BY SCOTT LAUBERCLEARWATER, Fla. -- J.C. Romero's story hasn't changed.
Six weeks after receiving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a substance banned by Major League Baseball, Romero reiterated today that he only took an over-the-counter supplement that he purchased in July from a GNC store in Cherry Hill, N.J. He claims he didn't know the supplement, 6-OXO Extreme, contained androstenedione, the steroid made famous by Mark McGwire.
But Romero isn't completely free of regret.
Asked if there's anything he could've done differently, he said, "I guess calling that 1-800 number that they talk about so much. It's a 1-800 number that I guess the guys have to call. I talked to some of my teammates, and they say that it takes forever. But I guess that's the only thing that I would have done differently. Other than that, I would have continued doing the same thing that I've been doing, and I'm honestly going to continue to do the same thing this year as well. I've always been very careful with what goes in my body. It's just very unfortunate that I ran into a supplement that apparently was contaminated with something that wasn't legal, but that was beyond my control."
Well, not exactly.
Rob Manfred, MLB's executive VP of labor relations, said last month that the players are informed annually during spring training about the 1-800 hotline and are encouraged to call with any questions regarding supplements. If Romero had called the hotline, Manfred said he almost certainly would've been told not to take 6-OXO Extreme. Romero, though, said he wasn't aware of the existence of the toll-free number until after he tested positive last August.
So, did MLB and the union brief the players, or not?
"They probably did," Romero said, "but you've got to understand, we have meetings at 7:30 in the morning, 8:30 in the morning in spring training. You could take most of the people here, 8:30 in the morning, their boss starts talking, they're not going to pay attention to everything they say. I would be asleep. I'm not saying they didn't say that to me, but I would say I didn't know anything about an 800 number."
At least he's honest.
More on Romero -- and the first workout for pitchers and catchers in your Sunday News Journal. Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.
1 comment:
At least he's honest. When I worked at Dupont one summer, half the room would be napping during the safety meetings.
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