Posted: Saturday, February 14, 2009, 11:20 AM | 13 comments |
 

Romero takes punishment, moves on
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Inquirer staff writer Jim Salisbury reports:

Phillies pitcher J.C. Romero met with reporters this morning for the first time since receiving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.

Romero tested positive for androstenedione after using an over-the-counter dietary supplement last summer. Romero has said his punishment is not warranted because the list of ingredients on the supplement's packaging included no banned substances.

Despite maintaining his innocence, Romero will take his punishment and move on.

``I guess I have to pay the consequences for something that, in my heart, I know I didn't do anything wrong,'' Romero said before the team's first workout for pitchers and catchers.

``I didn't cheat the game of baseball. I did, according to my understanding, everything by the book. It's just unfortunate that the arbitrator didn't see it that way and I have to pay the consequences of perhaps a wrong ruling, I would say.''

In an October arbitration hearing, Romero claimed that he shouldn't be suspended because no banned substance was listed on the label of 6-Oxo Extreme, the supplement that he purchased last summer in New Jersey. He also stated that the Players' Association had informed players that over-the-counter supplements purchased in the United States were safe.

Asked if the Players' Association let him down, Romero said: ``That's for you to decide.''

Romero said he was considering legal action against ErgoPharm, the maker of 6-OXO Extreme.

Romero also said: ``The bottom line is, the commissioner and all the people who run MLB have a job to do. The union has a job to do. I could say I'm the victim. It's a process. I went through the process, the arbitrator didn't see it the way the union and myself saw it. And now I'm sitting here with a 50-game suspension on my back which I still can't comprehend.''

Romero said he may pitch for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, depending on how his arm feels in the next few days.

``I'm trying to focus on the game right now,'' he said. ``I don't want to be a distraction to my teammates. I came here (today) prepared to answer all the questions I have to answer. After that, I've got to prepare myself to win another championship. That's what I'm here for.''

Romero will be eligible to rejoin pitch for the Phillies on June 1. He can pitch in the minor leagues 16 days before that.

His suspension will cost him nearly $1.3 million in salary. He paid $52 for the supplement.

``Fifty-two dollars cost me $1.3 million,'' he said.
There will be more from Romero in Sunday's Inquirer, as well as plenty more Phillies coverage.
Posted by Inquirer Online Desk @ 11:20 AM  Permalink | 13 comments
13
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:14 PM, 02/14/2009
    This is the first time I've seen it reported that the banned substance was androstenedione Are the arbitrator reports for these things made public? As I understand it where they say he went wrong is that the league set up an 800 number for players to call if they had a question about such things and he didn't call. Instead he relied on the Phillies trainer and a personal trainer. Still it seems like such a questionable case to throw a 50 game suspension at. And if this company was putting andro in an OTC supplement has there been any criminal inquiry?
    — lseltzer
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:21 PM, 02/14/2009
    Looks like the company is denying they spike their products with andro but implying that using them could produce a false positive for andro. If so this would seem to be a better claim for Romero to make. http://www.mesomorphosis.com/blog/2009/01/10/mlbpa-deceptive-spin-tactics-in-androstenedione-cases/
    — lseltzer
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:47 PM, 02/14/2009
    Terriffic! How many juicers got away free? And how many now are getting screwed that did nothing but what J.C. did? It's like locking the barn door after the horse got out.....and then burning it down!
    — TBear
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:57 PM, 02/14/2009
    It really is UNBELIEVABLE that J.C. received a 50 game suspension when he was forward about the whole thing, asked questions, was misled, etc. And how many games is A-Rod getting suspended for KNOWINGLY taking a banned substance?? How about Tejada?? Petitte?? What's wrong with picture?
    — hkhund07
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:24 PM, 02/14/2009
    I can never understand how logic and conscience escape our jurisdictions. JC - we feel for you.
    — proLogic
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:08 PM, 02/14/2009
    hkhund great points. Free JC!!
    — tarik255
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:33 PM, 02/14/2009
    Every time we give up a run in the 8th when it would be JC time I Will throw or kick something< Drink another beer, and post a anti Bud Selig comment on philly.com
    — lennyk
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:40 PM, 02/14/2009
    Bud Selig is what's wrong with the picture.
    — BlueHens
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:59 PM, 02/14/2009
    If this were me in JC's position, I would have retained legal counsel to get a court injunction blocking the suspension until a hearing on the banned substances was held under court supervision. True, it could cost one or two million dollars and he would still lose like Floyd Landis did in the arbitration process over the Tour of France drug ruling that stripped his title. I can discern it is one thing to knowlingly taking a banned substance and another thing to take a drug with a banned substance after being cleared by MLB that it was ok. Question begging to be answered is did the Phillies make a sidebar deal with JC on promised continued employment in the league as a pitcher (one can easily be blackballed in baseball) providing he took the 50 game suspension like a man? Perhaps JC is interested in working for the Phillies in some capacity after he retires and he does not want to jeopardize it, but what guarantee of employment does he have right now? It shows taht the commissioner has no guts in all and no respect from either the players or the owners as he answers only to the feds while protecting basseball from imploding within if the feds choose to cause fans from attending games and television networks to lose interest in covering the games. A man is supposed to stand up against bullies and this commissioner is not much of a man.
    — James
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:16 PM, 02/14/2009
    implementation of sanctions should not be as political...Romero is a pawn in this chess match of image vs profits. Too bad. I do criminal defense work as a living and leaving punishment in the hands of Selig and his cronies is a farce. Too bad. A Rod should play for free for the rest of his life and donate money to the city of NY to pay some bills.
    — retzlaff
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:35 AM, 02/15/2009
    Why didn't he just buy one of the proven supplements on the official MLB list? We wouldn't be having this discussion, and he wouldn't be out $1.3mil........he certainly has a legal case against the supplement maker. MLB is doing exactly what they have to do. Rules are rules. That's it.
    — Mark1npt


13 comments
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Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.

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