Front Page: Michael Pineda Suspended 60 Games For Banned Substance

[Richie the Rally Goat]

That is really disappointing, to say the least.

[D.C Twins]

Diuretics are absolutely used to dilute urine and mask illegal substances. Hydrochlorothiazide is a prescribed medication and not some common dietary supplement that just pops up in lots of over the counter supplement products and is taken "accidentally." (testosterone and its analogues can randomly be found in over the counter dietary supplements)

 

Hydrochlorothiazide is used to treat high blood pressure and in people that don't have high blood pressure, could cause dizziness and dehydration (especially in August).

 

One would only take that chance to obtain some other potential substantial gain.

 

Armed with that information, I'll leave it to everyone to make their own conclusion. To me it is pretty clear what happened.

[jorgenswest]

A few unconnected thoughts...

 

Thorpe and Smeltzer have a chance to step up.

 

If Cave and/or Cruz are injured do they need the roster spot for Kirilloff? He didn’t hit for power returning from injury but that seems behind him now.

 

This has to hurt Pineda’s hopes for a good contract in free agency. Should the Twins be interested in a 1 year deal for his shortened season?

[KidBro]

Has the trade deadline passed? 

[Shaitan]

 

This has to hurt Pineda’s hopes for a good contract in free agency. Should the Twins be interested in a 1 year deal for his shortened season?

 

With his injury history I'd already be hesitant to sign him to more than a 1-year deal in any situation. Add this and...I won't rule it out, but I think this suspension burns some bridges.

[ewen21]

 

Wow.

And what George Carlin said you cant say on TV.

Ahh.  Class Clown.  I remember having that in vinyl back in the day.

 

He amended the list to include dozens of words and phrases.  Put me down for that.

[twinssporto]

This news hurts but it's not going to put this team into a death spiral. The Twins do have other pitching options and those guys either step up or they don't.  If I were one of the new pitchers that got called up I would look at this as my golden opportunity to be a hero and help win a World Series.  

 

It will be fun to see if anyone can step up and make something happen.  

[yarnivek1972]

After thinking about it, perhaps Falvine did know about the failed test before the deadline and decided that without him it wasn’t worth pushing “all in”.

 

That seems unlikely though, because that would also have required the foresight that Berrios was going to bomb out in August and that Gibson would succumb to his gastro-intestinal issues.

[tvagle]

Free Balazovic!!!!

 

(following my recent post of Free Kirilloff)

[jimbo92107]

Smelt, Thorpedo, Dobs. Grats isn't polished enough. Best bet might be to start Smeltzer, then bring Thorpe in around inning 4, to see if he can go the next three. Tight leash on both guys if they walk anybody. 

[zwiefz]

With or without Pineda I couldn't see the Twins beating the Astros pitching staff.

 

This could end being blessing in disguise. He feels he owes team and gives them a bit of a discount on a new contract.

 

If they were willing to bring back Big Erv after his, they should bring back Big Mike after his

[Mike Sixel]

So now they probably won't re sign two of the free agents. And shouldn't sign Perez. Ouch.

 

This is gonna hurt in the post season. And next year.

[ScrapTheNickname]

I was shocked for half a second then I thought of him twice using a substance on his neck and twice getting kicked out of games. Good riddance and I hope there is something in his contract that will relieve the Twins of any financial hardship on this sh*t!

 

Onward with the players we have. The postseason was always a bit of pipe dream because of our suspect pitching and this doesn't change that, it only alters it somewhat.

[ScrapTheNickname]

 

What history?

He cheated before, and very badly at that.

 

https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/ap143517767316.jpg

[Danchat]

 

With or without Pineda I couldn't see the Twins beating the Astros pitching staff.

This could end being blessing in disguise. He feels he owes team and gives them a bit of a discount on a new contract.

If they were willing to bring back Big Erv after his, they should bring back Big Mike after his

Ervin had about 3 more seasons under contract that were 100% guaranteed, so they had no option but to bring back Ervin unless they were interested in burning all that money.

 

But yeah, this'll definitely drive the price down on him. A repeat suspension would be for a full season, so that will turn off his suitors.

[weneedjackmorris]

This is a very unfortunate action on the part of Mr. Pineda.  What makes it worse is that he'll be gone at the end of the season, and will likely never put on a Twins uniform ever again.  Good.  What a lousy parting gift from a ball player who just dropped off my Christmas card list for 2019!  Merry frigg'n Xmas Mike.

[etwink]

I hate that he tried to suggest that he wasn’t responsible, by saying “a close acquaintance” gave it to him (i.e. he didn’t get the pills himself) rather than just leave it with a comment taking responsibility. Does anyone out there really take random pills that a friend gives you (other than teens in night-clubs)?? It boggles the mind that these guys want us to believe that they are utter fools when it comes to their private lives.

 

Big Mike isn’t willing to man-up to his responsibility...but he’s forced his teammates into a position where they have to, if they want to have a chance this year. Gibby is going to have to pitch through illness, Berrios is going to have to drop the illusion that everything is ok and figure out how to miss bats again, Perez is going to have to channel the 1st half of the season, Odo is going to have to find a way to get past the 5th inning and someone is going to have to take the ball every fifth day.

 

It’s hard work being an adult!

[MMMordabito]

Feels like Eddie's throw to nail Devers is probably the 2019 pinnacle now. As much as I'd like to stay positive like the poster above mentioning opportunity presenting itself, this is just a big black cloud rolling in. Goddamnit.

[Kendel]

If now isn’t the time to take chances, when is? The Twins need to gamble on catching lightning in a bottle. I think they can add a player to the roster to replace Pineda. IT’S BALAZOLIC TIME!!! What the hell, fresh rookies have tore up the post season before. Why not us? Why not now?

[theBOMisthebomb]

I think these lyrics by the great Metallica as somewhat appropriate here, "Good day. How do?

And I send a smile to you

Don't waste, waste your breath

And I won't waste my hate on you

Waste my hate on you"

Big Mike messed up.

[MMMordabito]

I don't think Balazovic or Ober or anyone who wasn't on the team at the beginning of the month is eligible for the post season. They'll have to stay in their cells.

[Rosterman]

Well it does free a roster spot. Could the Twins add Griffinb Jax, or if they need an outfielder Alex Kiriloff?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I don't think Balazovic or Ober or anyone who wasn't on the team at the beginning of the month is eligible for the post season. They'll have to stay in their cells.

http://m.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/postseason-roster-rules-eligibility

They are still a possibility via petition

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Next man up...I like that motto. What else can the Twins do?

[Five minute major]

Not unexpected when you factor that a Minnesota sports team was actually generating some excitement.   No fan base is as cursed as we are.  

[launchingthrees]

We may see a bullpen game in the playoffs and I'm excited for it.

[scottz]

Disappointing, but another reminder to myself to not get too hung up on the fates of “my” pro sports teams. Hopefully they can step up and finish the season strong, but if they don’t, or don’t do anything in the playoffs, my life will be unaffected.

[yarnivek1972]

http://m.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/postseason-roster-rules-eligibility

They are still a possibility via petition

Pineda isn’t injured. I’d say the chances of a petition to replace him succeeding are nil.

[AZTwin]

Pineda isn’t injured. I’d say the chances of a petition to replace him succeeding are nil.

They have 2 players injured that can be used for the exception

[jimbo92107]

He should have asked Polanco if it was a good idea....

 

I would still offer Pineda a contract for next season. Pro-rated to deduct the games missed, of course.