Drugs

It always surprises me when athletes are caught taking drugs. Of course, we've heard the A-Rod allegations so much that we're immune. We know he took them for a few years--he admitted that far. Now people are coming out of the woodwork to claim he took them in high school, when he was with the Yankees (he only admitted taking them during the Texas Rangers years). I don't know if he did or not. Until I get proof, medical or admission of guilt, I'm not going to worry about it.

And now the news comes out that Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for violation of MLB drug policy. He said it's not a steroid, but rather something that was prescribed by a doctor for a personal medical issue.

"Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me," Ramirez said. "Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility."

This is short and sweet, but really? I know this has happened before: not necessarily with a prescription, but with supplements from health stores and such. Someone needs to remind these guys that everything they take should be taken to MLB to assure that it's okay. Just because it's given by a doctor, or sold over the counter, check with MLB. Just because someone unrelated to MLB says it should be okay, check it out. It never hurts to take precautions. (I'm fairly certian that MLB makes exceptions for medical drugs--they'd almost have to!--as long as they're disclosed.)