Minnesota Twins minor leaguers Jose Murillo and Francisco Nunez were both suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a performance enhancing drug, a violation of the Minor League Baseball Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Both players tested positive for Boldenone. The suspensions will be served at the beginning of the 2010 season.
Murillo began the 2009 season as a 16 year old shortstop in the Dominican Summer League. In 98 plate appearances, he went .188/.275/.225.
Nunez, as a 17 year old in 2009, struck out 52 while walking 7 in 45 2/3 innings, mostly out of the bullpen.
A few notes about the drug that caused the positive test:
Boldenone (boldenone undecylenate, or 1,4-androstadieene-3-one,17?-ol), also known under the trade names Equipoise, Ganabol, Equigan and Ultragan, is an anabolic steroid developed for veterinary use, mostly for treatment of horses. It is not indicated for use in humans in the US and is only available through veterinary clinics.
The drug is supposed to encourage the growth of body mass as well as stimulate appetite, encouraging the user to gain weight more easily (in horses and cattle, as well as humans). According to Bodenone’s Wikipedia entry, the drug can stay in a user’s system for upwards of a year and a half, an interesting point considering the young ages of Murillo and Nunez.
In 2008 42 of 69 minor league suspensions involved Dominican Summer League players. The suspensions for the 2 Minnesota Twins players mark the 26th and 27th suspensions from the DSL in 2009.
