Quote:
Palmeiro will be suspended steroids policy violation
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Associated Press
Rafael Palmeiro was suspended Monday for violating Major League Baseball's steroids policy, nearly five months after telling Congress that "I have never used steroids. Period."
Palmeiro two weeks ago collected his 3,000th hit, joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players with 3,000 hits and 500 homers.
Palmeiro, 40, is the seventh and highest-profile player to test positive under the major league policy adopted earlier this year.
Baseball's prescribed minimum penalty is a 10-day suspension.
The image of Palmeiro taking a sweet swing from the left side of the plate has been replaced in some minds by the sight of him testifying before a House committee investigating steroids in baseball.
The hearing included testimony from Jose Canseco, who in his book cited Palmeiro and several other players as steroid users. Palmeiro emphatically denies using the performance-enhancing drug, but the Baltimore Orioles' first baseman can't deny how perceptions have changed.
"In my opinion, everyone that plays baseball in this era has been tainted," Palmeiro said during spring training. "Not just the people that he has named in the book, I think this whole era over the last 10, 15 or 20 years has been tainted. Regardless of whether you did or you didn't do anything, this whole era will have that label."
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This is surprising, and will certainly affect his chances of getting into the Hall of Fame.
He now has a black cloud over him that will apply to his past, as well as any further baseball he plays.