Rafael Palmeiro suspended for steroids

Rafael Palmeiro was suspended 10 days for violating Major League Baseball's steroids policy Monday, nearly five months after the Baltimore Orioles first baseman told Congress that "I have never used steroids. Period."


-->


The 40-year-old Palmeiro became the highest-profile player among the seven who have failed a test under the toughened major-league policy that took effect in March, rules criticized by Congress as not being stringent enough.

On July 15, Palmeiro joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players with 3,000 hits and 500 homers. Baseball would not say when the positive test occurred.

The players' association challenged the suspension, which was secretly assessed by the commissioner's office earlier this year but held in abeyance until arbitrator Shyam Das decided Monday not to overturn it.

During a telephone conference call, the four-time All-Star said he never intentionally took steroids and left the impression that the banned substance was contained in a supplement that was not prescribed. He said it was an "embarrassing situation" and that he still did not know what caused the positive test.

"Why would I do this in a year when I went in front of Congress and I testified and I told the truth?" he said. "Why would I do this during a season where I was going to get to 3,000 hits? It just makes no sense. I would not put my career on the line. I would not put my reputation on the line, everything that I've accomplished throughout my career. I would not do that. I'm not a crazy person."

Palmeiro will lose $163,934 of his $3 million salary during the suspension. Because the penalty was delayed, it meant baseball's arbitration panel -- which includes Das, a management representative and a union representative -- initially found there was a "reasonable basis" for the challenge.

"The evidence in this record is not sufficient for the player to meet his burden of establishing that his positive test result was not due to his fault or negligence," the panel said in a statement released by the union. The panel also said "our decision does not equate to a finding or belief that Rafael Palmeiro -- whose testimony in many respects was quite compelling -- was untruthful in his testimony."

Appearing with Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and other baseball stars before a congressional committee on March 17, Palmeiro made an opening statement in which he said: "Let me start by telling you this: I have never used steroids. Period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that. Never."

Palmeiro was so emphatic in his denial of steroid use that he pointed his index finger at the panel, and expressed indignation over accusations made by former slugger Jose Canseco, who cited Palmeiro as a steroid user in his tell-all book. In an interview on the CBS television show "60 Minutes," Canseco -- who also testified before Congress -- said he had injected Palmeiro with steroids.

"When I testified in front of Congress, I know that I was testifying under oath and I told the truth," Palmeiro said. "Today I am telling the truth again that I did not do this intentionally or knowingly."

Government Reform Committee chairman Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican who led the steroids inquiry, was traveling out of the country Monday during Congress' recess.

"If true, this is disheartening news for those of us who believed Mr. Palmeiro was a key ally in our effort to rid sports of performance-enhancing drugs," Davis spokesman Rob White said.

"I am surprised, disappointed and saddened by this news," said Henry Waxman, the committee's ranking Democrat. "The positive test raises many questions for Mr. Palmeiro and baseball."

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush -- who owned the Texas Rangers while Palmeiro played for the team -- considers Palmeiro "a friend and he believes him" when he says he never intentionally took steroids.

On July 7, Palmeiro took part via conference call in a round-table discussion about how to rid sports of steroids with Davis and representatives from the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball.

"I hope that the fans understand I have worked very hard over a long 20-year career," he said Monday. "I've put a lot of time and a lot of effort into my career. I made a mistake and I'm facing it. I hope that people learn from my mistake and I hope that the fans forgive me."

Palmeiro sounded contrite on the conference call, saying he hoped there was something to be gained from his suspension by educating players to be more careful about what they put in their bodies.

"You just have to be careful with what you take," he said. "You have to make sure that you see a doctor, you make sure you get your -- whatever it is that you're taking, your supplements -- that you're taking them from a reputable source, and just be very careful with what you take. It happened to me, and it could happen to everyone."

Palmeiro wouldn't predict whether the positive test will damage his chances of being elected to the Hall of Fame.

"Really that's not for me to determine," he said. "I hope that people look at my whole career and appreciate that I've given everything that I've got. I respect the game. I respect my opponents. I respect the players that came before me. I respect the Hall of Fame, and if they think that I'm worthy enough, I would be very honored. And if they don't, I gave it all that I had to this game."

Orioles owner Peter Angelos expressed support for Palmeiro.

"I am truly saddened by today's events," Angelos said in a statement. "I have known Rafael Palmeiro for many years. … I know from personal experience that his accomplishments are due to hard work and his dedication to the game."

Your thoughts?

Whats up with him only being suspended 10 games???? I thot the rule was they were suspended 50 games now???? Ne ideas why he was only suspended 10 games???

the rules havent been broght to commity by the players union yet

it's about time... McGwire's next!

WHy do you think Barry Bonds is out with a "knee injury?" gettin surgery to make it look more real.. bastard uses roids.

WHy do you think Barry Bonds is out with a "knee injury?" gettin surgery to make it look more real.. bastard uses roids.

He's like TO, he's doin' it for the kids. Fuck TO by the way.

man , i really like palmeiro . i really changed my opinion about him now.

Ten days? Over here if a guy got caught doing that in any sport he'd be gone for like 2 years minimum.

Ya its sad that they get away with it....it would make me just do it till i got caught knowing that i would only get a slap on the wrist you know what i mean???.....Barry Bonds sux and if he passes Aaron on the homerun list i will have nothing to do with baseball ever again......i bet 90% of his homers were sterioid enduced......

i bet 90% of his homers were sterioid enduced......

wrong

lets say he started taking 'roids in 2000, as is the most obvious build of mass. these are the totals of the home runs in the previous seasons and is where the accusations start

Code:

1986 16
1987 25
1988 24
1989 19
1990 33
1991 25
1992 34
1993 46
1994 37
1995 33
1996 42
1997 40
1998 37
1999 34

that equals 445 home runs in that time, or about 63.3 pecent of his carrer total of 703. im not defending him, but im saying he'd still have about 550 today if he didnt take the 'roids

Ya its sad that they get away with it....it would make me just do it till i got caught knowing that i would only get a slap on the wrist you know what i mean???

Yeah I agree with that, I mean 10 days is nothing. You could roid yourself up like crazy in like 2 months and be stronger then pretty much anyone else in the entire league. All at the cost of a minute ban.

Cyanides mom uses steroids.. thats why she has a moustache.

So are you implying that you like old women with moustaches?

Yes I am. I love your mother.

Aparently he played practically the whole season knowing he failed a drug test. That is just ridiclous. Baseball knew he failed the test yet they let him play and chase his 3,000th hit the whole time he was appealing the test results.

On top of that, he gets a 10 day vacation for getting caught? Bullshit. He doesn't deserve to be in the hall of fame, he should be behind bars for lying under oath and he should be banned from baseball. Period.

I'm not just saying this because I don't like him. One of my Twin players got caught with steroids earlier this year and I think he should be banned for life too (Juan Rincon). But for a future hall of famer, a guy who the media thought was a "good guy", to get caught this late in his career is amazing. I hope the MLB and players union take a stand and make an example out of Palmeiro. I don't even want to see his name on the damn Hall of Fame ballot.

Why is Barry Bonds out? His knee is really hurt. It's not like he's faking it. However, it's obvious he is off the juice now. His body is healing like a 40 year old man rather than a 28 year old man when he was on the 'roids. I hate Barry Bonds with a passion as well, the guy should not break Henry Aaron's record. He shouldn't even pass Babe Ruth. The guy is a disgrace.

Sadly, Mark McQuire will not get caught because he is done playing baseball. He'll get into the hall of fame and in a few years kids will look up to him and say they want to be just like him. They'll say "I want to be just like the greats McQuire, Bonds and Palmerio" without knowing the rules they broke to be one of the "best".

Shame on Raffy, shame on Bonds, shame on baseball and shame on the media. We are now in the new era of baseball. We should call the era the "Shrunked testicles era".

Baseball appears to be a horrific mess... time for the Hall Of Fame people to pull out the old asterix clause.

It's time for baseball to actually get a strict steroid policy and to start telling these players what they can and cannot take.

Looks like Viagra or whatever ED pill he advertised for wasn't the only medication Raffy was taking. I say no more hall of fame for him, especially because they say the steriod he got caught with was a very strong one (if the rumor is true). And as for Barry Bonds, I'll laugh without surprise if he doesn't play baseball again (or at least not effective baseball). If you don't think he was juicing, you must have one hell of a reason. He looks a lot like Jason Giambi, you see his early pictures where he was incredibly skinny, and suddenly he's Hulk.

Personally, I think a first time offence should be a suspension for equivalent of an entire season (meaning that if the season is halfway through when he gets caught, he is suspended for the rest of the season and half of next season), and the 2nd time should obviously be a lifetime ban. Just in case there really is some sort of mix-up, there still is a fairly sincere penalty that will deter a player from taking any sort of "supplement" again, since a lot of people who have tested positive blame it on supplements that had banned substances in them that they didn't know about.

Looks like Raffy's gonna have to wait a little longer to be Mr.3000