Kangaroo Court
Texas Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz connected to steroid and HGH peddling clinic in Miami
Texas Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz has been connected to a Miami-based clinic alleged to have sold human growth hormone and synthetic steroids to athletes.
The Miami New Times reports that the recently closed clinic, Biogenesis, sold illegal performance enhancing drugs to MLB players including the recently suspended Melky Cabrera as well as known users of performance enhancing drugs such as Alex Rodriguez and Bartolo Colon.
Cruz has never previously been linked to illegal substance use.
On Tuesday morning, the Texas Rangers released the following statement:
The Texas Rangers were contacted late last week by Miami New Times regarding the story posted this morning. At that time, the Rangers contacted Major League Baseball on that inquiry. The team has no further comment.
According to the report, the clinic’s head, Anthony Bosch, had nicknames for all the players in his ledgers, and referred to Cruz as “Mohamad.” In his books, Bosch wrote in reference to Cruz, “Need to call him, go Thur to Texas, take meds from April 5- May 5, will owe him troches and … will infuse them in May.” Troches are a synthetic testosterone lozenge, says sports giant-slayer Deadspin.
If these allegations are true, it would be another down note in a Rangers’ offseason that has seen the departure of the other two heads of the slugging hydra in Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli as well as the trade of Michael Young.
It is also another revelation in PED use among top tier athletes after Lance Armstrong admitted earlier this month to long time steroid use during his seven consecutive Tour de France titles.
Also earlier this month, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America declined to vote anyone into the baseball hall of fame with much of the consternation coming from many of the nominees’ steroid use during their careers.
