Say It Ain’t So, Jehry

Say it Aint So Jenrry!

By Chris Saunders

image

Former Met’s closer Jenry Mejia has been banned permanently from the majors after his third positive PED test, according to a league announcement. Remarkably, Mejia tested positive for the banned substance boldenone after earning two suspensions just last year.

With this suspension Mejia becomes the first player in Major League Baseball history on Friday to earn a lifetime suspension for performance-enhancing drug use under the “three strikes and you’re out” PED policy. He joins linking Pete Rose as the only people actively serving the league’s harshest punishment.   Mejia can; however; apply to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for reinstatement; he must first sit out a minimum of two years.

Mejia, 26, was once a heralded top prospect who broke into the big leagues at age 20. Of course not every prospect’s journey is the same as a Clayton Kershaw or Mariano Rivera; as Mejia path to the big leagues was built around a rash of injuries for years before becoming a reliable late-inning reliever in 2014 posting 28 saves and working to a 2.72 ERA over 56 1/3 innings out of the pen. He entered 2015 as the team’s closer, but another injury forced him to the disabled list after Opening Day. 

It was while sidelined that Mejia first tested positive for Stanozolol, saying at the time that “I can honestly say I have no idea how a banned substance ended up in my system.”

Mejia’s agency offered no comment on his behalf, but the Mets issued the following statement regarding his suspension: “We were deeply disappointed to hear that Jenrry has again violated Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. We fully support MLB’s policy toward eliminating performance enhancing substances from the sport. As per the Joint Drug Program, we will have no further comment on this suspension.”

While New York seemed primed to cut ties at one point last year, the Mets couldn’t resist Mejia’s cheap contract along with his rested and youthful arm. However; Mejia somehow proved unable to avoid PED usage even while subject to stepped-up testing as a prior offender.

It’s this type of ban that is nearly unprecedented among baseball let alone professional sports in total. Only on the rarest of occasions has the league banned players for life. For example most famously eight members of the 1919 White Sox, for fixing games; Rose in 1989 for gambling; and now Mejia(For PED’s).  In fact team owners George Steinbrenner and Marge Schott,for instance, received lifetime bans but were later overturned.

What is next for Mejia you may ask? While he remains young enough to build a career in any domestic or foreign independent leagues that choose to employ him, the chances of that happening in the not so distance future remain unlikely. Although certain “supposed” steroid users have received jobs within the MLB (I.E Barry Bonds, Mark Mcgwire) they never tested positive during their pro careers, nor been found to use them post playing days. Mejia on the other hand got caught three times!

When it comes down to it Mejia either was depended on boldenone thinking without it he couldn’t perform to his 2014 level, or quiet possible he’s a stubborn twenty six year old. Mejia did say to MLB reporter “Win or lose I have great faith. I have to clear my name”. Whichever the case may be; I hope for his sake he receives some help one way or another.

Comment: Twitter @C_Broadcaster, Facebook Chris Saunders, Email Chrisweather16@yahoo.com

Print Friendly, PDF & Email