Volquez returns Saturday - How do we welcome him?

[Donder]

As John Fay mentions here, Edinson is likely to start Saturday night:
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/07/14/a-theory-on-why-volquez-is-throwing-harder/

How should we, as fans of the Reds, welcome him back? Should the 50 games suspension for performance enhancing drugs affect how we cheer for Edinson?

I definitely want to see him do well, but I also remember being disgusted by Giant fans for unashamedly cheering for their cheater. Now that it's our guy do we just look the other way?

What do you think?

[bshall2105]

I don't recall Bonds ever breaking any rules. As for Edinson I don't see why you would treat him any differently than any of the other Reds. I'll be cheering for him out in the bleachers.

[1990REDS]

I'm gonna welcome him with open arms

[redsfan_12]

It will embarrassing if we boo him

[Donder]

It will embarrassing if we boo him

I'm not so sure. How many times have fans said "just once I want to see a player admit fault and take full responsibility." I've sometimes thought "just once I want to see fans hold a home player accountable for their actions." But maybe I'm alone in this.

As for those saying we should embrace him: is that because you don't think he did anything wrong or because you don't care if he broke a rule? Just curious.

[redsfan_12]

I'm not so sure. How many times have fans said "just once I want to see a player admit fault and take full responsibility." I've sometimes thought "just once I want to see fans hold a home player accountable for their actions." But maybe I'm alone in this.

As for those saying we should embrace him: is that because you don't think he did anything wrong or because you don't care if he broke a rule? Just curious.

No doubt it was wrong and he broke a rule. But I don't think he did it as the same reason as Bonds and those guys. I hope we don't act like the Cubs and boo our players

[bshall2105]

He's not going to be booed. There is no reason to debate it. People remember the first half of 2008, not him being suspended while he was on the DL.

[Roush's socks]

Most of the elite athletes in all sports around the world are using PED's like HGH and various synthetic steroids. Baseball players have certainly cut back, as you can just by watching the game. But I'm sure that many/most are still using to the degree that they can without getting caught. Volquez got a little greedy and didn't give everything time to get out of his system before testing.

If you want to know more about PED usage, follow the ongoing drama in pro cycling where Floyd Landis has been telling everyone how athletes are beating testing and continuing to use steroids etc. If you think they are doing it in sports like cycling, I'm sure they are in baseball where more money is involved. In cycling you get an immediate suspension much longer than baseball, 2-3 years, so the risk is greater in cycling. But they still do it because it is the only way to be competitive.

Also, if athletes around the world were no longer using PED's, you would see average times coming down in sports like track & field, cycling, swimming etc. However, the times keep getting faster in these sports.

[Griffey012]

Standing Ovation. I already forgot about the suspension. We need him to help carry this team to the playoffs...I know I will be standing and yelling at the game Saturday night 100% behind him and the Reds.

[Donder]

I hope we don't act like the Cubs and boo our players

Every team boos their players now and then. But I can't remember a time when a team booed one of their guys for cheating. "When you're hitting .200, it ain't 'Boone!' " (Bret Boone).

So it seems to me the general consensus thus far is that taking PEDs really isn't that big of a deal? Not something that fans will/should get worked up about?

[redsfan_12]

Standing Ovation. I already forgot about the suspension. We need him to help carry this team to the playoffs...I know I will be standing and yelling at the game Saturday night 100% behind him and the Reds.

Me too. I was stoked when I saw he's was getting the start knowing I'll be there

[markymark69]

You have to look at intent. If I recall and I may be mistaken, didn't this have something to do with fertility drugs because he was trying to have a kid with his wife or significant other?

Granted, if he knew that would violate a drug test than he shouldn't have done it. If it was an honest mistake and all he was trying to do was become a parent then that is no cause for booing and certainly doesn't make him a cheater.

Besides, the guy has done his time for doing the "crime" so to speak, baseball has moved on (or he would not be able to be activated). I say cheer away.

[1990REDS]

I'm not so sure. How many times have fans said "just once I want to see a player admit fault and take full responsibility." I've sometimes thought "just once I want to see fans hold a home player accountable for their actions." But maybe I'm alone in this.

As for those saying we should embrace him: is that because you don't think he did anything wrong or because you don't care if he broke a rule? Just curious.

my feeling is that he broke the rules, got caught, and payed the price for it. its over and done with and hes a Red so im gonna cheer for him.

[The Voice of IH]

Bonds never did pay the price for cheating, plus he used performance enhancer when it mattered (he was playing). Volqueze did not use them to get better, just to get healthy, not too mention his "man problem". Volqueze served the time, now lets see him do well in his young career.

[foxfire123]

Bonds never did pay the price for cheating, plus he used performance enhancer when it mattered (he was playing). Volqueze did not use them to get better, just to get healthy, not too mention his "man problem". Volqueze served the time, now lets see him do well in his young career.

Yeah, that.

I'm willing to give him the benefit of a doubt that he didn't do it as a performance enhancer. Tho to be completely honest, it DOES make me feel a bit the hypocrite.

[bgwilly31]

What a classless ratard you will be if you boo him saturday night.

This guy returning to previous dominance is Huge to this orginization.

We gave up Josh hamilton for this guy. He needs all the help and support we can give him to live up to that trade.

[bounty37h]

I saw him and got him to auto my jersey a couple weeks ago. I had forgot about all this to be honest with you at that time.

[brm7675]

I am willing to bet that most "joe" fans either don't remember or don't even know that he was caught and suspended for a banned substance. Since he was on teh DL he never really "served" it so it's not going to be an issue.

[johnswahoo]

Lets face it, he and the Reds knew that the PED's would help his reabilitation and if he didn't take it he might not see this year. If he did take them he might see action after the all-star break. I am sure that risk was better than the reward.
So getting a 50 suspension wasn't going to be a big deal. If he can contribute right now and help bring home a Central title then I am all for it. I don't see the issue of using PED's to help in reabilitation. It's when a player is using it during an offseason just to bulk up and stay on top of his game that I have a problem with. That might sound like a bunch of bs but it does have some merit. The problem is the regulation of the drugs.

[Newman4]

Boo him? Are you kidding me? I will be at the game and I am highly excited to see Volquez out there. I could care less if he used PED to get well faster. This guy when healthy was a TOR starter. It's a great addition for the second half.

[johnswahoo]

Boo him? Are you kidding me? I will be at the game and I am highly excited to see Volquez out there. I could care less if he used PED to get well faster. This guy when healthy was a TOR starter. It's a great addition for the second half.

Try getting a Volquez in a trade right now! You can't and if you did it would cost an arm and a leg!
One of the big names floating out there right now it Ted Lilly and Dan Haren and Volquez is better than both of these guys.

[Donder]

So all in all we don't care if a player uses PEDs, especially if it's while he is recovering from an injury. That's fine, I just thought it would be an interesting discussion to have. And I hope you'd have a consistent response if it was a Cubs or Cards player busted for doing the same thing.

I'll be at the game Saturday, and I'm not planning on being a "classless ratard" and actually boo him, but I'm going to have a tough time giving him a real rousing ovation. That's my personal feeling.

[GIDP]

"Classless ratard" words can not describe how funny that quote is to me :laugh:

[Donder]

"Classless ratard" words can not describe how funny that quote is to me :laugh:

If you Google "classless ratard" and click "I feel lucky", this thread is what comes up. :D

[texasdave]

If you Google "classless ratard" and click "I feel lucky", this thread is what comes up. :D

So, if this thread comes up, were you lucky or unlucky? Was Google right or was Google lying to you?

[The Voice of IH]

If you Google "classless ratard" and click "I feel lucky", this thread is what comes up. :D

oh that is great :clap:

[Reds]

I've started my own "program" over the last few weeks, my ripped and toned upper-body physique will be all I need to show my support and solidarity. :ughmamoru

[bgwilly31]

If you Google "classless ratard" and click "I feel lucky", this thread is what comes up. :D


Thats great.

Now anybody at the game seen booing Volquez should promptly be called a classless ratard. That way the said person after the game can come google what they were just called and figure out why they are now classified as a classless ratard. :D

[freestyle55]

So all in all we don't care if a player uses PEDs, especially if it's while he is recovering from an injury.

People just don't care when it's their own, when it's a rival, wait for the fireworks to fly. I'm sure when Pujols is busted, this board is just going to fluff over it as well...

Personally, I don't care who did it when, since most of them probably did it at one point or another, I just want him to blow away the Rockies...

[AintlifeGrande]

We're in a pennant race ya'll,and we need all the solid starts we can get.How any Reds fan can boo this guy now at such a pivotal time is beyond me.Heck play Journey's ''Open Arms''over the P.A. when he steps on the hill.

[xavr1]

I will be cheering him on louder than ever. Everyone likes a comeback story, and the Reds need him.

[ILoveWilly]

I've already forgotten about the suspension thing, which seemed to be the typical screw up on not paying attention to what you're taking when recovering from an injury type of thing. Who gives a crap.

[improbus]

I'm as excited to see Volquez coming back as the next guy, we could always use another arm. But, I feel that anyone who slammed Bonds and the Giants fans who cheered him is being very hypocritical in supporting Volquez. I don't think that people really care about steroids, which is a shame. Instead, we hurl our anger at Tiger for cheating and LeBron for leaving. That seems like a strange set of values to me.

[davereds24]

I'm as excited to see Volquez coming back as the next guy, we could always use another arm. But, I feel that anyone who slammed Bonds and the Giants fans who cheered him is being very hypocritical in supporting Volquez. I don't think that people really care about steroids, which is a shame. Instead, we hurl our anger at Tiger for cheating and LeBron for leaving. That seems like a strange set of values to me.

Volquez took responsibility, didn't BS, and paid his dues. He didn't test positive last year while playing so there's no reason to think he was on steriods until the injury. Sure he screwed up, but no reason not to support him now.

[ILoveWilly]

I'm as excited to see Volquez coming back as the next guy, we could always use another arm. But, I feel that anyone who slammed Bonds and the Giants fans who cheered him is being very hypocritical in supporting Volquez. I don't think that people really care about steroids, which is a shame. Instead, we hurl our anger at Tiger for cheating and LeBron for leaving. That seems like a strange set of values to me.

Yeah because obviously knowingly cheating is different than this:

"Volquez, who was at the team's spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz., said in a statement he received a prescription in the Dominican Republic as part of his treatment to start a family with his wife. He said the drug was banned by MLB."

I mean obviously he was totally taking those things to help with his 0-0 record when out with Tommy John surgery. :rolleyes: It's a long fall from that high horse of yours.

[sivman17]

I can't wait to see Volquez pitch on Saturday. Frankly, we are in a division and pennant race. I don't really care about his little goof up.

The question is: is his wife prego? If so, then he was probably telling the truth. Either way, I think he was telling the truth.

[Cigar2]

Ah yes, The "Performance Enhancing Drugs". And them being EVIL and all.

I take the words from the late GREAT comedian Bill Hicks and Drugs.

"If you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, then go home and burn all your records, all your tapes, and all your CDs because every one of those artists who have made brilliant music and enhanced your lives? RrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrEAL ****ing high on drugs. The Beatles were so ****ing high they let Ringo sing a few songs."


And you can add to it deleting your mp3s. So relex and enjoy this season and the push for the Playoffs.

[Donder]

Volquez took responsibility, didn't BS,

Yes, assuming he took them to start a family and not to recover from his injury. If he took them to recover then it was total BS. Obviously none of us know his real motive in taking them. But I'm just a tiny bit skeptical.

[Caveman Techie]

I will give EV the benefit of the doubt. He said he got nailed taking a prescribed drug to help start a family, fine I'll believe it. This time, and yes the fact that he got busted while on the DL and not durring the season while competing does give some credence to his claims in my eyes.

[Krawhitham]

The fans will cheer him, the same fans that booed Bonds all the time.

Personally I would like him traded or released

[Krawhitham]

"Volquez, who was at the team's spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz., said in a statement he received a prescription in the Dominican Republic as part of his treatment to start a family with his wife. He said the drug was banned by MLB."



same reason Manny had, did not buy it then either

[Krawhitham]

Besides, the guy has done his time for doing the "crime" so to speak, baseball has moved on (or he would not be able to be activated). I say cheer away.

In no way has he "done his time", he has been rehabilitating from an injury not sitting at home. His life was not altered in any way, he did exactly what he would have done if he had not been caught.


Being able to server a roid suspension while on the DL is the dumbest thing ever, If you get suspended for throwing at a player that time can not be severed while on the DL. How backwards is that?

[texasdave]

Being able to server a roid suspension while on the DL is the dumbest thing ever, If you get suspended for throwing at a player that time can not be severed while on the DL. How backwards is that?

You might as well tell any player that has surgery and is going to be out for an extended period of time to use steroids. It will be okay. You can serve your suspension while on the DL. It doesn't make any sense to me either.

[ILoveWilly]

Once again:

According to a person in baseball briefed on the matter, the 26-year-old Volquez was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a male fertility drug that is not a steroid but is banned by baseball because it helps increase levels of testosterone in the body. Antidoping experts say that athletes use fertility drugs to compensate for the low levels of testosterone that result from steroid use.

Volquez said in the written statement that toward the end of last season, he and his wife sought medical advice in Cincinnati from a doctor about starting a family. That doctor, he said, provided him with prescriptions to treat a medical condition. Volquez then returned to the Dominican Republic. Volquez did not identify the prescriptions or the medical condition.



Get over it.

[Rockermann]

In no way has he "done his time", he has been rehabilitating from an injury not sitting at home. His life was not altered in any way, he did exactly what he would have done if he had not been caught.

Maybe, but he did it sitting a wallet that was much thinner.


Being able to server a roid suspension while on the DL is the dumbest thing ever, If you get suspended for throwing at a player that time can not be severed while on the DL. How backwards is that?

That's not his fault. He didn't put the rules in place. Kind of hard to blame him for that.

[texasdave]

Counterpoint:


Instead, fertility pills frequently are used by athletes who are on steroids or coming off a steroid cycle, Wadler says, trying to create testosterone.

"I don't think it would be something inadvertent," Wadler said. "It's not a very effective drug for fertility. Testicles shrivel with steroid use, and this is used to get testicles back to normal. If it was (to have children), he would have requested a TUE (therapeutic use exemption)."

There were 108 players who received exemptions last year, Major League Baseball said in December, two of them for low levels of testosterone.

[Girevik]

Being able to server a roid suspension while on the DL is the dumbest thing ever, If you get suspended for throwing at a player that time can not be severed while on the DL. How backwards is that?

I toally agree. As much as it helps the Reds this time, it a stupid rule. That said, with an injury like this all the Reds would have done was activated him from the DL a month and a half ago so he could serve his suspension while he finished rehab.

[GaiusBallstar]

I'll be at the game on Saturday, and I'm looking forward to seeing him back on the mound.

Frankly I don't really care what a player does to aid their recovery from an injury. When a player can have screws put in to reattach ligaments and muscles, I don't see why taking a drug to speed up ones recovery and improve it is seen as so unnatural and taboo.

[Krawhitham]

I'll be at the game on Saturday, and I'm looking forward to seeing him back on the mound.

Frankly I don't really care what a player does to aid their recovery from an injury. When a player can have screws put in to reattach ligaments and muscles, I don't see why taking a drug to speed up ones recovery and improve it is seen as so unnatural and taboo.

Why do you assume it was just for the injury?

He has had 3 good months his whole career, maybe those 3 months were due to roids

[GaiusBallstar]

Why do you assume it was just for the injury?

He has had 3 good months his whole career, maybe those 3 months were due to roids

Yes because the magical pills that make someone a better player allowed Edinson to lower his walk rate and better locate his pitches. :rolleyes:

Get real man.

[Caveman Techie]

Why do you assume it was just for the injury?

He has had 3 good months his whole career, maybe those 3 months were due to roids

Why do you assume it wasn't? Considering he was hurt for pretty much the entire 2009 season I don't think he was doing steroids then.

[Roush's socks]

Yes because the magical pills that make someone a better player allowed Edinson to lower his walk rate and better locate his pitches. :rolleyes:

Get real man.

Steroids/HGH use can add up to 20% more power/speed/stamina. That is a benefit whether you play baseball, football, golf, cycling, ping pong, and pretty much any other sport.

[ILoveWilly]

Why do you assume it was just for the injury?

He has had 3 good months his whole career, maybe those 3 months were due to roids

Did he test positive at any point while he's been active? No.

Also, why didn't he test positive for roids then, instead of just the fertility drug if he were on them? Also, the fact he got the prescription originally from a doctor in Cincinnati seems to show it didn't start as anything overtly shady.