Bad sports, good sports: Baseball player fails test, and so does Major League Baseball

Posted on April 26th, 2010 by Alan Spoll

Injured Cincinnati Reds pitcher Edinson Volquez has been suspended by Major League Baseball for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing drugs. He claims that the failed test was due to medication he was taking as part of fertility treatments to assist him and his wife with their efforts to start a family. Even if this is true, his actions were incredibly irresponsible.

Drug testing has become a huge issue in sports over the last several years, particularly in baseball. How is it possible that players still don’t understand this? You would think that they would check with the league office before taking an aspirin, honestly. There is so much money on the line, to say nothing about the player’s reputation and future in the sport. Even a young, relatively low-paid player like Volquez will lose over a hundred thousand dollars during his suspension.

Major League Baseball is coming up short with their punishment here, though. I mentioned Volquez is injured. He had elbow surgery in the off-season, and is expected to be out for a couple more months, at least. The suspension should not start until he is ready to come off the disabled list. Instead, the suspension is starting now. Yes, Volquez will still lose money, but he will not miss any actual games that he would have been able to play in anyway. There is no real punishment, and the team is not impacted at all. That’s an embarrassment. Way to take the teeth out of your punishment, guys. Without any baseball-related consequences, the suspension’s impact is dramatically reduced.

Dumb player. Dumb league.

Bad sports, continued:

2) Venezuelan boxer and former champion Edwin Valero killed himself this week, a day after being arrested for killing his wife. He reportedly had struggled with psychological problems and substance abuse.

3) Colorado Rockies team president Keli McGregor, a former NFL player, died this week while in Salt Lake City on business. His death is still being investigated. He was married and had four children.

Yet another All Bad Sports week, I’m afraid:

4) The Pittsburgh Pirates lost to the Milwaukee Brewers by the amazing score of 20-0 on Thursday. It was the team’s worst loss ever, which is no surprise, even for a team as woeful as the Pirates.

5) I have previously stated my disdain for restrictor plate racing. NASCAR’s biggest tracks produce its worst races, in my opinion. Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Talladega was a perfect example of this dreck. NASCAR is sure to tout the race’s many lead changes and tight racing, but don’t be misled. If you are a fan of racing, there was nothing to like here. Hours of stuff that meant nothing to the end result. Multiple wrecks that took out huge portions of the field. Yes, the extremely close ending was exciting, but that means 30 seconds of a four hour race were worth watching.

6) In the first inning of his first game of the season, Pirates pitcher Chris Jakubauskas was hit in the head with a line drive off the bat of Astros first baseman Lance Berkman. Check out the video. Scary stuff.

One bonus story for the week, and it’s on the Good Sports side: check out the play by this player on Fordham’s baseball team. Fantastic.

Bad Sports, Good Sports appears every Monday

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Alan Spoll

Alan Spoll is a software quality assurance director from the suburbs of Philadelphia where he lives with his wonderful wife and children. He has spent his entire life as a passionate fan of the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, Flyers, and Penn State. Recent Phillies success aside, you will understand his natural negativity. Follow me on Twitter - @DocAlan02