CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Indians reliever Rafael Betancourt
said Friday that while he accepts punishment for violating major
league baseball's drug policy he will continue his appeal to get
the word "steroids" dropped from the official record.
The right-hander was suspended July 8 for 10 days after testing
positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance.
"I don't care about the suspension or the money they took,"
Betancourt said. "Just clear my name from that word."
Betancourt, on the disabled list since June 30 with a shoulder
injury, does not dispute testing positive, though he says he has
not been told exactly what substance was detected during a mid-May
test.
"I was tested twice in 2003, twice last year and nothing," he
said. "Now, they say I test positive."
The test could be the result of an over-the-counter
anti-inflammatory medicine Betancourt got while pitching winter
ball in his native Venezuela.
"I ask myself, 'How did this happen?" he said.
"Back home, I bought some Voltaren, this is something that
anybody can buy, even a 10-year-old kid. After I pitched, I would
take one pill."
Betancourt equated the drug to Americans taking Advil or
Tylenol. He said that once he got to spring training, he took
medicine only prescribed by the Indians.
He did acknowledge that conditions in Venezeula are vastly
different.
"Sometimes, I'm afraid to drink the water," he said. "But
that is why I am upset. I have always respected this game."
Betancourt has been a key part of the Indians' bullpen, going
2-2 with a 2.21 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 36 2-3 innings.
He is the sixth player suspended under major league baseball's
policy, which began in March. There have been 77 players suspended
under the minor league program.
The right-hander will serve the suspension while on the disabled
list, and it will cost him $18,503 of his $338,600 salary.
Tampa Bay outfielder Alex Sanchez, Colorado outfielder Jorge
Piedra, Texas pitcher Agustin Montero, Seattle outfielder Jamal
Strong and Minnesota reliever Juan Rincon also were suspended.
Montero and Rincon asked the union to file grievances, but
decisions have not yet been made by arbitrator Shyam Das.
Betancourt has no idea when his grievance request will be heard.