Friday, February 22, 2013

MLBPA: Gonzalez passed drug tests

VIERA, Fla. -- Gio Gonzalez was informed today he passed drug tests taken two days after the Nationals left-hander was initially linked to a Miami clinic under investigation for providing ballplayers with performance enhancing drugs.

Gonzalez, who has maintained his innocence all along, revealed he gave both blood and urine samples on Jan. 31 at the request of Major League Baseball (which has the right to test any player for whom there is "reasonable cause" to suspect PED use). The players association today informed him those tests came back negative.

"Like I said before, I've never taken performance-enhancing drugs and I never will," Gonzalez said in a brief statement today at Space Coast Stadium. "Two days after the story broke, I was tested for blood and urine, and both came out negative, like I expected. Throughout my entire career, it's been like that. I look forward to handling this with MLB, putting this behind me and looking forward to the season."

Though this doesn't officially close the book on Gonzalez's potential link to the Biogenesis clinic at the center of MLB's investigation, it does move the Cy Young Award finalist one step closer to putting
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26 comments:

Faraz Shaikh said...

Awesome.

NatsLady said...

Great news! That is all.

Rabbit34 said...

Just the fact that PEDs is even an issue is just a reminder of the lousy state of affairs our country is in these days. Bah humbuggg. Let's get the season going.

NatsLady said...

Kimbrel a little shaky with walks, wild pitch, but he got out of the inning. He threw "just enough" strikes.

natsfan1a said...

Atta way, Gio.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

It's good news for Gio and the Nats and his supporters.

I did so much research into these anti-aging clinics that I figured since I'm over 50 I would order myself some supplements that I had researched. No AminoRip for me but I did see that I was probably deficient on my Vitamins and Minerals.

I did a lot of research and found this best thing for me is a Vitamin/Mineral mix that would boost my anti-oxidants and possibly lower my blood pressure. I don't know if it's a coincidence but I had a stuffy nose and the 2nd day I took my dose I woke up to a clear head.

Is it the supplements or something else? I'm golfing this afternoon and I will see how I do!

TimDz said...

Ghost...

I'm 50 and I'll just stick with beer....

Dance with the one who brung ya....

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Tim, I'm not giving up my beer or cigars.

Tcostant said...

Great news. I've never been so happy to be wrong.

Nats106 said...

Tom, we've never been so happy to see you be wrong!

NatsNut said...

This is really great news.

sjm308 said...

Tcosant - I also want to thank you for the classy way you handled your beliefs. You didn't rant or slander and its that kind of adult response that makes this a great place to read about baseball.

Like Mark said though, this issue is still not closed but you have to be happy with those test results.

Ghost - I already take 9 different pills & hit the gym 5 or 6 days a week but the main reason for that is so those few beers each night taste just a bit better.

Go Nats!!

MicheleS said...

Good news!

Holden Baroque said...

TimDz said...
I'm 50 and I'll just stick with beer....
Dance with the one who brung ya....


Post of the Day.

NatsNut said...

It's great news, but I also don't apologize for thinking the worst either.

I've read a few smug posts from those who "always believed" and even if he is coming up clean, it doesn't mean you knew more than anyone else, you just guessed right. We all read the exact same articles and still our opinions ran the gamut.

There are also a few posters here who sound ridiculously confident in their own versions of what explains Gio's connection to this clinic. My final conclusion is that nobody knows anything about anything, even with this news.

Still, it's great news and I'm relieved. Now back to baseball.

Holden Baroque said...

Just the fact that PEDs is even an issue is just a reminder of the lousy state of affairs our country is in these days. Bah humbuggg. Let's get the season going.

Right. Not like the good old days, when all we had to worry about was segregation, nuclear war, and polio.

Holden Baroque said...

Tcosant - I also want to thank you for the classy way you handled your beliefs. You didn't rant or slander and its that kind of adult response that makes this a great place to read about baseball.

Seconded, FWIW.

Scooter said...

NatsNut said...
My final conclusion is that nobody knows anything about anything, even with this news.


You are my good friend.

Holden Baroque said...

Oh, and for the record, since we should be done with this now (right? Yeah, right.):

The ESPN article did NOT say Gio received non-banned substances.

"According to two sources familiar with Bosch's operation, however, the Washington Nationals' Gio Gonzalez, previously identified as being named in Biogenesis documents, did not receive banned substances from Bosch or the clinic. (emphasis added)

"Both sources, speaking independently, identified Gonzalez as the only Bosch client named thus far who did not receive performance-enhancing drugs. A document obtained by 'Outside the Lines' bolsters their case: On a computer printout of clients, Gonzalez, identified by the code name 'Gladiator,' is said to have received $1,000 worth of substances, but under 'notes' are several substances not banned by Major League Baseball: 'gluthetyn' (which a source said was a misspelling of glutathione), 'IM [intramuscular] shots' and amino acids.'"


"Gladiator" we've already discussed as being just as likely, if not moreso, to be Max, Gio's dad. ESPN otherwise only repeats what the already-released information contains, with no further corroboration of even that. They didn't say he received it, they said he was "said to have received it." Which is very different.

/rant

natsfan1a said...

For the record, my earlier Gio-related post was not meant to take any Insiders to task. Rather, I was referring to the author of the piece to which I linked, the tone of which I might call "snide" if I were inclined to slap on a label.

natsfan1a said...

Further, as a wise man once said: in baseball, you don't know nothing. ;-)

NatsNut said...

oh, oops. 1a, no, no. For the record, I didn't think you meant us either. Though you are so gentle and considerate on this blog I often wonder what it would be like if you just went off on someone. Hey, maybe horsey is your alter ego. ;)

AndesAngle said...

Case closed.

natsfan1a said...

[Curses! NN has discovered my secret alter-ego.]

natsfan1a said...

[Curses! And it's not hyphenated.]

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

When I read the whole New Miami Times report it was clarly written, it listed the two substances Gio was linked neither were a PED nor banned by MLB so I knew the story would nd like this and wonderedwhy reporters were asking Gio questions as the article was pretty clear.

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