Jorge Reyes Distributed Steroids, Too

If distribution qualifies under "injected fellow player in buttocks," then yes, Jorge Reyes -- the Mets minor leaguer hit with the first 100-game suspension under the MLB's new drug policy Tuesday -- was indeed distributing steroids.

The player Reyes injected, Waner Mateo (great name!), was also suspended when Reyes was the first time for using Nadrolone, the same drug Reyes tested positive for. It turns out Mateo has the same excuse as most other players caught using performance enhancing drugs -- he didn't know what he was taking:

"Last year in the spring, my shoulder was hurt a little bit," Mateo said through an interpreter, Juan Henderson, who is administrator of the Mets' academy in the Dominican. "I asked one of the players, 'Do you have anything for pain, because my shoulder is hurting?' The player gave me something. I thought it was B complex, B-12. I thought that was it. I didn't know I was taking steroids."

Yet another reason why you don't let your teammate give you anything. A little common sense here, please. Just like you don't take a drink at a party from someone if you didn't see them pour it, you don't take an injection from someone regardless of what they say it is. That is, of course, if you believe Waner's excuse, one that is becoming well-worn among MLB players when they talk about steroid use. Now Mateo, because he trusted Reyes, is lumped in the same boat as a two-time drug policy offender.

One more thing here: it's nice that the MLB is monitoring players so closely and punishing them appropriately, but it would be nice if the severity of those punishments extended to big name players in the Major Leagues. It's easy to punish some no-name AA player. Let's see MLB take on its most prized, home-run-hitting possessions, instead of making false shows of severity with little teeth behind the action.