The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that three Minor League players in the Tampa Bay Rays organization have been suspended following their violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Second baseman Ryan Brett, pitcher Charles Cononie and pitcher Justin Woodall, all of whom are with Single-A Bowling Green of the Midwest League, each tested positive for methamphetamine and an amphetamine.
All three players have received 50-game suspensions without pay, effective immediately.
The Rays have now had five players suspended for substance abuse this season - these three plus Tim Beckham and Deshun Dixon. And of course there is Matt Bush, who has been on the restricted list since spring training.
LHSP Sean Bierman has been promoted to Bowling Green from Hudson Valley. The 23 year old was drafted in the 10th round this June out of the University of Tampa. Bierman was 4-2 with a 2.75 ERA over 11 starts for the Renegades this season. In 52.1 innings he struck out 36 while walking only 5 batters.
Infielder Benjamin Kline has been promoted to Bowling Green from the GCL Rays. He was the Rays 32nd round pick in June. Kline, 23, had a .347/.393/.419 line in 124 at-bats in the Gulf Coast League.
Here are Brett's career stats since the Rays took him in the 3rd round of the 2010 draft:
Year Age Teams AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS 2010 18 GCL Rays 89 8 27 5 2 0 9 12 3 8 17 .303 .364 .404 .768 2011 19 Princeton 240 42 72 22 5 3 24 21 3 26 24 .300 .370 .471 .841 2012 20 Bowling Green 410 77 117 20 3 6 35 48 8 37 73 .285 .348 .393 .741 3 Seasons 739 127 216 47 10 9 68 81 14 71 114 .292 .357 .419 .777
Here are Cononie's career stats. He was the Rays 24th round pick in 2011:
Year Age Teams W L ERA G GS SV IP HBP WP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 2011 22 Hudson Valley 1 1 2.43 16 0 6 29.2 5 0 0.978 5.2 0.0 3.6 8.2 2012 23 Bowling Green 2 4 4.20 34 0 5 60.0 12 9 1.500 6.8 0.2 6.8 10.4 2 Seasons 3 5 3.61 50 0 11 89.2 17 9 1.327 6.2 0.1 5.7 9.6
And here are Woodall's stats since he was drafted in the 26th round in 2010:
Year Age Teams W L ERA G GS SV IP HBP WP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 2011 23 Hudson Valley 2 1 2.25 19 0 4 24.0 2 0 1.333 6.8 0.4 5.2 10.1 2012 24 Bowling Green 3 4 4.76 30 1 4 58.2 7 9 1.602 8.9 0.5 5.5 8.0 2 Seasons 5 5 4.03 49 1 8 82.2 9 9 1.524 8.3 0.4 5.4 8.6
I usually don't include HBP and WP numbers, but I thought they were interesting.
I'm no expert, but I'd say the meth had an adverse affect on their performance. All three players look like they're trending that way anyways.
ReplyDeleteI take Adderall for my ADHD and that is the main ingredient in the drug. I'll put money on it that these guys were taking Adderall either they were perscribed or somebody on the team has ADD and passed a few out to the boys illegally. No big deal here.
DeleteThe Rays should immediately cut all 3. I know that there is bonus money involved but its obvious that the anti drug message isnt getting through to these young players. Meth really?????
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's a shame Tampa Bay cut 2B Raymond Church during Spring Training. They sure could have used him now in Bowling Green.
Delete2 Hudson Valley pitchers have just been sent up to Bowling Green, plus 1 was sent up a few weeks ago. Hudson Valley will be in the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Please, Tampa Bay, don't take any more players from HV for BG. We'd like to win! It's been a long time.
ReplyDeleteIf Bowling Green wins their championship, are these suspended players eligible to get a ring?
ReplyDeleteWho the hell thinks they can dabble or whatever in Meth?
ReplyDeleteThis is ridiculous! What an embrassment to the rays organization look how many guys have been suspended this year! They get rid of lower round guys and don't give them chances but keep the loser top draft picks that do stupid stuff and get suspended! Sale will be next I guarantee it!
ReplyDeleteIf you are wondering why we know that these 3 were suspended for meth but there was no drug listed for Deshun Dixon and Tim Beckham, here's why. There are 2 main categories of drugs MLB tests for: performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and drugs of abuse (pot, coke, LSD, etc.). MLB announces the type of drug found when it is a PED but not when it's a drug of abuse. Why? That's what the agreement with the players association says.
ReplyDeleteSo why isn't meth a drug of abuse? Under the PED category there are two types: steroids and stimulants. Meth is considered a stimulant, and therefore a PED, not a drug of abuse. So since it is a PED, MLB listed it for these three players. So, despite all of the horror stories we hear about meth users, to MLB meth isn't a drug of abuse like pot. Sort of silly, but that's what was negotiated.
This really sucks for BG, HV, and Princeton. All three are either in the playoffs (BG and HV) or fighting for the wildcard (Princeton). Rosters have to be shuffled around a bit to cover for these 3 idiots. I hate to see any of the teams hurt, but esp HV and Princeton. Bierman would probably have moved up anyway due to Shull going on the DL, but I hope they don't raid any more HV players for BG. BG is full at 25 now but light on pitchers (and heavy on catchers). We'll see, but I hope all BG gets are GCL guys.
Have to wonder how this will affect BG manager Brady Williams. Three players busted for meth on your team can't look good. I'll also bet we never see Woodall or Cononie in the Rays org again.
Last night, HV's Reynaldo Lopez, (pitcher), was told he had a flight to Bowling Green today. Hope we don't lose anymore to BG.
ReplyDeleteHudson Valley had a very skilled 2B fielder and decent hitter last season. (Raymond Church from Florida Atlantic U). He was released because of Brett's skipping from Princeton to Bowling Green and there was no place for him to go---Turns out this may have been a big mistake on TB's part. Jonathan Kocsco, who also played a good 2B for HV- is also gone. Brett sure screwed up!
You know what I find quite funny is that his agent says it was a result of taking an energy pill the night before however, if he was suspended for 50 games it means he had already been caught once before. The first time you are caught for a drug test it is simply a slap on the wrist. So he obivously has a problem with drugs already. Although I am sure his agent would say otherwise. Dixon was caught this summer, woodall was caught, and linksy.
ReplyDeleteNot true. That applies for weed, not meth.
DeleteMichael is right. For a drug of abuse it takes a 2nd positive. For a PED, which meth is as explained above, 1st time positive is a suspension.
DeleteLenny Linsky? Did you mean Charlie Cononie?
DeletePretty irresponsible dude (6:49), making false accusations of drug abuse. You should look in the mirror.
DeleteI meant Connie my apologies! Linksy is a favorite of mine!
Deletewell yall are freaking stupid if you actually believe it was an energy pill.
ReplyDeleteNot just any energy pill, a pill "that was described to him" as an energy pill, but that turned out to be Adderall. Which happens to make you test positive for meth. Just once though. And that one time just happened to be the very night before a drug test. How do you not believe that??
DeleteSeriously, I have no idea what the truth is, but lets consider this. If 3 people are accused of doing something bad together and only 1 denies it, are the other 2 lying? (Or did I miss statements from Woodall and Cononie blaming the one-time misdescribed pill the night before the test too?)
I may have found a new market.
ReplyDelete-Walter W
You guys can believe whatever you want from the media. I highly doubt any of these kids are meth addicts.
ReplyDeleteWho said they were,"Addicts?" But, if they took the drugs at all, they have to accept the consequences. They have these "rules about drugs" drilled into them every year. They just chose not to abide by them.
ReplyDeleteis there a press release from the agent?
ReplyDeleteYes there is
ReplyDeleteMost player smoke weed period. MLB should suspend them in the first positive test not in the second one..
ReplyDeleteAgreed
ReplyDelete