Reds’ Volquez get drug suspension–kind of

Major League Baseball is getting serious about testing for performance enhancing drugs these days, and the reality is that it is long overdue. The concern about testing positive has surely impacted the game and athletes know that they have to be very diligent about what they are putting into their bodies.

Reports are circulating this week that Edinson Volquez, the young Cincinnati Reds starter who put up some gaudy numbers on the way to an all-star game appearance in 2008, has tested positive for a fertility drug and has been suspended by MLB for 50 games. He is the first player to test positive for a banned substance since Manny Ramirez did so last year. He said that the drug was prescribed to him during the off-season in his native Dominican Republic.

“As a result, I tested positive when I reported to spring training. Although I understand that I must accept responsibility for this mistake and have chosen not to challenge my suspension, I want to assure everyone that this was an isolated incident involving my genuine effort to treat a common medical issue,” said Volquez.

The punchline, however, is that this suspension will have zero impact on Volquez or the Reds, because he is currently on the disabled list rehabilitating from major elbow surgery and wasn’t expected to return until after the suspension will be over. So this is a suspension that is not a suspension and a rather bizarre exercise in sophistry when you put it into perspective.