Burn531
11-01-2006, 03:52 PM
NEW YORK -- Relief pitcher Guillermo Mota was suspended 50 games Wednesday for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy.
Mota, 33, who finished the season with the Mets and filed for free agency Tuesday, was 4-3 with a 4.53 ERA this season. In the National League playoffs, he went 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in seven appearances.
His suspension will take effect for the start of the 2007 season.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Mota took "full responsibility" and said he would accept the suspension, saying he hoped to learn from his mistakes.
"I used extremely poor judgment and deserve to be held accountable," Mota said in the statement. "To my teammates and the entire Mets organization, I am sorry. I truly regret what I did and hope that you can forgive me."
"To baseball fans everywhere, I understand that you are disappointed in me, and I don't blame you," he added. "I feel terrible and I promise this is the first and last time that this will happen."
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2645976
Mota, 33, who finished the season with the Mets and filed for free agency Tuesday, was 4-3 with a 4.53 ERA this season. In the National League playoffs, he went 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in seven appearances.
His suspension will take effect for the start of the 2007 season.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Mota took "full responsibility" and said he would accept the suspension, saying he hoped to learn from his mistakes.
"I used extremely poor judgment and deserve to be held accountable," Mota said in the statement. "To my teammates and the entire Mets organization, I am sorry. I truly regret what I did and hope that you can forgive me."
"To baseball fans everywhere, I understand that you are disappointed in me, and I don't blame you," he added. "I feel terrible and I promise this is the first and last time that this will happen."
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2645976