Toronto Blue Jays Launch Internal Investigation on PED Use

According to the press in Canada, the Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays launched an internal investigation after six of their players with minor league affiliates tested positive for use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Ross Atkins the general manager for the Blue Jays released a prepared statement in which he spoke about the issue.

He called the situation very distributing and disappointing to the entire organization. It is disappointing that players took these types of choice, but even more disturbing that a failure of some sort in our environment allowed this to take place.

Atkins said it was the responsibility of the organization to establish a culture and environment where the players know PED use will not be condoned, and to give the players education and resources to ensure they do not make the types of decisions these players made.

Drug tests that came back positive for the six players were one for use of boldenone a steroid.

The players that tested positive were pitchers Jol Concepion, Juan Jimenez and Naswell Paulino; catcher Leonicio Ventura; shortstop Hugo Cardona; and left fielder Yhon Perez.

Concepcion was given a suspension of 60 games, while all others were given a suspension of 72 games. Concepcion was also the sole player amongst the six who did not end the season with Toronto’s Dominican Summer League affiliate.

Concepcion, who is 19, was 2-for-2 in nine appearances in the Rookie League during 2017. His ERA was 3.78 across 33 1/3 innings.

Ventura led the Blue Jays Dominican Summer League team in slugging percentage at .419, while the 24 RBIs of Perez were second on the club. Cardona hit .249 with 15 stolen bases.

Voters for inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame that were alleged or verified users of PEDs were given advice from an unlikely source.

One day after the list of names was released by the HOF of 33 players on the ballot for 2018 current Hall of Famer and former star with the Cincinnati Reds Joe Morgan sent each voter a letter that lists three criteria he believes should disqualify candidates from future admission to the Hall.

Morgan, who is the vice chairman of the Hall and a board of directors’ member said known steroid users, players who failed drug tests or were identified as users in an investigation by MLB into steroid use known as the Mitchell Report should not be allowed in.