SUSPENDED DISBELIEF
Colon second prominent West Coast big leaguer in a week to test positive,
NEW YORK— Make it two 50-game suspensions in one week — both starters for contending teams from the Bay Area, both for testosterone. Former Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon of the Oakland Athletics was suspended for 50 games Wednesday after testing positive for testosterone, joining San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera on the suspended list for the rest of the regular season. Major League Baseball announced Colon’s penalty a week after all-star game MVP Cabrera received his 50-game suspension after testing for the same substance.
“I apologize to the fans, to my teammates and to the Oakland A’s,” Colon said in a statement released by the players’ association. “I accept responsibility for my actions and I will serve my suspension as required by the joint drug program.”
He will miss the final 40 games of the regular season and the first 10 games of the post-season if Oakland advances that far. Any remainder of the suspension would be served in a future season if Colon signs another major league contract.
“It’s a shock,” Oakland reliever Grant Balfour said. “He’s a guy that we’re definitely relying on right now. I guess you could say it’s bad timing any time but especially now.”
Oakland, which hasn’t made the playoffs since 2006, began Wednesday a half-game out in the AL wildcard race. The A’s were preparing for an afternoon series finale against Minnesota when they got the news from clubhouse televisions. (They won the game 5-1.)
General manager Billy Beane received word from MLB earlier Wednesday and began searching for a starter to take Colon’s turn in the rotation Thursday at Tampa Bay. Tyson Ross will be called up from Triple-A Sacramento.
“Listen, it’s disappointing. From a baseball standpoint, we’re scrambling,” Beane said. “We’re all disappointed, not just for the Giants and the A’s, but for baseball.”
The 39-year-old Colon is10-9 with a 3.43 ERA in 24 starts this season, his first with the A’s, and has a 171122 record in 15 big league seasons.
A two-time all-star, the burly right-hander won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award after going 21-8 for the Los Angeles Angels.
Colon will lose the remaining $469,945 of his $2 million base salary for the year. The $750,000 in performance bonuses he has earned based on starts and the $150,000 based on innings are not affected. Thursday’s start would have earned him another $250,000, and the suspension will cost him the chance at $850,000 in additional bonuses based on innings.
Manager Bob Melvin hadn’t spoken to Colon as of late morning Wednesday.
“You have to move forward,” Melvin said. “You go through things over the course of the season. This is just one of them. . . . You have to have a short memory.”
Five players have been suspended this year under the big league drug program. San Francisco reliever Guillermo Mota was penalized 100 games in May following his second positive test and is eligible to return Aug. 28. Philadelphia infielder Freddy Galvis and free agent outfielder Marlon Byrd were suspended 50 games each in June.
In addition, a 50-game suspension handed to NL MVP Ryan Braun was overturned.
Colon had been thankful to get a second chance with the A’s. His 10 wins are his most since his Cy Young season.