I guess they DO work.

Didn't Andrew Baggarly report this weeks ago and then recant it later?

So I guess he won't be making the Hall of Fame, now?

By my count, the Giants have 45 regular-season games left. If they make the playoffs, is Melky suspended for the first 5 playoff games or is he out through all the playoffs until the Giants play 5 more regular-season games?

Ha! That's a biggie. And what #1 said - here's some evidence that they work. Even just a little.

But, it might have been about him getting into better shape and then playing better.

Either way, WHOA.

By my count, the Giants have 45 regular-season games left. If they make the playoffs, is Melky suspended for the first 5 playoff games or is he out through all the playoffs until the Giants play 5 more regular-season games?

From story:

The Giants have 45 games remaining this season. Cabrera's suspension will carry over into the playoffs if the Giants advance to the postseason. If not, Cabrera will be suspended for the first five games of the 2013 season.

Krukow looks like someone ran over his dog (on the lead-in to today's game broadcast, 3:45 ET start)

Thanks, SoSH!

Ha! That's a biggie. And what #1 said - here's some evidence that they work. Even just a little.

Well it was testosterone. And Melky actually needed to get smaller, not bigger. So I guess they could have worked, but I'm not exactly seeing how. More energy for the stairmaster?

Well, that will thin out the free-agent OF crop a bit.

I am sorry for Giants fans. It's a big loss, but maybe Panda's return and Pence hitting better than a 46 OPS+ will soften the blow.

Well, that will thin out the free-agent OF crop a bit.

Not much with Delmon Young still being in it.

Damn, and he was only 62 HR's behind Bonds.

My least favorite major leaguer gets busted. Yeah, you really showed us Brave fans, Melky.

per No. 2

http://www.csnbayarea.com/baseball-san-francisco-giants/giants-talk/A-public-apology-to-Melky-Cabrera?blockID=747609

"We’re bound to seek the truth, to be as fair and accurate as possible and to serve the interests of readers.

I thought I was doing that Friday when I chose to ask Melky Cabrera about rumors that I had heard from several different readers who had contacted me via email and my Twitter account over the past few days. I had no idea where these rumors started, but the questions were starting to mushroom about whether Cabrera flunked a drug test and would face a 50-game suspension.

Let’s be clear: There is no evidence that there is any shred of truth to these rumors. Cabrera knew nothing about it....

In retrospect, I made the wrong decision to address these rumors on my Twitter account and disseminate it to my 30,000-plus followers.

So I feel it’s important that I issue a public apology to Melky Cabrera for giving greater voice to a rumor that, to the best of my knowledge and on his word, has absolutely no basis in fact."

...........

UPDATE:
2-part Baggarly tweet just now:

Andrew Baggarly ?@CSNBaggs

"I stand by the apology column I wrote last month. Didn't have story nailed down, shouldn't have put it out there. ... (cont.)

... Now, if Melky Cabrera wants to apologize to me for lying when I asked him about it, that's another matter."

I guess they DO work

That's what scares me. Maybe they do.

And Melky actually needed to get smaller, not bigger

That's not what your mo....uhm...Mrs. Cabrera said.

Well, this sucks. This is probably the PED catch that actually saddens me. He didn't even try to deny it. Oh Leche.

He's owning up to it:

“My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used,” Cabrera said in a statement (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Hank Schulman). “I accept my suspension under the Joint Drug Program and 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.”

So...does the NL have to give back home field advantage now?

Must be pretty awkward to be dressed as a "Melk Man" today.

Well it was testosterone. And Melky actually needed to get smaller, not bigger. So I guess they could have worked, but I'm not exactly seeing how. More energy for the stairmaster?

Extremely low body fat is one of the big signs of steroid abuse. That's why so many bodybuilders have crazy muscle definition and terrible, paper-like skin.

Couldn't they have waited until the Nats left town?

Must be pretty awkward to be dressed as a "Melk Man" today.

I was trying to formulate a joke about milk and giving cows growth hormones, but it always came out really clumsy.

Melky sure dragged his heels on this one for awhile. Now he misses 45 regular season games and has to sit out at least the first round of the playoffs and could miss a couple of games in the LCS as well if they get that far. If he took illegal stuff and he knows he did take illegal stuff he should have just accepted the suspension way back when. At least that way he'd be back in time for the end of the regular season and for all of the playoffs.

John Sterling says, "The Melkman de(gradeshis)liver!" And also still thinks he sees him in the Yankee outfield, catching a high, far 280-foot home run.

So...does the NL have to give back home field advantage now?

Too late. It already counted.

Couldn't they have waited until the Nats left town?

Ooh, Gregor Blanco in left.

Melky sure dragged his heels on this one for awhile. Now he misses 45 regular season games and has to sit out at least the first round of the playoffs...

Average annual WAR for Melky Cabrera prior to 2011 (when he became "fit and useful Melky.") - 0.7
Total career WAR for Melky Cabrera prior to 2011: 4.0

Total WAR, season to date, 2012: 4.8

The Giants have already gotten more out of the Melky than he gave his entire career prior to hitting the sauce.

In addition to costing the Yanks home field advantage in the World Series this year, Melky finishes one (1) Plate appearance shy of qualifying for the batting crown.

In addition to costing the Yanks home field advantage in the World Series this year, Melky finishes one (1) Plate appearance shy of qualifying for the batting crown.

No. See our conversation here.

The Giants have already gotten more out of the Melky than he gave his entire career prior to hitting the sauce.

I'm talking about Melky not the Giants. The Giants can't do anything in this situation other than to suggest things to Melky. It seems like Melky got popped 2 to 3 weeks ago and instead of taking the hit he dragged his heals and appealed it. His apology today shows that the failed drug test was not a mistake and he knew he was taking banned drugs. Meanwhile between the time he got popped and the time he got suspended about 15 games or so have gone by. If he had just taken the ban he'd probably have about 10 games left in the season when he came back and all of the playoffs. For Melky, being a FA and all after the season, the drug suspension is going to hurt but getting back before the season is over and getting to play in the playoffs might just mitigate the damages to a degree.

#30 -- thanks. I did not know about adding "hitless at bats." Sure seems shady to me though.

When roids are outlawed, only outlaws will have roids.

If he had just taken the ban he'd probably have about 10 games left in the season when he came back and all of the playoffs.

He was probably hoping for a miracle in the interim, or some extra evidence that he could attack Ryan Braun style.

He was probably hoping for a miracle in the interim, or some extra evidence that he could attack Ryan Braun style.

Seems like it. And the fact that he's already owned-up to it suggests the case against him must be iron-clad.

Tainted Melk.

Such a missed opportunity.

Headline should have read "Giants Leftfielder Fails PED Test."

If Melky wins the batting title this year with 501 PAs we're talking double asterisk!

Alfonso Soriano is available.

As much as it pains me to say this:

Having passed through waivers, Alfonso Soriano is available.

Cokes and all that. Dang it.

Andrew Baggarly ?@CSNBaggs

"I stand by the apology column I wrote last month. Didn't have story nailed down, shouldn't have put it out there. ... (cont.)

... Now, if Melky Cabrera wants to apologize to me for lying when I asked him about it, that's another matter."


actually, very clever and pretty funny, too.

"I stand by all my misstatements."

actually, very clever and pretty funny, too.

Meh. Baggarly's being a bit of an ass again in my opinion. Baggarly's a reporter, what does he expect? Melky had 3 options:

1. "No comment." Might as well say yes.
2. Say "yes, but I'm appealing it." Kinda makes confidentiality and the appeals process pointless.
3. "No."

McCoy's got a reasonable point -- although Melky's "substance I should not have used" is massively broad.

I am concerned if this keeps getting leaked especially to the point fans on twitter find out about it before it's official.

Alfonso Soriano is available.

As is Carl Crawford. We'll even trade him for Melky.

So, what does testosterone do for you on the ball field?

Well shucks, Soriano is still not willing to head out west.

So, what does testosterone do for you on the ball field?

It shrinks them, I believe.

"Extremely low body fat is one of the big signs of steroid abuse. That's why so many bodybuilders have crazy muscle definition and terrible, paper-like skin. "

No it isn't. The (extremely) low bodyfat, the paper-like skin comes from dieting. You don't need AAS for that thin skin and definition. What the AAS does, is help to maintain the muscle mass (it is speculated that one way that AAS "works", is that it alters so called "nutrient partitioning", more of the food you eat is stored as muscle, used to maintain muscle, it increases protein sysnthesis). Hence pro bodybuilders on AAS will have the paper like skin, the definition, AND at the same time, still have huge (and round) muscles. That paper like skin you see on pro bodybuilders, is only prevalent around contest / photo shoot time, when they are severely dieted down, and severely dehydrated.

Or put another way, some powerlifters also use AAS. They definitely do not have the paper thin skin, and the muscle definition of pro bodybuilders. Because they're not dieting, and certainly are not restricting water consumption.

Still cheating out there in the "Labratory". Some things never change. Too bad there's no injections, creams, or clears to cure stupid.