Schafer is the one juicer to have when you're having more than one
Play this in the background while reading the rest of this post.
It's amazing that people didn't realize what was going on. I mean, this was the Jordan Schafer from a while ago:
OK, in all seriousness, this isn't something to joke about. It's just a natural instinct I have when I'm disappointed by people. To me, the news that Schafer was suspended for HGH use was harder to take than most of the rumors and reports swirling around the big-leaguers. Schafer is by far the most legit prospect (no offense meant, Angel Salome) to get bounced for taking performance-enhancers.
But it's not just that he seemed to be a real up-and-comer (heck, they even talked about him leaping to the big leagues from A-ball to be the starting CF...imagine what would've happened if this had come out then?!?!?). He seemed to be the kind of player you rooted for -- a real hard-nosed scrapper, a guy who would run through a wall to help you win a game, a guy who didn't look like much, but had tools aplenty and was starting to figure it out last year after a rough 2006 season.
Turns out, it now seems, that a light didn't just go on developmentally. Schafer had some help. His "breakout" year of 2007 may have been chemically induced, or at least helped along. The first question that comes to mind is: How did they know it was HGH? Sure, the Minors have good testing mechanisms for performance-enhancers, but there's no way to test for that substance. The only thing that's seems plausible is that Schafer was heard talking about taking the stuff, or someone he was blabbing to gave him up. If that's the truth, then not only does Schafer get demerits for taking illegal substances, he drops even further for chatting it up with others too loudly, kind of like one of those thieves who rob a bank and then brag about it all over town, just begging to be caught.
You could play psychoanalyst for a moment here, if you wanted to. Maybe Schafer, though talking up HGH to others, subconsciously knew he was doing the wrong thing. He couldn't stop because, frankly, it was helping him. So he talked louder and louder until someone else stepped in to end the charade.
No matter how you slice it up, it's a sad situation all around.
It's amazing that people didn't realize what was going on. I mean, this was the Jordan Schafer from a while ago:
OK, in all seriousness, this isn't something to joke about. It's just a natural instinct I have when I'm disappointed by people. To me, the news that Schafer was suspended for HGH use was harder to take than most of the rumors and reports swirling around the big-leaguers. Schafer is by far the most legit prospect (no offense meant, Angel Salome) to get bounced for taking performance-enhancers.
But it's not just that he seemed to be a real up-and-comer (heck, they even talked about him leaping to the big leagues from A-ball to be the starting CF...imagine what would've happened if this had come out then?!?!?). He seemed to be the kind of player you rooted for -- a real hard-nosed scrapper, a guy who would run through a wall to help you win a game, a guy who didn't look like much, but had tools aplenty and was starting to figure it out last year after a rough 2006 season.
Turns out, it now seems, that a light didn't just go on developmentally. Schafer had some help. His "breakout" year of 2007 may have been chemically induced, or at least helped along. The first question that comes to mind is: How did they know it was HGH? Sure, the Minors have good testing mechanisms for performance-enhancers, but there's no way to test for that substance. The only thing that's seems plausible is that Schafer was heard talking about taking the stuff, or someone he was blabbing to gave him up. If that's the truth, then not only does Schafer get demerits for taking illegal substances, he drops even further for chatting it up with others too loudly, kind of like one of those thieves who rob a bank and then brag about it all over town, just begging to be caught.
You could play psychoanalyst for a moment here, if you wanted to. Maybe Schafer, though talking up HGH to others, subconsciously knew he was doing the wrong thing. He couldn't stop because, frankly, it was helping him. So he talked louder and louder until someone else stepped in to end the charade.
No matter how you slice it up, it's a sad situation all around.
Let's be clear. I am not a Braves fan and while I am aware Jordan Shafer is a good minor league prospect I don't follow him. Having made that clear, I think the criticism of Shafer for his association with HGH is legitimate in only one way, namely HGH is presently banned by MLB. As to his obtaining any real benefit from using HGH. You have to be kidding. A very strong majority of the reputable scientists who have spoken out on this issue have been unequivocal in their comments. There is no evidence, none whatsoever, that HGH provides any benefits to the athlete who uses it. Likewise there is no evidence it aids in healing, all of the the anecdotal evidence to the contrary notwithstanding. One really has to ask why MLB included HGH in its list of banned substances.
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