After the latest batch of suspensions from the Biogenesis-PED scandal, Major League Baseball wasn’t done with drug-related bans, dropping the hammer on Kansas City Royals’ infielder Miguel Tejada.
Tejada was suspended for 105 games for amphetamine use as announced by Major League Baseball and the punishment is effective immediately. Tejada, who previously tested positive under MLB’s amphetamine policy, reportedly tested positive twice this season. The second test resulted in a 25-game suspension while the third was good for 80 more games – thus the total of 105.
For his part, Tejada says that the use of the drugs wasn’t related to wanting to enhance his performance. Rather, it was used to treat his ADD disorder and while he says he previously had a permit from MLB to use them, that permit had apparently expired:
“I’ve been using it [Adderall] for the past five years and had medical permission from MLB. But my last permit expired on April 15 and they didn’t gave me another. I knew that I was in risk of breaking the rules, but at the same time, I could not stop using the medicine because I suffer from ADD [Attention Deficit Disorder]. It’s not a vice, it is a disease.”
Regardless of what you might think about Tejada being able to use the amphetamine, Bud Selig’s hands were really tied here and they had no choice but to levy the suspensions. The rules are the rules and if Tejada was taking amphetamines without permission, he had to be punished for it.
Tejada’s power has long since diminished and he hasn’t hit even 15 home runs since 2010. In limited action this year, Tejada had three home runs, 20 RBI, and was batting .288 with the Royals.
