Bastardo accepts 50-game suspension

AS IF inching closer to last place and further away from first place with each passing day wasn't enough, the underperforming, uninspiring Phillies saw their season take another wrong turn yesterday.

Reliever Antonio Bastardo has agreed to serve a 50-game suspension for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., taking part in a team alumni golf outing, was unavailable for comment. But a statement from team president David Montgomery was sent out minutes after Major League Baseball announced the suspension yesterday.

"Obviously, the Phillies are very disappointed to learn of Antonio Bastardo's violation of Major League Baseball's Drug Program," Montgomery's statement read. "We strongly believe in the Program and look forward to a time when performance enhancing drugs are completely out of baseball. Hopefully the sanctions announced today will bring us closer to that day. We respect the fact that Antonio has acknowledged his serious mistake and accepted his 50-game suspension."

Since the Phils have 51 games remaining, Bastardo is almost certainly finished for the remainder of the season.

Bastardo, 27, is 3-2 with a 2.32 ERA in 48 games with the Phillies in 2013, his fifth major league season.

Bastardo was one of 12 players who agreed to suspensions yesterday, when Major League Baseball finalized its case against Biogenesis, an anti-aging clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs. The others on the list: Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz; San Diego shortstop Everth Cabrera; Detroit shortstop Jhonny Peralta; Mets outfielder Jordany Valdespin; Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli; Seattle catcher Jesus Montero; minor leaguers Cesar Puello (Mets), Fautino De Los Santos (Padres), former Phillie Sergio Escalona (Astros) and Fernando Martinez (Yankees); and free agent pitcher Jordan Norberto.

Former National League MVP Ryan Braun came to a settlement with Major League Baseball 2 weeks ago, agreeing to a 65-game suspension that ended his season. Fellow former MVP Alex Rodriguez, meanwhile, was suspended through the end of the 2014 season, although he is appealing it and plans to play while the process plays out.

Rodriguez, Braun and Cruz are among the high-profile players whose names had been leaked through the course of the investigation. But Bastardo's inclusion was a surprise yesterday, among a shorter list of mystery names, players whose identities weren't revealed until the investigation was finalized and the penalties were levied.

While the Phillies were mostly mum on the Bastardo news, one former major leaguer sounded off through Twitter.

Woodbury, N.J., native Dan Meyer, a former first-round pick of the Atlanta Braves, tweeted the following message when the news broke: "Hey Antonio Bastardo, remember when we competed for a job in 2011. Thx alot." Meyer also included a not-fit-for-print hashtag in his tweet.

Meyer, 32, who is now out of baseball, came to the Phillies camp in spring training 2 years ago but asked for his release when he was sent to minor league camp. He sent out a follow-up tweet later yesterday in an apparent response to people who assumed he meant that Bastardo took his job.

"Never said I was good enough but what about the players that never got their chance," Meyer tweeted. "Their lives could have been completely different."

Bastardo bounced back from an uneasy 2012 season (2-5, 4.33 ERA) by re-establishing himself as a capable lefthanded reliever this season. In addition to an ERA that was a full two runs lower, Bastardo had 47 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings (fourth among lefthanded relievers in the NL).

Bastardo was prone to bouts of wildness: his 21 walks are fourth among major league lefthanded relievers.

But he only allowed two home runs, three fewer than Cincinnati All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman has allowed in 43 1/3 innings. Chapman, coincidentally, has also walked 21 batters this season.

Opponents hit .217 against Bastardo this season (13th among major league lefthanded relievers), with a .637 OPS (14th).

Bastardo, a first-year arbitration-eligible player this past winter, was set to earn $1.4 million this season. That number will be prorated to discount the 50 games he is set to serve during his suspension.