“Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?”
Does it anger anyone else that yet another star player has tested positive for a banned substance? Robinson Cano of the Seattle Mariners was suspended 80 games without pay by Major League Baseball, after he tested positive for furosemide, which is not a performance enhancing drug but a diuretic.
Under drug policy, a player is not automatically suspended for use of a diuretic unless MLB can prove he intended it as a masking agent. Cano tested positive before the season and appealed. MLB was able to determine his intent, resulting in Cano dropping his appeal.
Cano, who began his career in the Minors in 2001 and was brought up in 2005, stated he was unaware the medication he took was banned and was administered by a licensed doctor in the Dominican Republic.
Let’s start with the fact he used a doctor outside of the U.S. He doesn’t answer to the DR, but to MLB and the physicians in this country.
Next are claims he didn’t know that the substance was banned. You mean to tell me, with all the controversy, facts, and brouhaha the last several decades, a player today will knowingly put something in his body he isn’t fully educated about? He puts his career, his reputation, and his livelihood at risk. In this case, the 35-year-old loses $11.85 million of his 24 million dollar deal.
The greatest of the game – Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Joe DiMaggio, would never have acted with such disrespect of the sport, the fans, their teammates, or themselves. This upsets me to no end.
What makes me happy, are my Best Bets here at GamingToday. Thus far, I am 10-4 with my releases. Here are this week’s top plays. Remember, all stats and trends are as of print and may change as can starting pitchers.
Tuesday
Take HOUSTON over San Francisco: San Francisco, despite being a solid NL West contender, has dropped 9 of their last 14 games. Houston (30-18) is starting to separate themselves from the rest of the AL West pack, winning 9 of their L12 outings. The Astros are doing it with the top pitching staff in the Major’s. They rank first in Team ERA (2.43), K’s (494), and Quality Starts (36).
Gerrit Cole gets the nod here. The RH is 4-1 with an ERA of just 1.75, fanning 93 batters in 61.2 IP. The very pedestrian Giants rank 20th in both scoring (4.19) and Team ERA (4.33). They send Andrew Suarez to the hill. The LH dons a 1-3, 4.88 ERA. Houston is 16-7 in the last 23 during Game 1 of a series, 33-14 in 47 vs. NL West opponents, and 4-0 in Cole’s past 4 starts.
Take ST. LOUIS over Kansas City: The Royals got swept by St. Louis last season, 4-0, getting outscored, 37-17. The Royals enter this matchup losing 7 of their last 8 and possessing some of the poorest numbers in baseball. They rank 26th in scoring (3.96) and 30th in Team ERA (5.55). Jason Hammel is winless in 2018, sporting a 0-5 mark with a whopping 6.28 ERA. The RH has just 27 K’s in 53.0 IP.
The Cardinals give Luke Weaver the start at home. The RH is 3-3 with a 4.37 ERA. Kansas City is 0-6 in their last six vs. the NL Central, 1-8 in Hammel’s last 9 starts and 11-27 overall.
Good luck and have a winning day.