[QUOTE]Los Angeles Dodgers slugger [B][URL="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/players/5132"]Manny Ramirez[/URL][/B] tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, incurring an immediate 50-game ban and serving the highest-profile reminder yet that the use of such drugs in the testing area may have been reduced, but not eradicated. Major League Baseball plans to announce the suspension later today. Ramirez, a baseball source told SI.com, explained to baseball officials he was uncertain that he was taking a banned substance and may have had a medical reason for using the substance. The source said the substance was not classified as a steroid but was clearly defined as a banned performance-enhancer according to the drug agreement between baseball the players association. Banned substances can only be taken with prior knowledge and medical clearance from baseball's drug program administrators. Such exceptions are known as Theraputic Use Exemptions, or TUEs. The suspension is an indication that Ramirez did not have a TUE for the substance. [/QUOTE]

[URL="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/05/07/manny/index.html"]Sports Illustrated[/URL]

Re: Manny tests positive

oh lawd! i think it might get dismissed under those extenuating circumstances. manny is a tank, with or without stimuli, imo.

damn....this makes me want to throw oreo's at telephones like albert belle, cos our dodgers have a really nice win streak at home, and i hope this doesn't compromise it. :MadNow:

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[quote=lucky charms;745692]oh lawd! i think it might get dismissed under those extenuating circumstances. manny is a tank, with or without stimuli, imo.

damn....this makes me want to throw oreo's at telephones like albert belle, cos our dodgers have a really nice win streak at home, and i hope this doesn't compromise it. :MadNow:[/quote] I was actually shocked at this and I am hoping it is just a misunderstanding.

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yeah this was shocking....was really hoping manny would never do this...he is really the last real HR superstar that hadnt ever been busted....

this totally seals the deal. they all do roids.....everyone.

this really kind of stinks for baseball. didnt like arod but actually was a manny fan and was happy that he never was known to have used...and now this. unreal. his legacy is now tainted too.

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[quote=chuckc;745699]yeah this was shocking....was really hoping manny would never do this...he is really the last real HR superstar that hadnt ever been busted....

this totally seals the deal. they all do roids.....everyone.

this really kind of stinks for baseball. didnt like arod but actually was a manny fan and was happy that he never was known to have used...and now this. unreal. his legacy is now tainted too.[/quote]

for what its worth...he wasn't taking a steroid. some "performance enhancer", could have been as simple as ephedrine for all we know...

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what he was allegedly caught taking was a drug that is commonly used to kick start your testosterone after you get off of a cycle. This only leads you to believe that he was taking it for dishonest purposes.

As much as I am not happy with him for kind of talking shit when leaving Boston I still had a soft spot for him in my heart and this is really disappointing. Oh well, another one bites the dust.

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hahaha! he was taking a fuckin fertility drug.. yeah, its a misunderstanding lmao

how are any of you surprised when someone gets caught taking PED's? naive ;)

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come on guys, don't be naive, they all do them...hell they did at my highschool :shock:

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the kicker is that it was a female fertility drug :shock:

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for a moment i thought you meant manny pacquiao. this isn't shocking

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good riddance

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[quote=Steve Graham;745732] how are any of you surprised when someone gets caught taking PED's? naive ;)[/quote]

its not necessarilly that we are not suprised another player is caught, its that we r shocked that its manny ramierez

he would be the last person i would have guessed. i followed manny since he was a rookie in the early 90's (since i grew up in cleveland) and he had such a natrual abliity to hit he made it look easy.

its just sad to see a guy like him with such amazing hitting skills taint it with this. he dindnt need to use.

the only good thing is at least is it seems as if the drug policy is working.

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fair enough, still naive to be surprised at anyone in baseball being caught.. imo

wow, bananapeel.. it was a fertility drug you say?

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^True but as batters get older an pitchers throw harder and contracts get bigger, the pressure gets to players, especially the ones with mega egos.

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there was a good artical in our local paper....

basically said it was worth the risk to rameirez to use....he is 36 and just got a 2year-45million contract....

the enormous contracts are probably another reason, even with the strict testing, that players are still trying to find new ways to roid up and beat the system

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[QUOTE=Nigel Harkness;745722]what he was allegedly caught taking was a drug that is commonly used to kick start your testosterone after you get off of a cycle. This only leads you to believe that he was taking it for dishonest purposes. [/QUOTE]

^this.

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[quote=chuckc;745699]yeah this was shocking....was really hoping manny would never do this...he is really the last real HR superstar that hadnt ever been busted....[/quote]

Ahem

[IMG]http://www.whiterose.org/pete/blog/images/pujols02.jpg[/IMG]

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^yeah, definitely. pujols is easily the best player in baseball right now.

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damnit... i hate that picture. poor lidge. that ball is still flying.

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[quote=Garrick;746012]damnit... i hate that picture. poor lidge. that ball is still flying.[/quote]

Not saying this to pimp you, but this is seriously one of my all-time favorite baseball moments. Lidge was unhittable at the time and Pujols was, well, Pujols, so you just had this epic confrontation, in the playoffs, with the game on the line. Glad my guy came out on top. The look on the faces of the Astro fans behind home plate, though, makes me smile to this day. :twisted:

Ironically, if Lidge didn't throw the ball so damn hard, it probably wouldn't have been as majestic a shot as it was. ;)

And poor Lidge nothing. He's got a ring, and I'm honestly happy for him, because the guy's a hell of a closer. I was really hoping the Cards would pick him up when he was a free agent -- at least then he wouldn't have to worry about facing Albert anymore.

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that home run STUNG! i was one of those fans you woulda laughed at... i remember exactly what i did... jaw completely dropped and after i got over the shock i stood up, tossed my remote in the air and when it landed on the coffee table, it knocked my beer over. it was like pouring salt on an open wound. :)

however, i do think i recall the astros winning that series ultimately that year! ;) (unlike like the previous year)

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what a loser.. he should have been kicked out of the league two years ago.

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[quote=Garrick;746066] however, i do think i recall the astros winning that series ultimately that year! ;) (unlike like the previous year)[/quote]

touche ;)

The fact that the Astros went on to win that series is what prevents that homer from going down as one of the all-time greats, IMO. If the Cards were to have clawed back and then gone on to win the whole shebang, it would be a shot I'd be telling my grandchildren about one day...

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indeed! i would be too. that was a hell of a shot.

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more are using than arent.. they need to let these guys inject whatever they want, fuck 'em.. they dont care about their bodies, fans just want to see these guys play ball.. move on, or test everyone every week and the "cheaters" out of the game, the latter wont happen, so whatever

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Great investigative article describing what went on behind the scene that nabbed Rameriz & why his legal team dropped the 50 game suspension.

[URL]http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4159870[/URL]

It's a shame he's another sure-fire Hall of Famer that won't get inducted. This is another classic example of Manny being Manny. I can't fathom how he could actually think he was untouchable by continuing his steroid use.

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i had a lengthy response for this but i'm gonna forgoe it ITT, seeing as though i've 'voiced' my say on this matter quite a bit here. i will suggest this though:

1. i think it's safe to assume most players are using some sort of performance enhancer yes, and that they are all guilty of utilizing them until proven innocent.

2. [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohormone"]prohormones[/URL] shouldn't be banned like anabolic steroids are.

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After all the off season negotiations to keep him in LA, this is what happens early in the season....sucks for the Dodgers.