Article: Ervin Santana Suspended 80 Games For Steroids

[Parker Hageman]

With just days to go before the 2015 regular season, the Minnesota Twins’ rotation took a huge blow on Saturday when Major League Baseball announced that starting pitcher Ervin Santana had violated the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program policy and will be suspended for 80 games.In the Twins official statement, the team says they “were disappointed to learn of the suspension” but supports MLB efforts in ridding the game of the banned substances and will not comment further on the matter. Santana released a response as well saying “I am frustrated that I can't pinpoint how the substance in question entered my body” and “I will be more vigilant of medications I take so that I don't commit another mistake”.

 

Reports says that Santana tested positive for Stanozolol (also known as Winstrol), an anabolic steroid. The drug has a reputation for aiding in the recovery process while avoiding adding bulk which is why it has been associated with pitchers. Just this year relievers Arodys Vizcaino and David Rollins and now Santana have tested positive for the drug. Still, stanozolol has been considered one of the more easily traceable performance enhancing drugs said ESPN. According to medical experts, the drug had no known masking agents as of 2005 and can linger in the system for several week to a month to allow for detection and needs six to eight weeks of use to have a benefit to the athlete.

 

READ: Twins And Ervin Santana Agree On A Four-Year Deal

 

The Twins signed Santana in December to a four-year, $55 million contract which required forfeiting a second round draft pick in order to do so. Minnesota announces that left-handed reliever Aaron Thompson will be recalled to the roster and Mike Pelfrey will return to the starting rotation in Santana’s place.

 

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[Dr. Evil]

I wonder if this is the kind of drug that is an ingredient in any legal supplements, prescription medications or herbal medicines that could mistakenly be taken? Or, if it is something that there is no way it could be taken by mistake. Anybody know?

[John Bonnes]

Pelfrey to the rotation, Thompson chosen over Thielbar. I'm officially worried about how Molitor (or his staff) chooses his pitchers. Maybe that "Gardy always does a good bullpen" was a little too true.

 

And FWIW, I don't see a lot about legitimate products in which Stanozolol can be found. It was what also what nailed Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson back in 1988. I wonder just how long Santana has been using it. 

[Giles Ferrell]

Well this certainly makes Ricky Nolasco's first year here look fantastic by comparison!

[Old Twins Cap]

Holy ...  Well, there's always next year.

[Thrylos]

 

I wonder if this is the kind of drug that is an ingredient in any legal supplements, prescription medications or herbal medicines that could mistakenly be taken? Or, if it is something that there is no way it could be taken by mistake. Anybody know?

 

It is synthetic testosterone.  Controlled substance and requires a Federal Schedule III form every time it is prescribed.  The likelihood it is in any legit OTC supplement is about the same as codeine or LSD analogs (also schedule III drugs)

[Lazarus]

This team is going to go through a LOT of starters and relievers this year. There will be sufficient opportunity for Milone, Pelfry, Nolasco, and the entire bullpen to save their careers or torch them. At least one of the above three starters (and maybe two) will pitch their way out of town in a couple of months. And probably two or three relievers as well. And this prediction doesn't even take into account the inevitable injuries we'll see.

 

At least AAA and AA has more interesting prospects to draw from then we've seen in past years.

[KGB]

Unbelievable, good investment and loss of draft pick.

[Cap'n Piranha]

It's like the Good Lord wants Meyer or May in the rotation, and the Twins just won't listen. What is the point of moving Pelfrey back from the bullpen (where he might have created some value), instead of seeing what May or Meyer could do.

 

I've been a Twins optimist, and sometimes apologist, for most of this decade, but I HATE this roster. Hunter, Robinson, Milone, Pelfrey, Stauffer, and Nunez have no business playing for us in the roles they're in. I'm just disgusted by this.

[amjgt]

Adding Ervin Santana in July is just like making a big trade at the trading deadline.

[Tibs]

 

Well this certainly makes Ricky Nolasco's first year here look fantastic by comparison!

I mean, Ervin Santana can't lose us games when he isn't pitching.

[amjgt]

I was hoping that Bonnes was just speculating, but a quick look at MLBtraderumors confirmed the Pelfrey kick in the nuts, after we just suffered the Santana sucker punch in the face.

[clank2000]

**** me.

[amjgt]

Terry Ryan.... you just cleared $7M in "cap space"

 

You can probably find a decent CF for that figure

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

I appreciate amjgt looking on the bright side...

 

Is there any chance the Twins could get that pick back? I guess the $$$ saved is a kind of restitution. I doubt they will use it for a CFer, though.

 

Dustin McGowan? Yeesh.

[Minniman]

The Twins are now stuck with his "doped" contract.

 

The front office is doing a pretty poor job with these moster deals lately.

 

[Paul Pleiss]

Terry Ryan should begin to consider life after baseball. recalling Aaron Thompson is not the appropriate decision. Terry is better than Bill Smith, but is that enough? Many teams have an assistant GM, GM, and president of baseball operations all better than Terry Ryan. He's old school, the Twins need to be forward looking.

[alskntwnsfn]

His reply is horsesh*t the only way you get winstrol into your system is on purpose. An old roommate of mine was a doper, this stuff is a very common steroid. Practically a standard substance for dopers. We are not talking about creatine or adderall here.

[AHSaves]

Pelfrey with a poison PED dart. You saw how angry he was.

[USAFChief]

 

Adding Ervin Santana in July is just like making a big trade at the trading deadline.

I'll take "Things I wish I had posted" for a thousand, Alex.

[alskntwnsfn]

Well this certainly makes Ricky Nolasco's first year here look fantastic by comparison!

Not necessarily, Ricky was paid in full for getting beat like a drum.

[Thrylos]

 

Terry is better than Bill Smith,

 

No he is not.  The Twins have had a worse record under Ryan that under Bill Smith.

 

Sad but true.

[DocBauer]

Whooooooaaaa! Wait a minute. Its April 3rd!

[slash129]

 

Found the culprit .... Ervin, you need to discontinue use. 

 

[Kwak]

Not sure, but I would think that MLB considering offering a FA contract could demand medical testing--including those of PEDs.  Of course, a player could refuse, but then the team could respond--"we're outta' here!" 

Said contract offer could (should?) include a clause concerning the use of PEDs--including penalties. However, I didn't see the Twins' offer to Santana--so, I can't form a conclusion.

[USAFChief]

 

 

Found the culprit .... Ervin, you need to discontinue use. 

link, please.

[DocBauer]

TC Bear just went out to the woods to share what he thinks of all of this.

[cmb0252]

Use more than half your draft picks on college relief pitchers the last three years.

Bring up a 28 year old relief pitcher when a spot opens.

 

Twins logic.

[Kwak]

What's the over/under now?  I wonder what the other players will say when Santana returns?

[nicksaviking]

I don't like the idea that the local homer media types will now use this as an excuse for the Twins front office, ignoring every national publication that predicted a terrible 2015 for the Twins before the Santana incident.  

 

They're just not making wise decisions.  The poor decision to sign an aging pitcher was bad, but now they are making bad auxiliary moves in reaction to it.  I know plenty of front office supporters would even agree.  I like the men in charge as actual human beings, but this can't continue.  Why is this team so damn old after so many losing seasons? What will it take to get new people in charge who will sacrifice the now for the future?

Edited April 3, 2015 by nicksaviking