WHEN A SUSPENSION IS NOT A SUSPENSION
By John Leon
After listening to Mike Golic on ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning radio show, I have to agree with his assessment of the 50 game suspension rules.
Section 8 Part B – Player tests positive for a Performance Enhancing Substance
- 1. 1st Positive Test Result – a 50 game suspension
So where in that very short, very to the point statement does it say start a rehab assignment during the suspension? I didn’t see it did you? But there is a catch in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Major League Baseball Owners and the Players Association.
Section 8 Part H – Suspensions
- 2. During the term of his suspension, a player may consent to an assignment to a Minor League affiliate of his Club…and shall not exceed 10 days (16 days for a pitcher) for a Player suspended for a period of 26-50 days.
Granted, they are suspended without pay, (big deal) but Manny Ramirez, J.C. Romero and others get essentially a 40 game suspension, do a rehab assignment for 10 then get plugged right back into the everyday Major League Lineup.
I absolutely think this is ridiculous. You get suspended for 50, do the time and THEN if the club wants to send you to a rehab gig, send them then. What’s the difference if it’s an injury assignment or suspension? Time is time and this is just another reason why the MLBPA is the strongest union around.
Donald Fehr may be retiring but if Bud Selig, who in my mind may be the Jimmy Carter of Commissioners (the absolute worst ever!), thinks that little gem is coming out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, he is sadly mistaken.
“Our testing procedures are the strongest of any major sport,” said Selig.
Really? So how come, if it’s obvious to most if not all of us, that Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire (who I think is getting screwed royally), Brady Anderson, Lenny Dykstra, et al., were doing it, how come that addendum was put in the CBA so they could even think about testing?
Tradeoffs that’s why? The clamoring for testing was so strong that Fehr had no choice but to buckle under the weight of public scrutiny and still protect his players.
But getting back to my point, the 50 game suspensions should be just that, 50 games. No rehab during the suspension, not working out with club trainers, nothing until the sentence is completed. You want to work out, fine, do it on your own dime with your own trainers.
Look, I don’t think I’m being too harsh here. Pitchers get 6 games just for throwing at hitters, so does the crime fit the punishment? Not in this case, it sounds like time off for good behavior. Take the suspension and we’ll knock off some time so you can get back into playing shape.
All I’m saying is the rule stinks and should be changed. It won’t happen but it should.
Pretty stupid that players can go on rehab assignments while suspended.
Even dumber is what you mentioned in your last paragraph, the suspension for throwing at a player. Basically all these guys do is push their start back a couple days, it’s really no punishment whatsoever.
I’m not sure but I think allowing them to rehab in the minors is to benefit the club and not the player. Basically, I think they try to avoid punishing the club for the players’ offense. Since the player begins getting paid once the suspension ends, it would kind of suck for the team to have to pay his salary while sending him on a rehab assignment or playing him at the major league level before he was ready.