Jose tested positive for steroids earlier this season
July 15, 2007 by Jason Guarente
Kimberly Ruth of the York Daily Record wrote a feature about Felix Jose in today’s paper. 
According to the story, which cites an article published in Diario de Yucatan, Jose was suspended from the Mexican League for 50 games after testing positive for anabolic steroids earlier this season. The outfielder, who started the season in Korea, left Pericos de Puebla in Mexico last month.
UPDATE at 2:18 p.m.
According to David Keller, assistant director of BASA, the Barnstormers were aware of Jose’s positive steroid test. The player said he was injected with a steroid as part of his treatment for an Achilles injury while playing in Korea.
Jose’s signing was approved by Joe Klein, the league’s executive director.
Interesting article… and we need this guy for what reason?
*sigh*
Awesome.
And I was thinking it would be nice to have a veteran in the locker room with wisdom and experience. Now I hope he’s just not a bad influence to the rest of the players.
Considering that all 750 MLB players use drugs—I am shocked so few get caught!
Actually not.
George Mitchell (ESPN/Disney) is doing a great steroid audit coverup.
Masterful and lucratuve.
no wonder, he looked to be in such great shape…
not to rationalize or condone use of steroids, but these guys are under so much pressure to physically perform and many of them don’t have anything going for themselves except playing baseball, I wonder if that is what intices them to use.
It involves so many factors to get to the top (MajorLB), that the player actually has little to no control over, except his physical attributes and what he does with them.
It takes a special person to be a professional athlete, to have that drive, focus and physical ability especially when typically the odds are against them getting to the top. It’s a shame that some fall to the perception that steroids would actually help them, when in reality they don’t, they only hurt you.
Agree with the previous post. Its not like we need anything else to drag us down in the second half. This isnt as good a signing as first thought. Even if he never tests positive again….he still will have that hanging over his head…and that kind of negative stuff can just screw up the team chemistry.
come on guys give him a break.. he was injured and still had to play every day maybe thats why he used it (The Love of the game).
Currently, steroid use is far from declining. Among 12th graders surveyed in 2000, 2.5% reported using steroids at least once in their lives, while in 2004 the number was 3.4% . A recent internet study also concluded that “anabolic steroid use among weightlifters and bodybuilders continues” , and by all accounts, there are no signs of it stopping in athletics any time soon.
In addition, the legitimate use of anabolic steroids for a variety of medical problems also continues, ranging from being used by men and women in many different kinds of professional sports (cricket, track and field, weightlifting, bodybuilding, shot put, cycling, baseball, wrestling, mixed martial arts, boxing, football, etc.) to assist in recovery from injury. and ranging from speeding the recovery in burn victims to helping improve quality of life in Aids patients, to helping fight breast cancer and stave off osteoporosis.
Thus, the history of anabolic steroids is not something that has already occurred and been written, but rather it is a continuing history being written every day by scientists, lawmakers, doctors and of course, athletes.
Just remember people do dumb things in life,
and hope he stopped using them, and lets hope they tested him before signing him and keep testing him.
Bravo Stomerdude - people in glass houses (which we all are) shouldn’t throw stones!!! Loved what you had to say!!! Thank you for such wonderful insight!!!
None of that is going to matter when Lancaster wins because of a Jose hit. The blogs and papers will carry stories about how Lancaster was so bad in the first half that they hired Hanz and Franz for the second half. If the team is comfortable with him around, then so be it. It’s their reputations on the line, not ours. But if they don’t want him here, he has to go NOW. Not tomorrow, right now.
The story has been updated to include information about Jose’s suspension. Please read above.
Don’t get me wrong…I am all for giving him a second chance and I sincerely hope that he doesnt test positive here. I am just saying that things like that can carry over into the locker room. Anyone remember JTs comments on his blog?
Autoraph Amy:
I’m not sure that the Atlantic League even tests for steroids. Maybe Jason can give us more info. on that.
I agree with you Stormerdude, there are legit uses for steroids, but most athletes that are trying to enhance their performance aren’t under a doctor’s care for any of the things you mentioned. They get them illegally and play at being their own doctor, which is a recipe for disaster and career ending problems, not to mention if the player is successful, are his numbers really truely achieved?
I hope for the Barnstormers that Jose has put this behind him and will be a contirbutor in the second half…
Go Barnstormers
I don’t have a problem with giving a player a 2nd chance, if they are penitent. But it appears he played in Mexico through June 28. If he was given a 50 game suspension, it should be universal. I think it’s a crock he can jump leagues and get off scott free. Jose go home.
The Atlantic League has steroid and recreational drug testing. Some question if it’s effective, but that’s another debate.
I think Jose deserves the benefit of the doubt to some degree. If he tested positive because of medical treatment in Korea, then he’s not guilty of anything and deserves a chance to play.
Apparently the Mexican League doesn’t agree.
Leagues have shown a history for not universally recognizing suspensions, regardless of reason. For example, Elliott Ayala was suspended for a handful of games at the end of the Can-Am League season last year, and that was not carried over into the Atlantic League.
There’s no denying it looks bad and the Atlantic League looks worse for not disclosing everything in the first place. But this league has flunked PR ever since I’ve followed it, so this is nothing new.
Again, I’m inclined to let Jose play based on his explanation. I understand if people disagree with me.
I’m headed to York now. So no more comments on this subject from me.
LOL…seriously, does the AL employ Tony Snow for their PR or what?
I recall Todd being pretty adamant about there not being a steroid problem in the AL as far as he could tell. Obviously he cares about his reputation and if I had to guess, it would be that the rest of the guys are the same way. Rather than ignore the complete lack of context and turn a molehill into a mountain, I choose to trust the team to do the right thing. I get the impression that Todd would rather be known as a having tried on the losing team than having cheated and that’s good enough for me.
Hey, I’m cognizant of these different leagues closing both eyes when it comes to player suspensions. That’s why I used “should”. Regardless, I think it’s a crock if a league has suspended a player for steroid use and another league refuses to recognize it.
jasons coming to york. guess i better be on my best behavior.
The AL does not test for steroids and illegal drugs.
How could Jose get signed on Friday and play on Saturday? When was the urine test? Have you ever heard of one AL player testing positive? Heck, Pete Rose Jr. has been caught distributing drugs.
And trust me, the league does not test for recreational drugs.
Gotcha, So Jose was just using steroids for an injury.
It happens. Hey Sosa didn’t know his bat was corked and Palmero ate something that Tejada spiked with roids. McGuire doesn’t want to talk about the past and Bonds head amazingly doubled in size.
Unfortunately it’s hard to give a ballplayer the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the juice these days.
Jason–Do you believe Clemens when he says he’s clean?….. BUSTED
But, Jose may of made a mistake and we are all human. I do hope he does awesome for the Stormers. I also hope he is done with his steroid treatments for his injuries.
…..BUSTED
Pete Rose Jr got busted dealing! I don’t know why, but thats funny!
Don’t knock it till you tried it!
I know for a fact that at one point, the league DID test for recreational drugs. I do not know, however, if that’s still the case.
Canseco - nice!
even figured out how to put the icon in.
that narrows his alias down to 4 people
One thing about Jose: He can still hit. He’s going to rake in this league, if he stays healthy.
Jose can hit, but he might need help running the bases.
Not the sharpest tool in the shed–tonight on that deep fly ball.
Blew my knee again… anyone know where I can get some Steroids????