All-Star MVP Melky Cabrera suspended for Performance Enhancing Drugs

Dominican baseball player Melky Cabrera, Giants outfielder and the All-Star game MVP this season, has been suspended 50 games for the use of performance enhancing drugs. MLB says he tested positive for testosterone. The suspension is effective immediately. He will miss the remainder of the regular season, and the first five games of next year or the playoffs.

Cabrera came to the Giants in a trade with Kansas City Royals last November that sent left-hander Jonathan Sanchez to the Royals. He has also played for the Yankees. He was having a career year, with the 2012 All-Star game MVP award and on pace for a career high in average, home runs, and RBI. But the numbers are not that far off his career numbers to say they were all due to the uptick in testosterone.

Who knows if he used an outlawed supplement in good faith without knowing or if perhaps someone advised him to take something with banned testosterone in it? The Dominican Baseball Guy would normally rush to condemn him as a cheater yet. But his response and that of the Giants is basically a tacit admission of guilt. Their responses are laughable.

Cabrera released through a statement: "My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used. I accept my suspension under the Joint Drug Program and I 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."

And the Giants said before today's game, "We were extremely disappointed to learn of the suspension of Melky Cabrera for violating Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention & Treatment Program. We fully support Major League Baseball's policy and its efforts to eliminate performance enhancing drugs from our game. Per the protocol outline by Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement, the Giants will not comment further on this matter."

So, he used them and is admitting it? So, he was cheating the whole time and knew it? Perhaps he should have just kept his mouth shut and not responded. So, sad when players cheat the game like this. With that said I say make everything legal or make the tests way more stringent, a la NFL testing policies.

Cabrera is from Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic.

Dominican Melky Cabrera suspended for Performance Enhancing Drugs

New York Yankees Dominican prospect has 30 game hit streak, pelotero Dominicano de las minores de los Yankees tiene hit en 30 juegos

Yankees Dominican prospect Abe Almonte recently bested the minor league longest hitting streak of the season when he hit safely in his 28th strait game.  He recently extended that streak to 30 games.  Almonte plays in advanced A for the Yankees, so it will probably be another few years before we see him in the majors...OR the Yankees trade him for an aging veteran to help them win a pennant.

The Yankees have always drafted well and signed lots of good Dominican prospects and Latin free agents.  The reason so few of the big league Yankees are home grown talent is that they often trade away their young talent in the quest to win now.

Just last year they sent Jimmy Paredes to Houston in the deal for Lance Berkman (see the story here).  Well, Berkman played about 40 games for the Yankees last year, and now Paredes is already starring for the big league club with the Astros.  This scene has played itself many times over.

But, somehow the Yankees manage to keep winning with this formula.  In some cases they hold on to young Dominican talent, such as with Gary Sanchez, who by all accounts should be a starring everyday catcher soon.  The question is, will they have the patience to let him and others Dominicans like Abe Almonte develop?

The Dominican Baseball Guy will be following Almonte and all these Dominican prospects.  Almonte is from Santo Domingo, Paredes is from Haina, and Sanchez is from Santo Domingo.

Felipe Alou one of MLB's best dads

A recent list from a Yahoo contributor just named Dominican Felipe Alou as one of the top five role models in MLB history.  Felipe played with his two brothers throughout his 17 year MLB career.  He went on to manage for the Expos and Giants.

Felipe was one of the first Dominicans to play in the big leagues and can be seen as a role model for later Dominican players.  He was also certainly a role model for his son, Moises Alou, who also had a long and prosperous MLB career.

Felipe is from Haina, DR.

Felipe Alou manages with the Giants, by Andrew Lynch on Flickr

Corpus Christi Hooks game photos and Dominican baseball players

The Dominican Baseball Guy got the fist chance of the year to catch his hometown Corpus Christi Hooks in action.  Whataburger field in Corpus Christi is one of the best settings in minor league baseball.  This year, the Hooks feature Jimmy Paredes, one of the top prospects in minor league baseball.  They got him in the trade for Berkman to the Yankees last season, and re-signed him this off-season.

Paredes was the only Dominican baseball player on the Hooks to see action in this game.  He went 1-4 and made a few good plays at second base.  The Dominican Baseball Guy got a few good pics of him in action (#24 below).  Paredes is from Haina, Republica Dominicana.

The Hooks took on the Tulsa Drillers.  The Drillers had two peloteros Dominicanos play in the game.  Hector Gomez (San Pedro de Macoris, Republica Dominicana) went 2-6 and scored 2 runs.  Wilin Rosario (Bonao, Republica Dominicana) was 2-5 while playing catcher.

The Drillers won the game 9-6, and there was some good action with the Drillers putting up five runs in the seventh inning.  Since it was Friday, the Hooks had post game fireworks, and a free concert on the outfield starring...wait for it...Neal McCoy.  Yea, he is a country singer whose last hit was in the 90's the Dominican Baseball Guy thinks.

Here are the photos of the Corpus Christi Hooks v. Tulsa Drillers:

Houston Astros sign several Dominican players, add to Dominicans on roster

The Houston Astros have added some key arms to their roster this offseason.  First, they resigned Wandy Rodriguez (see the AP article).  The Dominican Baseball Guy thinks Wandy is an ace or at least a number two starter.  He won the Dominican Baseball Guy player of the month for August 2010.  Wandy is from Santiago, DR.

Next, they signed Enerio del Rosario.  He debuted for the Reds last year and should see time in the Astros bullpen this season, after he had a strong winter season in the Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM).  They also resigned Jimmy Paredes, who is on the 40 man roster, but will most likely start next year in the minors.  Parades came to the Astros in the Lance Berkman deal.  Enerio is from Santa Lucia, DR and Paredes is from Haina, DR.  Brian Mctaggart reported these deals here.

Most recently the Astros resigned Alberto Arias (see the details from Sports Blog Nation Houston).  Arias missed all of 2010 with an injury, but should see time in the Astros bullpen if he continues to recover from the rotator cuff injury.  Alberto is from the capital of the DR, Santo Domingo.

These signings are in addition the following Dominican players on the Astros 40 man roster: Fernando Abad (La Romana, DR), Henry Villar (Bonao), Jorge DeLeon (La Cega Azua), and Aneury Rodriguez (Higuey).  There are also several non-roster Dominican invitees to spring training.