Another 50 Games Minus Edinson Volquez Is a Good Thing for the Cincinnati Reds

If ever there was a sign that all is not right in Cincinnati (despite a myriad of disappointments), today Major League Baseball announced that often injured starting pitcher Edinson Volquez (currently on the 60 day DL) was been suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a performance enhancing substance.

Now he did have that one good year after coming over from Texas for another often injured (and sketchy background) semi-star in Josh Hamilton. It is very odd to me that each of these guys had short-lived breakouts for the Reds and Rangers after the trade, but both have since been in a downward spiral. Another glaring similarity is the fact that both have either admitted to, or tested positive for,  substances that are frowned upon.

Josh Hamilton has had his share of demons. A top prospect that fell into drugs and alcohol then turned his life around to be a major leaguer. His past digressions have, unfortunately, turned his body into glass and he has, little by little, fallen apart physically. He did admit to slipping back into alcohol, but he has (as far as we know) done a better job of being a man of his word. This I can sympathize with.

On the other hand, Volquez was not good (AT ALL!!) when he was a Ranger and came to the Reds in what seemed to be a real stretch of a trade. Although I have to say he proved himself to the naysayers in 2008 by going 17-6 with a 3.21 ERA, 200 Ks, and an All-Star appearance. He was 4-2 before hitting the disabled list last year, but the numbers show that was the only good part about his abbreviated 200.

I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt on the positive test, but the current details show he just may not have liked being injured and thought he could find an easy way back. Or was it the performance enhancers that allowed for his outstanding 2008? Did the banned substances breakdown his body so much that it has resulted in his full-time residency on the DL the last two years?

Edison, my friend, what did you do? Were you so impatient that after one full big league season you had to find a way to turn things around instead of using physical therapy, exercise, and common sense? I have no sympathy for you whatsoever. It is possible you were just a one year wonder, but I would rather be a one year wonder than be known as a performance enhancing substance taker.

Reds fans knew ahead of time that you were not going to be of much help to your team this year, now you are not going to be of any assistance at all. And I am glad for it. To be that impatient and unintelligent just kills me.

I may be going overboard a little bit, but you had a spot waiting for you once you came off the DL (whether it was warranted or not). Now you have sent yourself even further in reverse and you will not find that forward button again until some of those sandlot kids decide they want to give you chance. They would still be hard pressed to cave in.

If the Reds thought about releasing you before due to the injuries, you still had a great chance of another team picking you up. You all but destroyed that now. Not that we thought you could be of significant help to the Reds again, but its the premise my man. You have (or had) the talent and as bad as the pitching has been the Reds could have used you (suddenly, I hear Chapman's name a bit louder now).

Smart people do smart things. Players like you, Baseball has no need for.

For your sake, I sure hope it was just that you took too much cold medicine on some random evening not long ago and that is what has gotten you into this mess.