By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, April 11, 2011
There hasn't been anything else from former Tampa Bay Ray DH Manny Ramirez since his comments to ESPNdeportes.com that he was "at ease" and heading off to Spain. And not much written, yet anyway, about what led to his positive drug test and retirement.
But Will Carroll, the injury expert now with SI.com, has a few pieces of information: Ramirez was caught during one of the additional tests he had to take having already violated the rules, and this violation wasn't for the same drug as in 2009, when he tested positive for hCG, known as a female fertility drug that some say is used to mask steroid use.
And as Carroll points out:
"Once a player tests positive, he is placed in a program that requires both counseling and additional random testing. Knowing he was facing as many as 10 tests makes it much tougher — or dumber — for Ramirez to sneak some substance with a short detectable period through."