Prospect Is Suspended 50 Games for Steroids, By: Mike DiGiovanna

April 19, 2006, Times Staff Writer

MINNEAPOLIS — The Angel organization got its first dose of baseball's stiffer drug penalties Tuesday when Karl Gelinas, a pitcher at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, was suspended 50 games without pay for a first-time steroid offense.

Gelinas, a 22-year-old right-hander who was 0-2 with a 7.59 earned-run average in two starts, tested positive for Stanozolol, a powerful anabolic steroid that is not available in dietary supplements.

It is the same substance former Baltimore first baseman Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for last season and sprinter Ben Johnson tested positive for in 1988, when he was stripped of his Olympic 100-meter gold medal.

The penalty for an initial positive test this year was increased from 15 games to 50 for players with minor league contracts; the penalty for a second positive test rose from 30 games to 100.

"It's big, but that's the purpose of it," Manager Mike Scioscia said of the penalty. "Everyone knows the ground rules. Our guys have been schooled. It's unfortunate."

Of the five Angel minor leaguers who were hit with first-time, 15-game drug suspensions last season, three — William Collazo, Francisco Cordova and Alexander Francisco — were released. The other two, Ryan Leahy (now at Class-A Cedar Rapids) and Baltazar Lopez (Rancho Cucamonga), remained in the organization.

Will Gelinas' suspension affect how the organization perceives him?

"We're a performance-based business, and any guy who's trying to make his way to the major league has to perform well in the minor leagues," General Manager Bill Stoneman said.

"A 50-game suspension is certainly not helpful to his minor league performance."

Stoneman said Gelinas, a native of Canada who was a 47th-round pick in 2003, would be sent to the Angels' extended spring-training facility in Arizona to remain in shape during his suspension.

"The proof is going to be how he plays when he gets back," Scioscia said. "Without enhancement, we'll be able to better evaluate his ability. He obviously made a mistake."