Batting Champion Suspended

Performance enhancing drugs strikes again in Major League Baseball. The biggest bugaboo in professional sports strikes agian, this time hitting the defending National League batting champion. A year after leading the NL in hitting, going .333 last year with 205 hits and 58 steals, Miami Marlins 2nd baseman Dee Gordon has been suspended for PED use. The suspension will cost Dee Gordon 80 games, will cost him about $1.65 million in salary during the suspension and makes him ineligible for the postseason, should the Marlins make it to the playoffs. He tested positive for exogenous testosterone and clostebol Oh and of an interesting note, this comes as the first season as Barry Bonds as the hitting coach of the Marlins.

The fact that this happens with Bonds as the hitting coach I'm sure has nothing to do at all with this suspensions, but because he's the Marlins hitting coach and a Marlins player gets suspended for PED use, of course people are going to start making the connection. I'm sure Bonds had nothing to do with it, people just like to talk, you know how the sports world reacts to things like this.

Gordon went to he media after the suspension was announced: "Though I did not do so knowingly, I have been informed that test results showed I ingested something that contained prohibited substances. The hardest part about this is feeling that I have let down my teammates, the organization and the fans," Gordon said. "I have been careful to avoid products that could contain something banned by MLB and the 20+ tests that I have taken and passed throughout my career prove this. I made a mistake and I accept the consequences." (ESPN)

I give Gordon full marks for accepting this suspension like a pro. This comes, like I said, the year after Gorodn won the NL batting title. Gordon is playing in the first year of a new five-year, $50 million deal with Miami in January. This does come as a bit of a surprise to find out that Dee Gordon of all people was caught using steroids. Prior to last year, Gordon had hit above .300 only once in his career, that was hitting .304 in his rookie year. Then he has a big year last year. I don't thin steroids had anything to do with it, I just think he was able to fully find his game and be able to hit at the big league level and with regularity.

I will give baseball a little credit here. They have started to really show the rest of the league, and the baseball world for that matter, that its not just the sluggers who are getting nailed for steroids use. It shows that if anybody gets caught using they will be punished. Its telling people that it doesn't matter who you are or how well your playing, if you get caught using steroids, your going to get punished for it. Simple as that. One of the big things for me is how well will Gordon react and be received when he comes back. He's eligable to return to the Miami lineup on July 28, which will be the Marlins' 102nd game of the year. Can he still be productive at the plate and in the field when he comes back? I think he should be OK and he can keep his nose clean and stay of trouble. He'll be just fine.