Vargas Suspended 50 Games
Late
this afternoon, Star Tribune Twins beat writer Joe Christensen tweeted, “#Twins min lg 1B Kennys Vargas (batting .322 for rookie-level Elizabethton)
gets 50-game suspension, testing positive for Phentermine.”
First
question in my mind was, “What is Phentermine?”
So,
I went to the ever-popular and highly trustworthy, Wikipedia! Here is what I
found there:
It is approved as an appetite
suppressant to help reduce weight in obese patients when used short-term and
combined with exercise, diet, and behavioral modification. It is typically
prescribed for individuals who are at increased medical risk because of their
weight and works by helping to release certain chemicals in the brain that
control appetite
Generally,
we think of the illegal substances as things that help make a player bigger and
stronger. Kennys Vargas was suspended 50 games for
trying to get smaller, for using a weight-loss substance. He is listed at 6-5
and 215 pounds, but that weight number is way low. In fact, the Twins have
always been concerned about his weight. As JoshsThoughts
tweeted to remind us yesterday, “As @LaVelleNeal pointed out a while ago, Vargas was
told to limit his sugar intake.” In other words, the Twins have encouraged him
to lose weight.
Phentermine
is used for a limited period of time to speed weight loss in overweight people
who are exercising and eating a low-calorie diet. In other words, it is a
supplement to a good regimen of exercise and eating right.
One
of my Twitter followers, who claimed to be a pharmacist, and I have no reason
to question it, point out, “Phentermine works in the
same way as amphetamines to speed metabolism. Can be an
extremely dangerous drug.”
Minnesota
sports fans, this is the same type of situation as the
StarCaps/Williams Wall case from a few years ago that
still has had no resolution.
It
may not seem as serious as taking the steroids, but there are risks. Of course,
there are risks and side effects to all medications.
But
the biggest thing, it was and is illegal according to the rules of baseball, so
the suspension is warranted. I asked someone in the Twins organization about
what the players have access to so that they know what is OK to take or not. On
the condition of anonymity, the person responded.
We have a list in the clubhouse
of products that aren’t approved but may contain banned substances (take at
your own risk supplements pretty much). And we have a list of what ingredients
are banned. And we have a list of supplements that are approved by the NSF
·
In other words,
there is literature in every minor league clubhouse about what can and can’t be
taken, and even what they need to look for on the label to see if it is OK to
take. There are trainers and coaches that can answer questions if players do
have questions about what can be taken. The person above also mentioned that “we also get a lot of
education on supplements. So it's silly for any player to get suspended.”
In other words, negligence simply is not an excuse. So,
Vargas began his suspension last night, and he will miss the final 18
Elizabethton Twins games this year. He will also miss the first 31 games of
next season, likely with the Beloit Snappers. Vargas is a decent prospect. He
has great size and power, and is a switch-hitter. With a lineup full of
prospects in Elizabethton, Vargas was their primary clean-up hitter. He will
end the season hitting .322/.377/.489 with 11 doubles, six homers and 33 RBI in
174 at bats.
Vargas is not the first Twins player suspended for
banned substances:
·
Juan Rincon was
suspended ten games early in baseball’s testing program.
·
Anthony Swarzak was suspended for a “drug of abuse” in 2007. He was
with New Britain at the time, and when he came back, he went to Ft. Myers for a
few games before returning to the Rock Cats. The Twins stood by him and he has
rewarded them, especially this season.
·
2005 supplemental
first-round pick Henry Sanchez was suspended 50 games for a “drug of abuse.” He
served his time and the Twins released him the day that the suspension ended in
2009.
·
In 2010, Michael
Harrington was suspended 50 games for a performance-enhancer. He was struggling
with the Miracle when the suspension came down. He served the 50 games. When he
came back, he was sent back to Beloit and then released at the end of last
season.
·
Several players
from the Twins Dominican Summer League team have been suspended over the last
few years.
It will be interesting to see how this situation plays
out for Kennys Vargas when his suspension is complete
next season. I think he is enough of a prospect that he will remain in the
organization.
MINOR LEAGUE
NOTES
·
Rochester 1, Durham
6 – Liam Hendriks had another rough start. He gave up
five runs in the first two innings. He ended up giving up six runs on seven
hits and a walk in five innings. Chuck James then struck out two in three
scoreless innings. The Red Wins managed just six hits. Michael Holliman and
Brandon Roberts each hit a double. Dustin Martin his his
13th home run of the season.
·
New Britain 6,
Altoona 5 – Blake Martin started and gave up three runs on six hits in five
innings. He walked four and struck out five. Deolis
Guerra walked two and struck out two in two scoreless innings. Tyler Robertson
picked up his 13th save despite giving up two runs on two hits and a
walk in two innings. Evan Bigley went 2-4 with his 27th
double and three RBI. Deibinson Romero went 2-4 with
his 21st double. Mark Dolenc was 2-4 with
his triple.
·
Game 1 - Ft.
Myers 6, Bradenton 5 – In the first of two games, BJ Hermsen
made his Florida State League debut. He gave up five runs (4 earned) on seven
hits and two walks in 4.2 innings. He struck out four. Threw the first four
innings, he gave up just one run. Ricky Bowen came in and threw 2.1 scoreless
innings. Josmil Pinto went 2-3 with his ninth double
and first stolen base. Jhonatan Goncalves
went 1-1 with two walks.
·
Game 2 - Ft.
Myers 0, Bradenton 0 (suspended in 4th) – This game was rained out
and will not be continued. Aaron Hicks did hit his fourth triple. 2011 pick
Matthew Tomshawn threw 3.2 hitless, scoreless
innings. He walked one and struck out four.
·
Beloit 6,
Wisconsin 4 – The Snappers got a big win. They managed just four hits in the
game, but they were able to score six runs in large part due to the ten walks
they accumulated. Tobias Streich went 1-1 with three
walks. Danny Santana went 1-3 with two walks. Ryan O’Rourke started and threw
the first six innings. He gave up three runs (2 earned) on seven hits and a
walk while striking out four. Nelvin Fuentes struck
out three in two scoreless innings. Madison Boer recorded his first MWL save
despite giving up one run on three hits in an inning. He struck out two.
·
Elizabethton 4,
Danville 0 – For the second straight game, the E-Twins shutout the Braves.
Derek Christiansen started the game with six shutout innings. He gave up three
hits, walked two and struck out six. Steve Evans pitched a scoreless seventh.
Matt Bashore made his first appearance since July 24
and gave up two hits in a scoreless inning. Matt Summers then struck out the
side in the 9th. Eddie Rosario went 3-4 with his eighth and ninth
doubles, and his 13th and 14th stolen base.
·
Christensen has
been remarkable. On July 20th, he gave up four runs in 1.2 innings.
His next two relief appearances, he combined to throw four scoreless innings.
He moved into the starting rotation and has thrown four shutout innings, five
shutout innings and now six shutout innings in his three starts. In other
words, he has now gone 19 innings without giving up a run.
·
Game 1 – GCL Twins
4, GCL Orioles 3 – Philip Chapman went 3-3 with his tenth double and three RBI.
Those were three of the team’s six hits. Hein Robb started and gave up three
runs on five hits and two walks in three innings. Tyler Herr and Hung-yi Chen each threw two scoreless innings.
·
Game 2 – GCL Twins
1, GCL Orioles 6 – Ricardo Arevalo started and gave
up one run on one hit and two walks in 2.2 innings. He struck out three. Josue Montanez then worked 1.1 scoreless innings. Gonzalo Sanudo came in and gave up five runs (4 earned) on five
hits and recorded just two outs. Mark Trau got the
final four outs. The Twins had just two hits. Ray Chang went 1-2 with a walk in
his first rehab appearance.
·
Recent Transactions
– Trevor Plouffe sent back to Rochester. Deinys Suarez promoted to New Britain. Logan Darnell
promoted to New Britain. Reggie Williams was promoted back to Ft. Myers. Madison
Boer promoted to Beloit. Marcus Limon promoted to Elizabethton.
·
Disabled List –
Shooter Hunt activated in Ft. Myers. Estarlin de Los
Santos put on the Disabled List. Michael Gonzales placed on the DL for the
Beloit Snappers while Kyle Knudson and Nate Roberts were activated. Garrett
Jewell put on the disabled list for Elizabethton Twins, and AJ Pettersen was activated. Brad Stillings
had his shoulder surgery on Thursday in Minneapolis.
·
Twins Minor League Weekly from
last night is chock full with information from the Twins minor league system
from score updates, to transactions and much more.
·
After posting his
selections for Twins
prospects 6-10 on Wednesday afternoon, LaVelle blogged his Top 5 Twins Prospects yesterday.
Any thoughts?? E-mail me, or leave
some Comments.