Free agent pitcher Cruceta suspended
Cruceta, who has been away from affiliated baseball since appearing in 13 games with the Tigers in 2008, received a 100-game suspension after testing positive for metabolites of Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
The suspension of Cruceta, who was most recently under contract with the Brockton Rox of the Canadian American (Can-Am) Independent Baseball League, will be effective immediately upon his signing with another Major League organization.
Stanozolol is a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone that is sometimes prescribed by veterinarians to encourage muscle growth, red blood cell production, bone density and to stimulate the appetite of weakened animals. It's also been linked to body builders and several former baseball players -- Rafael Palmeiro reportedly tested positive for the substance in 2005 and was suspended 10 games by Major League Baseball. All-time home run king Barry Bonds reportedly used the drug, according to the book Game of Shadows, and Roger Clemens was allegedly given the drug, according to his former trainer, Brian McNamee. Olympic gold medalist Ben Johnson was stripped of his medal after testing positive for Stanozolol during the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Cruceta, 30, played in 200 games in the Minors for the Dodgers, Rangers, Mariners, Indians and Tigers before spending the last two years with a Korean team. He pitched in four games for Seattle in 2006 and went 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 13 games for Detroit in '08 before being released.
Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1999, Cruceta was traded to Cleveland in 2002 with Terry Mulholland and Ricardo Rodriguez for Paul Shuey. He was claimed off waivers by Seattle in 2005, claimed again by Texas in 2006 and signed a one-year deal for $390,000 with Detroit for in 2007. He last pitched in the Minors for Triple-A Toledo in '08 before spending the next two years pitching in the Korean Baseball Organization.
A 100-game suspension in the Minor League program typically results from a second positive drug test. Major League Baseball did not clarify when the test was issued or if Cruceta had previously tested positive.
The Office of the Commissioner has suspended 46 players under the Minor League program in 2011, including 11 for using Stanozolol. Cruceta's ban comes one day after Major League Baseball suspended four players for positive tests.
Danny Wild is an editor for MLB.com.