According to the Major League Baseball steriod testing, Raffy Palmeiro has failed his last urine test. He has officially been suspended for 10 games. If all of you remember correctly ( or read it 20 times today), Raffy totally denied taking steriod in front of congress and now it looks like he has lied. To us as fans and Congress. What do all of you think about this? I am still undecided. Here is his official statement to reporters today:
Thank you very much for joining me on this call today. I am saddened that we are here to address this issue, but because of the importance of it, I feel the need to make a brief statement and address your questions. At the outset, let me say that under the rules of the basic agreement and the order of the independent arbitrator, there is an order of confidentiality governing the specifics of this case. I will attempt to state as much as I can and be as forthright as possible, but there will be issues I can't address based on orders imposed on me by the basic agreement and the arbitration process.Posted by helimech24 at August 1, 2005 11:49 PM | TrackBackI am here to make it very clear that I have never intentionally used steroids. Never. Ever. Period.
When I found out that I failed a test under the new drug policy, I filed a grievance and challenged the suspension on the basis that I have never intentionally taken a banned substance. Ultimately, although I never intentionally put a banned substance into my body -- the independent arbitrator ruled that I had to be suspended under the terms of the program.
I am sure you will ask how I tested positive for a banned substance. As I look back, I don't have a specific answer to give. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to explain to the arbitrator how the banned substance entered my body. The arbitrator did not find that I used a banned substance intentionally - in fact, he said he found my testimony to be compelling -- but he ruled that I could not meet the heavy burden imposed on players who test positive under the new drug policy.
I accept this punishment and want to address it publicly. I want to apologize to MLB, the Baltimore Orioles organization, my teammates, and most of all, my fans. Given my role with the No Tolerance Committee and my relationships with Congress, I feel the need to communicate a serious message to my fellow players and to kids everywhere. All of us have to be responsible and exercise extreme care in what we put in our body. I hope that all MLB players and kids will learn from what has happened to me. I have never intentionally used a banned substance, but I unfortunately wasn't careful enough.
I take my role as a professional athlete seriously. I love baseball and have great respect for all of the players who played before me. I have always done my best to live each day in ways that would make my family proud. Everything I have accomplished is the result of hard work and dedication to being the best possible player I can be.
I feel terrible that this has happened, but I think there is something to be gained from it. If my situation results in the education of current and future players about the dangers of taking anything without a prescription from a licensed physician -- that is a positive. At the end of the day, it is important for all players to understand the risk of contamination and to be very careful about what they put in their body.
This suspension is going to be incredibly difficult for me, my wife and my 2 boys. Over the next week and a half, I am going to spend time with my family. I am going to come back and will be as determined as ever to help the Orioles win this pennant race that we are in. We have worked very hard to be in a position to bring our fans a title, and I will not let this be a distraction.
Finally, I would like to thank Commissioner Selig and Mr. Angelos for their strong words of encouragement. I had the opportunity to speak with both of them and I am extremely appreciative of their support and friendship.
Raffy has not taken responsibility for his own screw up. Only he knows what's going on. I think this was a gross mistake on his part and leaves me with the distinct feeling that he has lied before. Sorry Raffy...it just doesn't work!
Posted by: Tom at August 2, 2005 02:46 PMWhat gets me about this whole thing is that he went in front of an arbitrator to talk about this, and the arbitrator still handed him a suspention. This makes it hard to believe that Raffy didn't know what he was doing
Posted by: Chris(helimech24) at August 2, 2005 03:07 PMI'm leaning towards believing Raffy (even though we'll probably never know the full story).
It's possible that Raffy put something into his body knowingly (maybe he was even stuck with a needle in the behind by Jose Canseco years ago) but I think that it was probably an accidental or unknowingly incident, where by he ate or drank something or took an socially accepted pill that had some foreign substance in it.
As he admitted, all of us, including Raffy, have to be responsible and exercise extreme care as it relates to what we put in our body.
Even I take prescription medicines and sprays (for my nose), as well as other over the counter pills for my knees, tendons, headaches/muscleaches, etc. but I don't keep up on exactly what is in each of these items. I just take them because a doctor, pharmacist, etc tells me it's OK.
But with the easy access to so many things (at GNC stores, etc), people can buy anything but have no idea what is contained in each pill.
Why would a man in his situation even consider taking something illegal? It just doesn't make sense. There's something fishy about this. If you look over his career, he hasn't gotten huge like Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Jose Canseco, etc..
Raffy still has the same build as he did when he started playing for the Cubs. He's still very thin.
Sure, he made a mistake but, whoever has never made a mistake, can be the first person to throw a stone at him.
See John 8:7 for
Who is without sin among you let him cast the first stone.