1/11/13

hGH, Kelvim Escobar, Wilmer Flores, Justin Upton



The Pittsburgh Pirates signed catcher Lucas May.

Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association announced today that they have modified their Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program to provide for unannounced, random blood testing for the detection of human growth hormone (hGH) during the regular season, beginning in 2013.

In a nutshell, hGH helps restore a baseball player’s health without the long-term effects. You would think this is a good thing and should be permitted under a doctor’s care? It’s use has been banned by both the IOC and NCAA and it isn’t approved by the FDA. You can keep coming up with more reasons to test, but ballplayers will always try something to make them better, especially if there is this kind of money tied to the game.


The Milwaukee Brewers signed RHP Kelvim Escobar to a minor league (non-roster) contract with an invitation to spring training.

                Escobar was one of those guys that Omar Minaya liked to bring to camp and give a shot during spring training. In this case (12-26-09), he actually signed Escobar to a guaranteed $1.25 million dollar deal. He tore his capsule in his right shoulder before the season started and I’m not even sure if he was paid. Basically, he’s been banging around the Latin leagues and has put up a good showing this season for Cardenales de Lara of the PRWL (6-G, 2-ST, 11-IP, 8-K, 9-BB, 1.64).


Adam Rubin‏ - @AdamRubinESPN  -   Prospect Wilmer Flores will continue to play 2B & 3B in the minors, not shift to OF with David Wright re-signing, Mets officials indicated.

                Rubin is only confirming what guys like Mike Newman and I have been saying since we sat behind home play and watched this kid for parts of three years in Savannah. He runs like a dead weight. Your hope here is his bat continues to develop and the Mets can package him to an AL team looking for a future DH. Past that, even first base is questionable.

                The Mets should definitely let him show off in the Nevada air.


FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi report that Justin Upton rejected a trade that would have sent him to the Mariners.

                This is not new news for you Mets fans. Seattle has always been on Upton’s no-no list, so I don’t know why both clubs even bothered to run the numbers. This has been the most decisive issue in years on this site and I’ve stopped months ago anticipating any chance of him becoming a Met. The market value on these players are far above what the Mets have to offer right now. The Mets will have to get their act together through free agent signings, international signings, and draft picks. There is no trading depth here… yet.  But, two years from now, the Mets will have all the pitching they need to trade for whoever they want.

                                        - Many believe Upton is holding out to be traded to Atlanta.

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