ESPN.com - PED mess a tough spot for Rizzo, Daniels

ESPN.com: The GM's Office by Jim Bowden

Thursday, January 31, 2013
PED mess a tough spot for Rizzo, Daniels

By Jim Bowden


	Gio Gonzalez's recent controversy isn't making GM Mike Rizzo hit the panic button.

There is nothing worse for a general manager than to be blindsided by allegations of impropriety by one of your players. True or false, the news causes an immediate maelstrom of controversy, uncertainty and turmoil.

And that’s exactly what happened to Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels and Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo after the Miami New Times reported Wednesday that Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez and Rangers right fielder Nelson Cruz were linked to a company that allegedly produced performance-enhancing drugs. Neither Gonzalez nor Cruz had ever been linked to PEDs before.

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It’s an awkward situation for a general manager. Obviously, neither GM knew about this report or whether it was actually true or false. If true, however, the GMs will have to deal with the ramifications from a team perspective, as well as the potential negative public relations that normally follow.

Gonzalez saved Rizzo from having to comment publicly by issuing a full denial via Twitter, and Rizzo subsequently made the best possible PR move and said nothing about it. He and his club had no knowledge of the report and will support Gonzalez until all the facts are gathered. This could take weeks or months, so the resolution -- and any disciplinary action -- might not come until spring training. And rest assured, the issue will become a distraction during camp as the team becomes inundated with media requests for Gonzalez.


	We won't know Nelson Cruz's fate for a while.

Meanwhile, Cruz and the Rangers took the exact opposite approach. Cruz has yet to comment on the allegations, while the Rangers issued an organizational statement that read:

“The Texas Rangers were contacted 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.”

Until there is an arrest made, an admission of guilt or a positive drug test, it will be extremely difficult and unlikely that the commissioner’s office would suspend any of these players in the short term. (T.J. Quinn explains in further detail here.)

Thus, it’s still premature to think that the report alone will force Texas or Washington to think about alternatives or options to replace Cruz and Gonzalez.

An immediate thought shortly after the news broke was whether Daniels and the Rangers would pursue free-agent outfielder Michael Bourn. But according to a Rangers source, that is unlikely. They are committed to giving Leonys Martin and Craig Gentry the opportunity to compete for playing time in center field. Martin is a Cuban outfielder whom the Rangers guaranteed $20.5 million in 2011. He hit .359/.422/.610 last season at Triple-A Round Rock with 18 doubles, 12 home runs and 42 RBIs.

If Cruz is suspended at some point during the season, some combination of Mike Olt, Mitch Moreland and Lance Berkman would end up sharing most of the time in right field, first base and DH. Of course, that would change if the Miami Marlins decided they liked a prospect package for Giancarlo Stanton, an idea the Marlins front office has said “will not happen.”

Thing is, the Rangers needed to add power even before the news on Cruz came out. After losing both Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli to free agency and failing to acquire Justin Upton from the Arizona Diamondbacks, it’s pretty obvious that if they come across the opportunity to acquire another power hitter, they will. The trade market does not have a lot of inventory right now, not for corner outfielders with power. However, by June or July, it’s highly likely the Rangers could add veteran power with players such as Minnesota Twins outfielder Josh Willingham, the Diamondbacks’ Jason Kubel or Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Garrett Jones.


	If Nelson Cruz is eventually suspended during the season, Jason Kubel could be an option come July.

Likewise, the Nationals and Rizzo aren’t going to react to this report by going out and trying to trade for another starting pitcher in case Gonzalez is suspended. They’ll prepare for the season as they always do -- prepare for injuries to a starting rotation, which from a team-building perspective is essentially the same as a suspension.

Therefore, they will monitor the rehab of free-agent pitcher Javier Vazquez, who had knee surgery Wednesday. If all goes well, they’ll sign him, but that shouldn’t be mistaken as the team thinking they must make a move because of Gonzalez’s predicament. It will be business as usual. If they add a starter via trade or free agency, in all likelihood they would have any way.

So where does that leave Rizzo and Daniels heading into Opening Day? The most likely scenario is that Nelson Cruz will still be in right field for the Rangers and Gonzalez will start either the first or second game of the regular season for the Nationals. Innocent until proven guilty is how America is built and we should view Gonzalez and Cruz in this light.

Seasoned general managers such as Rizzo and Daniels are not going to spend their days wringing their hands to find replacements in trades or free agency just in case Cruz or Gonzalez is suspended. Rather, they’ll probably spend it communicating directly with their players and mainge sure the players assure them of their innocence, communicating with and supporting the commissioner’s office’s investigation and drug policy and preparing for the public relations distraction that will escalate when they arrive at their spring training homes in Florida and Arizona in approximately two weeks.