Schafer Supended for PED Use

[SamtheBravesFan]

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/04/08/shafer_0409.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21

Minor-league outfielder Jordan Shafer, the Braves' top prospect and future center fielder, has tested positive for steroids and, per Major League Baseball policy, will be suspended for 50 games.

Shafer is playing this season at Class AA Mississippi while the Braves groom him to be the starting center fielder in Atlanta as early as next season.

Not anymore, they're not. On the bright side, this would lower expectations and also might get Brent Lillibridge some center field playing time in Richmond. That would get rid of the shortstop logjam.

[PureBaseballFan]

Not anymore, they're not. On the bright side, this would lower expectations and also might get Brent Lillibridge some center field playing time in Richmond. That would get rid of the shortstop logjam.

I doubt they are just gonna give up on him because of this. Don't forget the Braves kept Tyler Flowers after he tested positive and now there is talk he could be a possible replacement for Tex. As much as I am against using PEDs if he is sorry and truly shows remorse then I am not against giving him a second chance.

Here is something I found interesting from another article about it

"We are supportive of the program and will continue to educate all of our players. Earlier today Jordan asked to speak to his teammates to apologize for the mistakes he has made and for letting the organization and his team down. During his suspension, we will continue to support and counsel Jordan."

As long as this is a one time thing it should be fine but I doubt the Braves are just going to throw away someone with his talent.

[Pere]

Wow. It makes you wonder not only about his makeup, but his intelligence. He was on a fast track. What could he have been thinking?

[PureBaseballFan]

What could he have been thinking?

He was thinking this is going to help me get to the majors and stay there, just like every other person that has taken them in baseball.

[SamtheBravesFan]

I doubt they are just gonna give up on him because of this. Don't forget the Braves kept Tyler Flowers after he tested positive and now there is talk he could be a possible replacement for Tex. As much as I am against using PEDs if he is sorry and truly shows remorse then I am not against giving him a second chance.

Here is something I found interesting from another article about it
As long as this is a one time thing it should be fine but I doubt the Braves are just going to throw away someone with his talent.

Of course. At the time I posted that, I thought that the Braves usually bent over backwards to get these kinds of situations out of their hair. You're right.

Schafer is always going to have that stigma, though. If he does any good, people are going to think he's "'roiding up" again. It's a damn shame.

[Pere]

He was thinking this is going to help me get to the majors and stay there, just like every other person that has taken them in baseball.

I don't think it's that simple, in general. In this case, as I said, Schafer was already on a fast track. He shouldn't have had any doubts about getting his shot in the majors, barring a collapse so severe that no drug in the world could save him. For a young player in that situation, and in the larger context of growing official awareness/intolerance, being in the same room with a questionable substance would seem to show a serious lack of judgment.

Schafer is always going to have that stigma, though. If he does any good, people are going to think he's "'roiding up" again. It's a damn shame.

The reports I checked said it was HGH, not steroids. It's not clear how he was busted in the absence of a test, but he certainly didn't seem to try any ploy to claim innocence. (Give him that, I guess.)

[SamtheBravesFan]

The reports I checked said it was HGH, not steroids. It's not clear how he was busted in the absence of a test, but he certainly didn't seem to try any ploy to claim innocence. (Give him that, I guess.)

The impression I get is that the average person doesn't bother to differentiate HGH from other PEDs, so they're just put under the catch-all of "steroids". That's why I said that.

[PureBaseballFan]

I don't think it's that simple, in general. In this case, as I said, Schafer was already on a fast track. He shouldn't have had any doubts about getting his shot in the majors, barring a collapse so severe that no drug in the world could save him. For a young player in that situation, and in the larger context of growing official awareness/intolerance, being in the same room with a questionable substance would seem to show a serious lack of judgment.

Well actually it depends when he started using them. The only real reason he was on the "fast track" was because he had improved his offensive production so much in the 2007. After 2006 everyone agreed he had great defensive skills but at that point lacked the offensive tools to be considered a top tier prospect. Since we don't know when he started I agree it could just being a dumb kid but I think the more likely reason is he heard everyone say he just needed to improve his offensive production so he took a chance by doing PEDs.

Schafer is always going to have that stigma, though. If he does any good, people are going to think he's "'roiding up" again. It's a damn shame.

I really don't think that people are like that except for the huge stars like Bonds, Clemens and the rest of the Congressional Brady Bunch.

I think if the players are truly sorry the majority of the people forgive them. Not many people talk about how Giambi or everyone's favorite story Rick Ankiel admitted or were caught with PEDs. People only seem to care about the guys that got big numbers or just lied. Sure some people may bad mouth them once in a while but overall the majority of people don't really care.

Personally this doesn't change what I think Schafer could be. I think the only thing this changes is he may start in the minors next year and come up at the middle of the season like Francoeur. I think at the end of the day people will give him crap for a few weeks and when he is the starting CF by the end of next year no one will remember any of that.

[SamtheBravesFan]

I think if the players are truly sorry the majority of the people forgive them.

I can't argue with that.

Not many people talk about how Giambi or everyone's favorite story Rick Ankiel admitted or were caught with PEDs.

In Giambi's case, I think it's because he stopped producing other-worldly numbers with regularity. Thankfully, I think that the feel-good story of Ankiel's hasn't worn off, because he's still a legitimate hitter.

People only seem to care about the guys that got big numbers or just lied. Sure some people may bad mouth them once in a while but overall the majority of people don't really care.

Also true. Those people don't want this getting in the way of their enjoyment of the game of baseball.

Personally this doesn't change what I think Schafer could be. I think the only thing this changes is he may start in the minors next year and come up at the middle of the season like Francoeur. I think at the end of the day people will give him crap for a few weeks and when he is the starting CF by the end of next year no one will remember any of that.

I think we'll remember, but it just won't be as intense as it is right now (if it is intense) if Schafer produces good numbers at Mississippi. That would do away with the assumption that his jump at Myrtle Beach and the AFL was HGH-fueled. What would replace it would be "Just what did the HGH do for him?", which is where I think that speculation should stay.

[Extra Innings]

I think we'll remember, but it just won't be as intense as it is right now (if it is intense) if Schafer produces good numbers at Mississippi. That would do away with the assumption that his jump at Myrtle Beach and the AFL was HGH-fueled. What would replace it would be "Just what did the HGH do for him?", which is where I think that speculation should stay.

Good point. It is disappointing to read that your teams #1 prospect is guilty of HGH use, but I think he'll continue on and work his way up to the bigs soon enough. Schafer seems like a good kid that just made a wrong decision in life. Its good to hear that he admitted to it and apologized to teammates instead of denying it and claiming a conspiracy or something.

[chip&smoltz95]

Well actually it depends when he started using them. The only real reason he was on the "fast track" was because he had improved his offensive production so much in the 2007. After 2006 everyone agreed he had great defensive skills but at that point lacked the offensive tools to be considered a top tier prospect. Since we don't know when he started I agree it could just being a dumb kid but I think the more likely reason is he heard everyone say he just needed to improve his offensive production so he took a chance by doing PEDs.

I really don't think that people are like that except for the huge stars like Bonds, Clemens and the rest of the Congressional Brady Bunch.

yea, i hope the reason he was on the "fast track" was not because he was taking an illegal substance.....

[BravesFanForever]

Good point chip&smoltz95. It really is a shame though. Hopefully he will learn his lesson the FIRST time and the Braves and him can go on with things after the suspension. Supposedly he was maybe going to be called up by mid season I think, but this ruins that I would think. But, everyone makes mistakes.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Good point. It is disappointing to read that your teams #1 prospect is guilty of HGH use, but I think he'll continue on and work his way up to the bigs soon enough. Schafer seems like a good kid that just made a wrong decision in life. Its good to hear that he admitted to it and apologized to teammates instead of denying it and claiming a conspiracy or something.

It does seem like that is the case, at least for now.

[PureBaseballFan]

The sad thing about this whole thing is I have already seen some people say we should just trade him or that they can never cheer for him again. I really hope people aren't as naive enough to believe the Braves never may have overlooked a PED user. I mean the Braves did have Ken Caminiti on the team at one point.

Speaking of problematic, what about the center fielder of the future getting caught using HGH? The Braves organization puts a big emphasis on character, and the team as a whole was immensely proud of the fact that no current Braves were mentioned in the Mitchell Report.

So it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if Jordan Schaeffer is dealt in the next two years. Do you think Mark Kotsay should get settled in while the Braves start looking further down the line, or will this blow over and everything be forgiven and forgotten?

I know the AJC isn't the greatest for actual reporting (except for Dave O'Brien) but she should to at least a little research to know we do have someone that tested positive and is now named as a possible replacement for Tex should he leave in Tyler Flowers.

The Braves don't hold "character" that highly I mean lets not ignore the things that Braves players have done and even Bobby has done off the field. I mean I love all those guys but we as fans can't just make our team out to be a team of Jesus Christ and his Apostles. The Braves look for team players or guys that they think will become team players in the clubhouse. I think what I am going to hate about this Schafer stuff is what I am going to read and hear from fans who just ignore certain things. It is okay to love your team even with the bad (being a Falcons fan was tough last year) but I think it is really dumb to ignore the bad and love them for being this perfect team.

[Pere]

The only real reason he was on the "fast track" was because he had improved his offensive production so much in the 2007.

I'd say he was on a fast track because he was drafted in the third round and was particularly liked by certain scouts. He was sent to Rome (skipping Danville) in 2006 despite an unimpressive showing in instructional games. Yes, he had to return to Rome briefly in '07, but if he was on a normal track he wouldn't have gotten there in the first place until that season.

Obviously, his showing during the '07 season elevated his status substantially, but he was already well above a lot of guys in the organizational charts; he would have had to underperform expectations for a couple years straight to really hurt that. Now, in the third year after signing, anointed in some circles as the top prospect (somewhat of an over-rating, I think, but whatever), now he's busted? It looks bad.

By contrast, Tyler Flowers was drafted in the thirty-third round as a D&F, then signed as something of an afterthought (and as a first baseman). His getting busted after signing was certainly embarrassing, but could easily be ascribed to youthful indiscretion, something he'd done before he actually came into the organization. Most important, Flowers' rise in prospect status has come entirely since that time.