Tuesday’s surprising announcement by the Commissioner’s Office of the suspension of St. Louis Cardinals catching prospect Cody Stanley for a positive test for Methylhexaneamine and Tamoxifen was lodged against the system’s most visible minor leaguer to date.
The action against Stanley, our 26th-ranked Cardinals prospect, is the organization’s third suspension since the conclusion of last season. It is at least the 24th affecting a St. Louis farmhand since 2005, the early days of what is now the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
17-year-old Dominican pitcher Erick Hurtado was considered to be the second-best player in this year’s international class for the organization. However, the left-hander’s agreement with the Cardinals was voided earlier this month when he tested positive for Stanozolol as part of his background checks.
In November, Batavia outfielder Reggie Williams was suspended for the first 50 games of the 2012 season. His banned substance was one of the same ones detected in Stanley, Methylhexaneamine. Williams is currently participating in minor league camp, but is prohibited from playing in regular season contests until his time is served. Now, Stanley will be joining him.
Of the 24 Cardinals players suspended under the program to date, seven are currently in the system, including Stanley and Williams (see names below designated with #). None have yet reached the major leagues.
St. Louis Cardinals minor league drug suspensions (2005-present)
| Date | Player Name | Substance | Length |
| 4/4/2005 | Sal Frisella | PEDs | 15 games |
| 5/13/2005 | Jeremy Cummings | PEDs | 15 games |
| 4/18/2006 | Yonathan Sivira | PEDs | 50 games |
| 8/2/2006 | Marcos Chavez | PEDs | 50 games |
| 8/2/2006 | Jonathan Gonzalez | PEDs | 50 games |
| 2/20/2008 | Scott Vander Weg | PEDs | 50 games |
| 7/29/2008 | Braulin Beltre | Boldenone | 50 games |
| 7/29/2008 | Andres Beras | Boldenone | 50 games |
| 7/29/2008 | Yedilson Pena | Boldenone | 50 games |
| 8/25/2008 | Juan Castillo# | Stanozolol | 50 games |
| 12/1/2008 | Wilfred Vivas | Methandienone | 50 games |
| 4/9/2009 | Deryk Hooker# | Drug of Abuse | 50 games |
| 5/15/2009 | Kenny Maiques | Drug of Abuse | 50 games |
| 6/23/2009 | Dail Villanueva# | Nandrolone | 50 games |
| 10/6/2009 | Alan Ahmady# | Amphetamines | 50 games |
| 12/4/2009 | Jefferson Segundo | Stanozolol | 50 games |
| 12/21/2009 | Tyler Bighames | Drug of Abuse | 50 games |
| 8/31/2010 | Jean Carlos De La Cruz | Boldenone | 50 games |
| 8/31/2010 | Delvi Rodriguez# | Boldenone | 50 games |
| 9/30/2010 | Lainer Bueno | Clenbuterol | 50 games |
| 6/24/2011 | Andrew Moss | Drostanolone | 50 games |
| 11/1/2011 | Reggie Williams# | Methylhexaneamine | 50 games |
| 3/6/2012 | Erick Hurtado* | Stanozolol | 50 games |
| 3/27/2012 | Cody Stanley# | Methylhexaneamine, Tamoxifen | 50 games |
| # currently in organization | |||
| * signing voided |
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Good to see the team win when the ace has a bad day. Young guys continue to impress.
The last I heard, Craig and Skip are doing well but expected to open on the DL. Carp too of course. It is a good sign that Mo feels no need to dumpster dive for fill ins. Three roster spots will give three guys a chance to show us something.
Agreed. Detroit didn’t exactly bring their big boys, but a win is a win.
Jose Canseco really needs to get some help. He is trending now because he just tweeted that Al Gore was dead. He isn’t. He tweets about how we need to stop killing polar bears and go back to families all sleeping naked together in one bed to keep warm. He says he completes everyone on Twitter.
I wonder if he has brain damage. It’s kind of sad.
I’m pretty sure he has brain damage, but know idea as to how that may have happened.
Well, I guess it is sad. 
Sorry…”NO idea…” “KNOW idea would have created a bit of an oxymoron, or possibly counter-redundant? I’ll stop whilst I’m ahead…or am I?
This could
http://fanshots.com/video/ball-bounces-off-jose-canseco-s-head-for-home-run
explain possible brain damage.
I followed him in my early days on Twitter, but unfollowed him pretty quickly. I am not a fan of watching trainwrecks. Same with Buzz Bissinger.
Do you have any idea how the Cardinals organization compares to others in terms of the number of suspensions?
I was wondering the same thing and came upon this list. Supposedly every minor league player ever suspended, org affiliation, substance, etc. Seems to be updated through earlier this year.
http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=996&Itemid=85
I agree that context would help, but I only track the Cardinals.
Using the data from the link bb provided, the Cards had 2 of 51 in the minors in 2011. (Williams is not included on their list of 50.) The Cards fair share would be 2 of 60, so it is tad above average, but still in the ballpark.
The Cards had 3 suspensions in 2010 of 84 total. Fair share would be 3 of 90, so again pretty typical.
It would be nice to be below average, but the organization can’t control the individuals. I have no reason to believe the Cards’ education or tolerance level is out of the norm.
I’m curious………………….. somebody with time on their hands go back to 2000 and Analyze how many ties there might have been for the second wild card slot………………. what if there are some 4 way ties for that one spot ……….. even before the new playoff game ……………… and thats without any incentive to try and win games when you are 5 or 10 games back……………
Westy, for some reason your comment reminded me of a good idea I heard from a guy who couldn’t even hit the dart board, but it was a good idea anyway. The format for a second wild card should be like this. Among the teams who do not otherwise qualify for the playoffs, the one with the best record at the all star break gets the second WC. I think I had heard that idea before, but after the Cards got in by getting hot late, it seems interesting to give the extra slot to a team that was hot early, rather than to another late hottie.
As to breaking ties, I’m not sure how many tie breakers are built in. Enough perhaps, that a tie is a remote chance.
The format isn’t really the issue BB………………… it was the scheduling pressure, under the assumption that there would be just a single game…………………….. if you are a top team……..playing a wannabe………… winning or losing a final week contest could be a tactic to enhance possible logjams…………….. make them use up all their pitching………….. its got to be a factor? Sports Book handicappers will be watching.
Methylhexamine is a molecule that began as nasal decongestant. Good luck to kids who try to slug based on nasal decongestants! Funny!
Some of the molecules above are probably real muscle builders. Without looking them up, Boldenone and Stanozol. Some of these may need to be injected.
However, CF Reggie Williams and C Cody Stanley both got hits on the nasal decongestant. They probably were fooled by “energy drinks.” They are interesting prospects, so the Cards will want them to give a wide berth to mysterious beverages and get back to developing their games. Williams is a fleet switch-hitting CF, in the spirit of Willie McGee.