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for the banned substance Clomiphene, the league announced Tuesday.
The 23-year-old Martes already going to be sidelined as he recovered from Tommy John surgery last August, but he’ll be docked 80 games’ pay and now be ineligible to pitch in the postseason even if he’s able to work back up to full strength. Beyond that, any possibility of him acquiring service time on the Major League 60-day injured list has now been wiped out, as he’ll come off Houston’s 40-man roster while he is on the restricted list as part of this suspension.
Martes was considered one of baseball’s premier pitching prospects prior to the 2017 season, landing inside the top 40 on the pre-2017 rankings from Baseball America, MLB.com, ESPN and Baseball Prospectus. His stock has dropped since that time, however, as Martes pitched to an ERA well north of 5.00 in both Triple-A and the Majors in ’17 before logging a 6.75 ERA in four Triple-A starts last season. The arm injury that ultimately necessitated his Tommy John procedure limited Martes to just 19 2/3 innings in 2018.
By the time he recovers from surgery, Martes will be approaching his 24th birthday and will be more than two years removed from being considered a premium prospect. There’s certainly still a possibility that he emerges as a quality big league asset down the line, but there’s also a chance that he enters the 2020 season having pitched just 106 1/3 innings over the preceding three years, which won’t do his development any favors.
L
I knew it!!! Astros are all cheaters!!!!
Every team in baseball has someone. I don’t think an entire organization should be held accountable for the actions of one.
More than one.
Both of their previously highest ranked Dominican pitching rpsoepcts prospects got popped. (Paulino and Martes) Hindisight is 20/20 but they could’ve gotten a serious ML piece for this guy a few years back.
Don’t know what happened there.
Let’s not forget Whitley
Whitley got in trouble for what was essentially adderal for a long one day solo road trip from Houston to Arizona. That’s not a PED violation it was a substance abuse violation.
wrong…..adderall shows up as amphetamine in MLB testing. He got popped for “drugs of abuse” which is either cocaine marijuana etc.
It was never released what he failed for so that’s nothing but pure speculation on your part. It wasn’t released what drug nor what classification. All we have is Whitley’s statement that it was a stimulant. Probably an adderall or the like.
mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/astros-prospect-forrest…
That’s what Kyle said
karma for sandbagging all those seasons to win a World Series,
Sandbagging beats not putting your right fielder deep enough to catch the clinching flyout in game 6 to win a title.
Who are you talking about?
Clearly Nelson Cruz.
Its a a new season and still butt hurt about not being the first Texas team to win a WS. Follow our model and maybe you’ll smell the playoffs in three years.
“Butt hurt”…. I remember that phrase from when I was like ten in the early 90s… well done.
no you dont.
Nothing to see here…….just another cheater.
Why are Astros prospects getting suspended every year? Whitley, Martes, Paulino, etc.
If doing PEDs is the difference between a minor league deal and a major league deal, you can’t really blame these guys for trying to get millions.
^^ this. People never take into consideration the difference between major and minor league salaries. That’s one of the main reasons that Latin American players are doing it at a higher clip than others. Some of these players are coming from poverty. And not the US type of poverty, real poverty. It’s worth the risk of getting caught to them.
Von Hayes and hiflew — This is an extremely valid point. It isn’t the end all, be all, but it is an important one nonetheless. I think the poverty there is lessened significantly by concepts of community that are still intact, as compared to here in the United States. People do a much better job of taking care of their own in Latin American countries, and aren’t as versed in poverty-shaming like we see here. But like anywhere, the pop culture rags to riches sports stories are as deeply embedded there as they are in the poorest areas in this country (the poorest tend not to be baseball players in this country). But another factor also is that there are fewer regulations and safeguards in place making PEDs much more accessible (though cost would maybe be prohibitive for some). And I am also unsure of how transparent some of the muscle boosting products are in many Latin American countries.
Yes, but maybe they should have a better “guy” so they don’t get caught. BALCO was legit.
Can’t blame a cheater? That’s exactly who you do blame.
Whitley was suspended for PED’s. He was suspended for wacky weed.
Should have been WASN’T, not was.
Whitley was suspended 50 games for a banned stimulant, believed to be adderall.
He should have just gotten a fake prescription for it like Chris Davis.
wrong. Whitley was popped for “drugs of abuse” which is cocaine/marijuana etc. Adderall will show up in MLB testing as “amphetamine”.
the guru………
He was suspended under the MiLB program not MLB…..
MiLB Stimulant violations carry a 50 game suspension for the first offense.
mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/astros-prospect-forrest…
you need to read that article you posted. It says 50 game suspensions are handed out for “Drugs of Abuse” or for “Amphetamines”. MLB disclosed Whitley was popped for Drugs of Abuse which is MJ/Cocaine etc. If Whitley wouldve been popped for Adderall, the MLB would’ve disclosed he failed the test due to “amphetamine” as it has its own classification and the MLB seperates adderall out of the drugs of abuse category. 100% it was MJ/Cocaine/heroin etc. Personally the i think the highest odds are its Marijauna as that is everywhere these days, but the fact that his statement says he was using something to stay awake while he was driving makes me think its cocaine.
You have to be aware of the differences between the MLB JDA and the Minor League program
MLB…….
Stimulant Violations
A Player who tests positive for a Stimulant will be subject to the
discipline set forth below. For purposes of this Section 7.B, a prior
violation of Section 7.E, 7.F, and/or 7.G.2 involving a Stimulant that
results in at least a 25-game suspension shall be deemed a prior
violation of Section 7.B in determining whether the positive test
constitutes the Player’s first, second, third or fourth violation of Section
7.B.
1. First violation: Follow-up testing pursuant to Section 3.D.2
above;
2. Second violation: 50-game suspension;
Minor Leagues
B. Stimulant Violations
A Player who tests positive for a Stimulant shall be subject to the discipline set forth below. For purposes of this Section 8.B, a prior violation of Section 8.E, 8.F, and/or 8.H involving a Stimulant shall be considered a violation of Section 8.B in determining whether a
positive test result constitutes a Player’s first, second or third violation of Section 8.B.
1. First violation: 50-game suspension or a suspension equal to the total number of championship season games in the league to which the Player is assigned at the time of his discipline under the Program, whichever is shorter;
Minor League
Drug of Abuse Violations
A Player who tests positive for a Drug of Abuse shall be subject the discipline set forth below. For purposes of this Section 8.C, a prior violation of Section 8.D, 8.E, 8.F, and/or 8.H involving a Drug of Abuse shall be considered a violation of Section 8.C in determining whether
a positive test result constitutes a Player’s first, second or third violation of Section 8.C.
1. First violation: Mandatory Evaluation and follow-up testing pursuant to Section 5.C
above;
2 Second violation: 50-game suspension or a suspension equal to the total number of championship season games in the league to which the Player is assigned at the time of his discipline under the Program, whichever is shorter;
Unless it was his 2nd pop for a drug of abuse he would not have received a 50 game.
His story was he took a stimulant…why would he lie about it
It’s not just Astros pitchers. This is league wide
first Paulino and now Martes…and lets not forget Deetz. Astros have to keep a better eye on their young hurlers.
Or maybe they’re the ones telling them to do it
This is probably the dumbest comment I’ve read on here in awhile, and that says something.
It’s a Rangers fan so……
Who told Cano to do it? Who told Steven Wright to do it? Who told Raphael Palmeiro to do it? Canseco? Juan Gonzalez? Pudge? Don’t be in imbecile!
Let’s line him up against the wall and shame him to death. We want blood!
(my best Cheech impression)
Francis muchacho… captain crunch is ok. Just stay off the skull ‘n bones man.
Ha
He should pull the Pettite and say he was only trying to recover from injury. Which, might actually be the case.
So he isn’t even going to be missing any games?
But now won’t be paid for half of them this upcoming season.
And won’t get service time either which he would’ve got if he wasn’t suspended.
Sounds like this couldn’t get any better for the Astros…
Seriously, why wouldn’t teams tell their minor leaguers to do PEDs while they’re recovering from injury if this is the case? The team gets all the upside of the PEDs enhancing ability or recovery time and no downside whatsoever if he gets caught.
So he gets to serve his suspension while he’s injured?
The Astros sure are good at having players “serve” suspensions when they wouldn’t be playing anyway.
Happens all the time. Same thing happened to Freddy Galvis in like 2013
I probably wouldn’t say it “happens all the time” if my best reference is something that happened like 6 years ago…
Happened with Cano last year.
Congratulations?
Another one bites the dust
Clomiphene is used to induce ovulation (egg production) in women who do not produce ova (eggs) but wish to become pregnant (infertility). Clomiphene is in a class of medications called ovulatory stimulants. It works similarly to estrogen, a female hormone that causes eggs to develop in the ovaries and be released.
— MedlinePlus (.gov)
In men, clomiphene can alter testosterone levels by interfering with the negative feedback loop of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.
clomiphene is not FDA-approved for use by men for any condition.
it has an off label use for female to Male transgender therapy, due to its testosterone elevating capabilities
So what you are saying here is that Martes wants to become pregananant?
He was just leaving out the fact that in males, clomiphene increases levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). LH encourages the release of testosterone in males.
maybe he chooses to be a female, since you know we are allowed to do that now, so really he wasnt take a PED but was just taking something to help him reproduce.
other way around…its off label for female to Male transgender to get testosterone levels up
And now a word from Justin Verlander:
I hope Trevor Bauer tweets this out just for giggles.
90% of the supplements inside G.N.C and other nutrition outlets will get you banned.
It’s a good thing these players can figure out what is and isn’t legal for them to take with one simple phone call…
It always amazes me that MLB pulls these young kids into baseball academies when they are very young in order to train them to be big league players. Which means these kids are not highly educated except in training their bodies for athletics. And yet, MLB also expects them to go into a GNC with the knowledge of a medical doctor knowing the difference between which supplements will help them improve legally and those that are illegal. Do we really expect high school dropouts working at an Arby’s to have a vast knowledge of dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals? It’s basically the same thing as expecting baseball players to know these things. I’m not saying they should get a pass, but I think expectations might be a little too high as well.
hiflew
They are given a hard copy list of every banned substance….both OTC and prescription. The list also includes all banned mfg. The have access to a website that also lists everything and a 24/7 toll free # for any questions. It’s all available in English and Spanish.
How can that make it any easier?
You give a list of “banned” food substances to an uneducated 20 year old and then send them into the grocery store that sell those substances with a list of items to buy. I 100% guarantee you they will bring out something on that banned list. Plus, even though substance on MLB’s list are written in both English and Spanish, labels at GNC or elsewhere might not be. Plus, what happens when a player speaks something other than English or Spanish? It’s not as easy as you make it out to be.
How many of those “young kids [put] into baseball academies ” don’t speak either language.
You don’t have to be highly educated to understand that taking anything without checking it out jeopardizes you livelihood.
If they have trouble reading would it be hard to ask a teammate, agent, coach or doctor to help you check it out?
So it’s your contention that the name of the supplement “substance on MLB’s list are written in both English and Spanish, labels at GNC or elsewhere might not be. ” Now there is a stretch.
MLB and MLBPA bent over backwards to offer players resources to prevent taking a banned supplement by accident.. OTC medications are constantly monitored by the USADA and WADA and “banned” supplements and manufacturers are added. The MLB and MLBPA follow suit and update lists constantly.
Educated or not when your paycheck depends on it it’s not rocket science to avoid suspension…..it’s common sense.
It may not be as easy as he makes it out to be, but it certainly isn’t as hard as you’re trying to make it out to be. They have MANY simple ways to figure out what they can and cannot put in their bodies.
No loss. He has been done for a while.
Must have gotten it from the Yankees medical staff
What is with major injuries and PED allegations happening at the same time? coincidence? weird
PED fails are common at this time of year. Every single player is tested (urine test) at least once during the off-season and 350 random tests are done off-season as well. That does not include the 400 random hGH blood tests each off-season. Often the process (appeals etc) conclude during ST. Plus every single player is tested at the start of ST so expect more fails now through at least April-May. MLB uses one lab (the WADA approved Laboratoire de Controle du Dopage (INRS – Institut Armand-Frappier) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) to do all testing which includes much more than just running a urine sample.
link to JDA…… mlbplayers.com/pdf9/5450924.pdf
I’m guessing he thought he wouldn’t be tested since he’s going to be out all year with injury.
He should have read the JDA if that was the case.
“The Program covers: (i) all Players on the Major League Clubs’
40-man rosters; (ii) any Player who becomes a free agent under Article
XIX or Article XX of the Basic Agreement; (iii) any Player who is
released from a Major League roster unless the Player voluntarily
retires or signs a Minor League contract or a contract with a club in an
unaffiliated professional baseball league; and (iv) Foreign Professionals
and Certain Free Agents, as specified in Attachments 3 and 4 to the
Program (“Players”).”
mlbplayers.com/pdf9/5450924.pdf
Even if a player is on vacation in the off season thewy must let MLB know where they will be for testing
Or he has poor judgment and the idea of getting caught was such an abstraction to him that he never seriously considered it.
And here come the “PEDs should be legal” crowd.
le sigh
PEDS are all over MLB, it’s just that MLB does not want to actually catch the cheaters. It’s a wide spread problem and all parties have their head in the sand. The fans think it’s been fixed, that’s a joke.
Well that would explain the scores of players putting up super star numbers in their early to late 30’s like we had in the 90’s and 2000’s…..oh wait.
Think for a minute about what that PED-induced artificial longevity did for teams’ willingness to commit money and years (especially years) to players… and how that has changed as that longevity started returning to normal levels again.
Teams started getting burned hard for the long-term deals and by and large quit signing them (especially for mid market players)… and here we are on the brink of labor strife, the 90s/00s PED heyday still having effects on the game.
…he says, commenting on yet another article about a caught cheater
For what it is worth, Martes wouldn’t have been on the 60-Day DL (IL) earning MLS this year whether he was suspended or not. There is an exception to the rule that a team cannot option an injured player based on the player’s MLS for last year and career overall. Martes did not have MLS last year and minimal career MLS, so he can be (and was already) optioned to recover on the minor league DL.
So now he is drawing state disability?
That’s an estrogen medicine for treating infertility. Hardly a PED. that dude is getting a bad rap.. suspended 80 games & now the whole world knows he’s having difficulty getting his wife pregnant. .
Is it an MLB banned substance? Yes. He’s a dirty cheater. Kick him out of the league.
Blackball this kid.