Raffy Suspended for Positive Steroids Test

Wow, I didn't really see this coming. Is it possible that Raffy's telling the truth, and he has never knowingly taken steroids? Sure, I guess. But that doesn't really matter. He knew that he was under the microscope thanks to Canseco's book and the testimony before Congress, especially with Mark McGwire's very evasive testimony. So there are five possibilities IMO, and two of them are real long-shots:

1. Canseco was right after all, and Raffy has used steroids for a long time. He looks like Mr. Universe under that baggy uniform, and not like a Dunkin' Donuts regular.
2. Raffy took a 'supplement' that he didn't know was on baseball's list, or something that contained small amounts of a banned substance, that he thought was OK.
3. A third party gave him something that was laced with steroids so that he would test positive. This kind of sabotaging has happened before on the Olympic level, but is unlikely.
   
4. Baseball's incompetence in most matters extend to its drug-testing program, and samples can become easily contaminated. Raffy's positive test sample was actually from teammate Brian Roberts, he of the 16-HR (and counting) season, quadruple his previous season high for HR!
5. MLB includes Viagra on its banned substance list.

OK, while #4 can't be ruled out by any means, let's assume that MLB runs their testing program reasonably well, and besides I have to believe that before any suspension there are multiple samples taken for verification purposes. Number 5? That would be a real downer.

That leaves items 1 through 3, and I'm not sure how much we need to differentiate between them - any of the three would prove one thing, that Palmeiro is really not very smart. He knows that some people are suspicious thanks to Canseco's book, and that he would be jeopardizing his HOF credentials (like McGwire already did) with a positive test. Even the carelessness that would allow numbers 2 and 3 to occur isn't an excuse, because that level of carelessness borders on brain-dead. When I remember to, I take a glucosamine chondroitin vitamin supplement for joint health (I've had knee problems in the past) - if I were Raffy I would have stayed away from that, because after all you can rearrange the letters to spell steroid nachogloucinmin, a well-known Cheez-Whiz-based steroid derivative.

Hopefully we'll get more details about this positive test, but I'm not holding my breath. Raffy will come back in 10 days, and if he finishes the year strong (and continues to hit like he has been) he'll quiet some of the talk. Should he come back strong this year, it certainly doesn't hurt that a (suspected) steroid user like Jason Giambi is having a nice comeback as well.