Melky Cabrera Suspended 50 Games for Testosterone

Look at these guys, really look at them. So young, so innocent, so full of hope.

Now look at them:

That’s what Melky Cabrera’s positive test for testosterone did to them. These men children are now men-men, men who have been hardened by disillusionment and strife. Men who will probably never be able to love again.

But Cabrera’s 50 game suspension will actually have even more far reaching influence. By blowing away all expectations by hitting .346/.390/.516, the cries that steroids can literally turn a lump of coal into a baseball All-Star will explode again. I can’t wait to read every single one of those articles.

And I sure hope that Cabrera hasn’t gone out and bought a few houses with the free agent money he was hoping for as the huge gobs of cash that were about to be thrown his way have dried up. Chances are Cabrera will be looking for a one-year, make-good deal.

Andrew Baggley must be steaming, too. After reporting on Twitter the rumors of Cabrera’s PED test last month, he published a public apology for passing along the positive test that Cabrera flat out denied. But as we now know that this result was one month in the making, so someone is lying. At least the appeals process worked out smoother than Bruan’s.

Oh yeah, and as Craig Calcaterra noted, home field advantage in the World Series can in part be attributed to All-Star Game MVP, Melky Cabrera.

But finally, and most importantly in the scheme of things that say baseball games are important, the Giants postseason hopes now teeter on the precipice. Currently tied with the Dodgers for first place in the West, the team must now win without the league’s leader in hits. The Giants have pitching in spades, but eventually even they need to score some runs, so the brunt of the weight will fall to Buster Posey (who can’t do any more than he’s done: .331/.407/.544) and Hunter Pence. Godspeed to them.

I guess the lone positive, if it can even be construed as such, is that Melky Cabrera took responsibility for his actions. How novel, how bizarre, how positively superheroic. Said Melky:

“My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used,” Cabrera said in a statement issued by the MLB Players Association. “I accept my suspension under the Joint Drug Program and I will try to move on with my life. I am deeply sorry for my mistake and I apologize to my teammates, to the San Francisco Giants organization and to the fans for letting them down.”

As the Giants fans are let down by the news, Dodgers fans are probably hard at work constructing their taunting signs for when the two clubs square off next week. Just remember, Dodgers faithful, Manny Ramirez did quite a lot while in Dodger Blue and he is not the standard for clean living.