May 7, 2009 8:34 pm US/Eastern
Manny Ramirez Suspended For Positive Drug Test
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Manny Ramirez (file image)
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
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Major League Baseball says
Manny Ramirez has tested positive for a drug banned by the MLB and was suspended for 50 games, starting Thursday.
The story was first reported by
The Los Angeles Times.
The banned substance has not been revealed.
Read: MLB's Banned Substance List & Drug Testing Policies
MANNY'S RESPONSE
"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 in a statement issued by the players' union.
Read: Manny's Statement
"Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons."
Two sources told ESPN that Ramirez used a women's fertility drug -- HCG, human chorionic gonadotropin. That sort of drug can be used by steroid users after they complete cycles to get their bodies to produce testosterone naturally again.
WHAT IS HCG?
HCG itself is not a steroid. It is a hormone that produces
testosterone, which is a steroid. According to WBZ-TV's Dr. Mallika Marshall, the FDA has approved HCG as a male fertility treatment to boost sperm count, though it is not commonly prescribed.
MANNY APOLOGIZES
Ramirez also addressed Dodgers owners Frank and Jamie McCourt, and manager Joe Torre.
"I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation."
Re:act: What Do You Think?
Watch: Dan Roche's Reaction
THE $7.65 MILLION SUSPENSION
He is the biggest star suspended for drugs so far under baseball's testing program.
Ramirez will lose about one-third of his $25 million salary - about $7.65 million.
He will not be allowed to play again until July 3.
He's hitting .348 with six home runs and 18 RBI's in 27 games this season with the Dodgers.
The Red Sox traded Ramirez to Los Angeles last August after seven-plus seasons in Boston.
DODGERS' RESPONSE
The Dodgers vow to go on without Ramirez.
"We have to go out there and perform without him. That's what the game is about," Torre said Thursday night. "Whether you lose somebody to something like this or to injury…players just have to suck it up and go after it. We're here to play baseball, and that's what we intend to do."
When asked about how steroid use has changed the game of baseball, Torre said, "As a game, we need to regain the trust of the fans. It's obviously not going to be an overnight success. We'll have to endure what we have to endure. In Manny's case, he took responsibility and is very disappointed in himself. It caught us all by surprise, and I hope to heck I'm always surprised when something like this happens."
RECENT CASES
This is the second major drug revelation to hit baseball in the last few months.
In February, Alex Rodriguez admitted taking steroids while playing for Texas from 2001-03. But that was before the start of testing with penalties under a program agreed to by players and management.
He has not been suspended.
Ramirez is the third player suspended this year under the major league program, following Philadelphia reliever J.C. Romero and Yankees pitcher Sergio Mitre.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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