So, twice now I had blogs ready to roll on Manny Ramirez's 50-game suspension, but then the news changed each time -- Manny's a juicer! ... to .. Well, not exactly ... to ... Never mind, he is a juicer.
Executive summary: Ramirez did not test positive for steroids and wasn't taking HGH. According to ESPN, he tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin, a fertility drug that boosts testosterone levels. So, Manny was trying to beat the system by taking a chick drug that would give him similar results to shooting testosterone without having to risk a positive testosterone test. Except for one thing -- MLB apparently tests for HCG. Gotcha!
Anyway, if this is the level that players are going to go to juice, then I'd say it's safe to assume your favorite baseball player is on something, including HGH, used by an estimated 70 percent of players according to a major league official.
Now, for all the baseball writers who have refused to vote for suspected juicers for the Hall of Fame, I wonder how many will stick to their guns. Are they really going to keep all of these players out of the Cooperstown?
Roger Clemens
Alex Rodriguez
Gary Sheffield
Manny Ramirez
Rafael Palmeiro
Sammy Sosa
Ivan Rodriguez
Barry Bonds
Mike Piazza
Or will they throw up their hands and just give up?