This is what happens to a young player with a terrific upside but the lack of maturity to handle all that is thrown their way. But somewhere, common sense had to click in. That, and distancing oneself from denial. Jenrry Meija, a young fireballer from the Dominican Republic, was suspended for the third time by MLB, making him the first player to be kicked out of baseball.
He repesented the first glympse into a possible bright future after a decade of futility for the New York Mets, as their current big three was only spoken of in whispered rumors. He was 20 years old. He held the Florida Marlins to three hits and one run in his debut on April 7, 2010. He looked like something special and on the mound he was.
But the wheels came off immediately as injuries would haunt him. His choices in dealing with it would turn out to be more permanent. In the interim he had Tommy John surgery which put him out of action until 2013. Again he electrified upon his return by shutting out the Washington Nationals over seven innings with seven strikeouts and after three years in MLB, finally winning his first game in the process .
A move to the bullpen seemed to do wonders for the Mets as Meija recorded 28 saves in a spot that had been sorely lacking. But 2015 saw elbow inflammation which caused him to miss time. It may have been a pre-cursor to the methods Jenrry used to recover quicker. Six days later, he tested positive for Stanozolol, an anabolic steriod.
Meija served an 80-game suspension. But as soon as he completed his term came suspension number two. Only three months after his initial hit and 16 days after completing it, he tested positive again for Stanozolol along with Boldene. He was given the 162-game suspension, in essence, strike two. The steriod that is used in racehorses was a detriment to this pitching stud.
Jenrry pitched in the winter leagues this past season and on February 12th, the incredible news was displayed on news screens in a historical bent. Meija was downed by Boldeone. This would be strike three according to the Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The Mets did not attempt to defend Jenrry on this.
“We fully support MLB’s policy,”
The Mets officially announced,
“We will have no further comment on this suspension.”
The shock from Met fans and players was complete.
“I honestly can’t find words that would convey my disbelief,”
former Met Michael Cuddyer stated.
For Meija, who barely commanded a million dollars will now see it voided and a minimum of two years before he could return to baseball provided the commissioner or an arbitrator overturns the original suspension
Jenrry already doesn’t look like a candidate. His comments about the suspension seemed empty and baseless.
“It’s not like they say,”
Meija told Dominican Sports Journalist Hector Gomez,
“I’m sure I did not use anything.”
He stated his desire for an appeal to clear his name, stating that he will not sit around and fight the suspension to the bitter end. It remains to be seen what Meija can offer to dent the case against him. It appears Jenrry’s career will fall to the wayside in the scrap heap of many promising youngsters who had a fastball and a dream but not the perspective to hold on to it properly.
Facebook
Instagram
RSS