This spring when we did our predictions, one question we were asked was:
Which player would be suspended for steroids first?
That was easy, I thought. It will be someone I haven’t heard of. While others were picking star players of questionable repute, my thought was that it will be a new player, perhaps someone who was just brought up from the minors not too long ago. Someone the MLB can throw the book at and make an example of without really stepping on any team’s toes.
And I was right. Meet Juan Salas.
Salas has 23 ML games to his name which right now, is going down the toilet. His suspension will last the usual 50 games for a first offense. At this point, he is planning on spending it in workouts at the team facility and pitching in the extended spring training program.
Salas, by the way, is the 4th Devil Ray to be suspended for MLB’s drug policy (Josh Hamilton, Alex Sanchez and Matt Rico).