In a story released by the Miami New Times on Tuesday morning, several MLB players were reported to be tied to Miami area doctor Anthony Bosch. Bosch’s practice has been tied to PEDs in the past, and the latest leak implicates a number of players in a renewed steroid scandal. The biggest name attached to this story is perpetual Yankees lightning-rod Alex Rodriguez, although Blue Jays fans are quick to notice that their newly acquired left-fielder Melky Cabrera was also among the names listed.
Cabrera had a fantastic first half of 2012 and was eventually named the All-Star Game MVP in Kansas City. The fanfare was short lived, however, and now Cabrera is coming off a 50-game suspension in 2012 for testing positive for PEDs. He sat out for nearly the entire second half of the season, while the San Francisco Giants went on to win the World Series. The Giants were quick to dismiss Cabrera when he came back from suspension, and he never dressed during the playoffs. Cabrera left San Francisco early this offseason and was hoping to leave his past behind and carve a new name for himself with the re-vamped Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays made some blockbuster moves in the 2012 offseason, and the addition of Cabrera only added to the excitement Toronto fans were feeling about the upcoming season. This worked out well for Cabrera, who is looking to make a fresh start in the AL after his steroid scandal. It is important to note that Cabrera was signed in Toronto after the blockbuster Miami-Toronto deal. Names like Josh Johnson and Jose Reyes overshadowed the acquisition of an admitted steroid user, and the Toronto media was quick to forget about Cabrera in all of the hype. This suited him well and was probably a factor in his contract with the Jays. Cabrera should have been happy to leave behind the spotlight and quietly continue his career in Toronto where players like Reyes and Jose Bautista would be the fan favorites.
The Bosch story, however, has rekindled the Cabrera scandal. While it is no secret Cabrera will always be tied to steroid use, both he and the Blue Jays were hoping to leave it in the past and move forward. The Bosch report is a reminder of Cabrera’s transgressions and will undoubtedly cause a renewed media push against him in Toronto. Even though Cabrera has already served his 50-game suspension, the cheater stigma will stay with him for a long time to come. Should some new information come to light and Cabrera is found to have continued PED use following his suspension, he could face a 100-game suspension for a second offence. However, that would be highly unlikely, as Cabrera would be best to keep his nose clean during his time in Toronto and make the most out of a World Series opportunity.
The next few weeks are going to be a firestorm of allegations, with most of them directed towards A-Rod, but Cabrera also will be the target of some mistrust. As the Jays work towards the highly anticipated 2013 season, they should be looking to keep a clean image. Hopefully, all of the bad press will blow over quickly and the Jays can move on with preparations for the upcoming season.
