Bartolo Colon Suspended for Testosterone

It doesn’t have a flashy name, like “the cream” or “the clear,” but apparently synthetic testosterone is all the rage with major league baseball players these days. Or at least it is in the Bay Area.

Oakland A’s right hander Bartolo Colon has been suspended 50 games by major league baseball for testing positive for testosterone, the same result that found Melky Cabrera suspended last week. Colon, the 2005 AL Cy Young winner, was in the midst of a solid, if unspectacular season for the surprising A’s, once which has seen him pitch to a 3.43 ERA over 29 starts. Though he has pitched effectively over the past two seasons since coming back from an elbow injury that cost him the entire 2010 season, at age 39 and with this now on his resume, it becomes almost likely that Colon’s career is over.

In a statement gathered today by Bill Shaikin, Colon apologized for his actions. “I apologize to the fans, to my teammates and to the Oakland A’s. I accept responsibility for my actions.”

Two Bay Area baseball players found to have used PEDs just after former BALCO mastermind Victor Conte is released from prison. Is it irresponsible to wonder whether we are seeing the return of an era where numerous A’s and Giants were juicing?

The Athletics recently welcomed Brett Anderson back to the rotation after missing the past year thanks to Tommy John surgery. Right hander Dan Straily, who was demoted to Triple-A to make room for Anderson, will likely wind up taking Colon’s place in the rotation.

For more on the A’s, head over to Swingin’ A’s.

John Parent is the Senior Director of Human Resources for the FanSided Network. He can be reached at john.parent@fansided.com or via Twitter @JohnJParent.