Dodgers News: Marlins Sweep Dodgers, Dee Gordon Suspended 80 Games
The Los Angeles Dodgers were swept by the Miami Marlins Thursday in L.A. for the first time ever. Former skipper, Don Mattingly, leaves with a 10-11 record, and learning that they will be without Dee Gordon for 80 games.
Dee Gordon was suspended 80 games about an hour after he hit the game-tying RBI here in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/PXkBU4O8v5
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) April 29, 2016
Following the suspension Gordon released the following statement:
Marlins second baseman's Dee Gordon statement after MLB announced early Friday morning… https://t.co/1Kx5tA6kRk pic.twitter.com/N8cPSQkPYD
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) April 29, 2016
With the Marlins coming into the series with a record of 6-11, it seemed like things were working out for the Dodgers. What they didn’t know is that the Marlins would turn things around and beat the Dodgers in four straight games for their first series win in Los Angeles since 2010 and their first sweep ever.
Not only that, the fourth win of the series came off rookie starter Kenta Maeda, who has been nothing short of spectacular since coming to the Dodgers allowing only 1 run in his first 25 1/3 innings pitched. That translated to a 3-0 record and a league leading 0.36 ERA.
Maeda actually pitched quite well, finishing with a line of 6 2/3 IP, 7 hits, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, and 5 K. His ERA still sits at a miniscule 1.41.
In one of the biggest innings for the Marlins, the top of the 7th, the tying run was hit in by former Dodgers second baseman, Dee Gordon. He also worked his way around to 3rd base and seemingly forced Dodgers pitcher Pedro Baez to balk giving the Marlins a 4-2 lead which was all they needed to finish out the game.
[button color=”red” size=”big” alignment=”center” rel=”follow” openin=”newwindow” url=”https://dodgersnation.com/twitter-and-dodgers-players-react-to-dee-gordon-suspension/2016/04/29/”]Twitter and Dodgers Players React to Dee Gordon Suspension[/button]
Dodgers fans almost unanimously questioned why the Dodgers would have ever traded away a player like Gordon, a player who won the National League batting title last season and has the ability to change the game with his speed alone.
But those questions didn’t have time to sit for long. Just minutes after the final out of the game was made by closer A.J. Ramos, Major League Baseball announced that Dee Gordon had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and would be suspended for 80 games, effectively immediately.
Marlins 2B Dee Gordon suspended 80 games without pay after testing positive for performance-enhancing substances, effective immediately.
— MLB (@MLB) April 29, 2016
Marlins 2B and defending NL batting champion Dee Gordon tested positive for Testosterone and Clostebol, according to MLB. Out for 80 games.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 29, 2016
This is a huge shock for not only Dodgers and Marlins fans. Still, 80 games for testing positive for PEDs will result in what seems a minor fine when compared to his five-year extension with the Marlins.
Dee Gordon signed a five-year, $50M extension this offseason. He'll lose about $1.63M to his suspension. If he stays clean, rest guaranteed.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 29, 2016
Anytime the defending National League batting champion is suspended for something as serious as this it gets the whole league talking.
Soooo the suspension had to come down AFTER the #Marlins sweep the #Dodgers … pic.twitter.com/ccti1zUCJf
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) April 29, 2016
Especially when the news comes after the Marlins sweep the Dodgers.
https://twitter.com/TBrownYahoo/status/725929352500678656
More debate sparked when fans realized who the Marlins hitting coach was.
I'm just going to leave this here … pic.twitter.com/kzDetqowlc
— Elisa Hernandez (@EHernandezTV) April 29, 2016
It should be interesting to see if Dodgers fans change their stance on whether trading him away was a bad idea. Even if Howie Kendrick is struggling, at least they have a second baseman for the next 80 games.
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Dee is a GOOD KID….He owned up to his mistake and is going to pay for it. I still think they should have kept him because as he showed, he can really affect a game. So far, the best part of the trade has been Kike…….Barnes is still an unknown, and Hatcher just sucks…
Michael Norris I wouldn’t exactly call that “owning up” to his mistake
ChrisWolfDC Michael Norris Well that is the difference between you and me. He apologized to his team mates, and he apologized to the fans and the organization. No matter what he will always carry that stigma, but Grandal was suspended when he was a member of the Padres, are you going to overlook that and dis on Dee? Sorry, the guy has always been a nice kid..he made a mistake, end of story
Michael Norris ChrisWolfDC I’m not saying he can’t come back and have a great career. Once he does his time then it is in his past. My point was just that he didn’t exactly own it. He made excuses.
I am one who thinks that PED players’ contributions to games should be subtracted from each game they played in. Those players’ runs and RBI’s removed. Scores changed. I first thought of this when Melky Cabrera helped SF get into the WS. I did the math and removed his RBI’s and runs. It was easy by the way so it IS possible. And the result was that there would have been a drastic change in the standings that year and SF would not have been in the WS. The reason this should be done is that there would be ENORMOUS peer pressure from teammates NOT to use banned substances for risk of destroying a teams’ place in the standings and playoff chances.
Nice kid or not, he’s a drug taking cheat!….End of story
Totally agree, if a team plays a drugs cheat, then the team should not benefit from the actions of that cheat.