Geovany Soto failed drug test during WBC

[AJhawk50]

Cubs catcher Geovany Soto tested positive for marijuana while playing for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic last March, the International Baseball Federation announced Thursday.

Soto released a statement saying he was "embarrassed by my lapse in judgment."

"While I full acknowledge my inappropriate behavior, I want to assure my fans and my family that this was an isolated incident," he said.

Soto will be banned from international play for two years, but the positive drug test does not have any impact on his major league availability. The Cubs released an unsigned statement indicating Soto has been drug tested regularly and this was the only positive test.

"Geovany assured the organization this was an isolated incident and a misstep in judgment that will not be repeated," the statement said. "Though surprised and disappointed, the club supports Geovany as he takes responsibility for his actions and accepts the consequences."

Soto is expected to address the media after the game.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2009/06/geovany-soto-failed-drug-test-during-world-baseball-classic.html

[Fear The Chorizo]

helps to explain why he showed up to spring training overweight....DORITOS!

[Schlitz001]

Is it wrong that I don't care since it's not a PED?

[owbc]

It has already been shown with Michael Phelps that this country doesn't care if people are caught smoking pot. It probably has the opposite effect of a PED and is much less a crime than something like DUI.

 

This doesn't change my opinion of him at all.

[cwolf2012]

What kind of organization would keep someone that has taken marijuana?

 

Wait...

[MJLiverock]

I think we can all see that smoking pot leads to gold medals and ROY awards or vice versa.

[eanelson4]

"While I full acknowledge my inappropriate behavior, I want to assure my fans and my family that this was an isolated incident," he said.

This was the best part about the whole thing. Suuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeee it was Geo. I bet he didn't inhale either, like Clinton.

[joepepsi]

The isolated incident he's referring to is failing the drug test!

 

"While I admit to starting each day blowing a doobie, I want to assure my fans and my family that failing the drug test was an isolated incident..."

[Boy Jeenius]

The isolated incident was not using a masking agent and getting caught, not the act of blowing doob. He was not lying at all.

[The Heartbreak Yid]

Is it wrong that I don't care since it's not a PED?

It definitely enhances things, but performance is not one of them.

[dragoon84]

Of anything an athlete could put in their body, marijuana is the least of them.

 

This isn't a big deal, in fact, I actually like Soto more for this. Better then him being a drunk or using PED's.

[brewdude15]

How could you like someone more for doing something illegal? That's similar to liking someone for robbing a bank.

 

This is what I don't understand....athletes get caught doing drugs, and they get away with it (or at least receive a much less strict punishment). If any other guy were to get caught smoking marijuana, they'd be arrested. It's simply not fair.

[whizkid]

He didn't get caught smoking, he tested positive for it after the fact. Few people are ever tested like ballplayers and any that are don't get arrested from a test, they just get denied a job or whatever.

[steve267268]

How could you like someone more for doing something illegal? That's similar to liking someone for robbing a bank.

 

This is what I don't understand....athletes get caught doing drugs, and they get away with it (or at least receive a much less strict punishment). If any other guy were to get caught smoking marijuana, they'd be arrested. It's simply not fair.

First of all... Smoking pot is not in any way similar to robbing a bank. Smoking pot is similar to not stopping all the way at stop signs or speeding. Smoking and THEN driving is a different story. But smoking, by itself, is a minor infraction of the rules, depending on where you are. Athletes who get caught in the act of smoking will get in trouble. Athletes who TEST POSITIVE for drugs will not, just the same as your everyday joe. You cannot, unless on probation, get arrested for testing positive for a drug.

 

If you abide by every single law they make, good for you. But most people have their own personal set of values that may, or may not, coincide with the law and make decisions accordingly. In regard to pot, it's usually the people who have never been exposed to it or anyone that has done it that are so deathly afraid of it and judgmental about it. Imagine drawing a conclusion about a player that you have never seen play before and basing everything off of what you have read about him from a biased source.

 

It's no big deal.. but I still don't like Soto... He's a cub.

[PeaveyFury]

You cannot, unless on probation, get arrested for testing positive for a drug.

 

But you can be fired by your employer, etc. So legally you won't get in trouble, but not necessarily otherwise.

 

And please, let's not turn this into a debate about the drug itself here.

[logan82]

Is it wrong that I don't care since it's not a PED?

 

Is it wrong that I wouldn't care even if it was a PED.

[BrewCrewRising]

How could you like someone more for doing something illegal? That's similar to liking someone for robbing a bank.

If you like somebody for doing something illegal, you like them for doing something illegal, and the pot use is irrelevant. You could like a person for smoking pot in Milwaukee because it's illegal, but not care about them once they smoke pot in Amsterdam where it is not illegal. If Geo Soto smoked his pot in Amsterdam, would that make you feel better about it brewdude?

 

If you like somebody for smoking pot, you like them for that, not necessarily because it's illegal.

And please, let's not turn this into a debate about the drug itself here.

 

With respect Peavy, you have to argue about the drug and its use to argue about Soto doing the drug.

 

I personally hope Geo Soto smokes a lot more pot and often. He'll play a lot worse, and it probably only helps the Brewers.

[sheethead]

Steve made some really great points overall. At the end of the day, I really wish it would have been the MLB test he failed. But then again, he is pretty bad this year. At least he has given the Cubs' fans an excuse (albeit small) as to why.

[phxMILWfan]

How could you like someone more for doing something illegal? That's similar to liking someone for robbing a bank.

This is what I don't understand....athletes get caught doing drugs, and they get away with it (or at least receive a much less strict punishment). If any other guy were to get caught smoking marijuana, they'd be arrested. It's simply not fair.

Public Enemies is coming out in July. I wasn't around during John Dillinger's time but my English 101 research paper would tell you that he was a beloved bank robber. Also while it is a bit of a stretch, there is Robin Hood. It's not that crazy to like someone for doing something illegal.

[sgtcluels]

It's fairly ignorant thinking that ball players don't use drugs. But with that said, it's a shame for the Cubs that he couldn't resist the occasional toke while playing professional ball. If you tell me I couldn't drink for the next 10 years, but after 6 I'd make 4 - 12m, I'd stop drinking.

 

It's silly that players put themselves into positions like that.

[Invader3K]

I've never smoked a joint in my life, but I'm not going to get all flustered about someone else using pot once or occasionally. Since he didn't break one of MLB's rules (or at lest one of their tests, I guess), I don't see why he should be punished further for something so minor.

[brewdude15]

UPDATE: Now Lou Piniella is defending his young catcher by admitting he, too, once tried pot. Story

 

 

EDIT: One of the comments on the story at ESPN.com caught my eye. "Can't we all just get a bong? Enough said...."

 

I had a good laugh at that.

[Bikeage77]

helps to explain why he showed up to spring training overweight....DORITOS!

Don't you mean pop tarts?

 

Marijuana is practically legal all along the west coast, so it's just a matter of time that this isn't even an issue. I don't smoke, but whatever, its better than roiding up I spose.