Former Phillies prospect suspended 50 games

Jonathan Singleton, one of the key prospects the Phillies sent to Houston in the 2011 Hunter Pence trade, was suspended on Wednesday for the first 50 games of the 2013 season after testing positive for marijuana. The 50-game suspension indicates this is Singleton’s second offense.

Singleton, one among a group of former Phillies’ prospects playing well in other organizations, was traded for Pence along with Jarred Cosart, Domingo Santana and Josh Zeid. The left-handed hitting first baseman is ranked by MLB.com as the Astros’ top prospect.

Singleton, 21, hit .284 with 21 homers and 79 RBIs for Double-A Corpus Christi last season. He represented the Houston organization in July’s Futures Game in Kansas City.

In a statement released through his agents, Singleton apologized for the suspension, according to ESPN.com.

"I was informed today that I have tested positive for marijuana," he said in the statement. "As a result, I am being suspended for the first 50 games of the 2013 season. I accept the penalty and take full responsibility for my actions. I apologize to my parents, the Houston Astros and [general manager] Jeff Luhnow.

"The Astros have been nothing but supportive of me and good to me in my short time with the organization. My hope is to use this as a learning experience and spend the rest of my career proving to myself and the baseball community that this was a lapse in judgment, and is not in any way indicative of my character or my dedication to baseball or to my team."

Comments

[RedBurb]

awh - Or when he said "Those runs are unearned, but who cares?"

[lorecore]

Harry Kalas, during an interview in 2008:

"Probably the most downer call I ever made is Billy Wagner’s last year with the Phillies when Biggio hit a home run off him..."

[Iceman]

Completely loathe Wagner and think that he came up small when it mattered most more often than not, but he recorded four outs before the Biggio HR. The E-5 on Bell was bad, but the IF single to Tavares was far worse, with Rollins playing way back at SS to a slap-hitter that only posed a threat with his legs. It was a relatively routine grounder. Terrible positioning.

Although the Biggio HR obviously should have never happened. I remember that game (as we all do, I'm sure) very vividly. The Biggio HR was almost pre-ordained before he even stepped in the box, and Wagner made sure it was carried through by throwing a fat fastball to a former teammate.

I actually hearkened back to this game when Papelbon blew the Braves game late this year. You couldn't blame Papelbon entirely for what happened up to that point, but the Chipper moment seemed almost etched in stone before it even happened, and Papelbon threw him a freaking meatball like he wanted it to happen. Got some serious deja vu to the Biggio HR with that one.

[lorecore]

"Although the Biggio HR obviously should have never happened. I remember that game (as we all do, I'm sure) very vividly. The Biggio HR was almost pre-ordained before he even stepped in the box,"

Couldn't have said it any better myself - its like I was watching a replay of a game that I already saw. The image of Biggio hitting the HR was somehow already a memory in my mind, and when it happened it was like a flashback moreso than something I was watchinunravelel.

[MG]

awh - I don't get the lack of interest in Lyons. If Amaro could pick him up on a 1 yr/$1-$1.25M, I do think he could give this team a solid boost in the middle relievers.

Rauch doesn't do much for me. I have always hated big soft-tossing pitchers like Rauch who have a mediocre fastball & have to nibble with mediocre offspeed stuff. I wouldn't want the Phils to sign him.

I don't understand the lack of interest in KRod either. He's a scumbag but he would help almost any bullpen in a middle relief role at 1 yr/$1.25-$1.5 with some incentive upside.

I don't get the interest in Wilson though. I would avoid him like the plague unless he signed a deal at very minimum base ($1M base) with plenty of incentive upside.

Lindstrom is still out there and so is Lowe who if he comes off his ridiculous demands of being given a starter's role can help a team.

There really aren't any second-tier/third-tier FA positional players available that I really like quickly looking but there are a bunch of relievers I really like especially if they can be had on a minor league deal or something near veteran league minimum ($800-$1K).

[MG]

Biggio HR caused me to drop a notable f-bomb at work as I was listening to the audio on MLB Gamecast.

[Iceman]

Lindstrom has harnessed his stuff enough in the last few seasons where he is absolutely worth what some of these other second-tier guys are getting and is the guy I was to see them sign to round out the bullpen.

It would make things incredibly easy for Cholly. Bastardo on tough lefties. Lindstrom 7th, Adams 8th, Papelbon 9th. All three with the stuff and experience to close (and Bastardo too, really, if he's 'good Bastardo' this year).

That's a really good bullpen.

[jbird]

I'll second Lindstrom.

[NEPP]

Biggio probably hurt people's impressions of him as a HOF by staying around a good 2 seasons after he was toast just to reach 3000 hits.

He was terrible those final 2 years and he hurt his ballclub in pursuit of a personal record.

[Kendrick Appreciation Society]

I prefer Lindstrom or Lowe to Lyon or K-Rod.

[Rasta]

Marijuana is a natural plant. How can you ban nature? Ban the man-made drugs for sure but not natures own. Smoke on Singo.

[awh]

MG, agree on Lyons - at that price.

I know you don't like Rauch's style, but he has been fairly successful.

KO'Rod? The lack of interest is easy to understand, and it has nothing to do with him being a douche. No one wants to pay him his salary demand. I'm sure Boras has been in touch with almost every team that would benefit from his being in the 'pen, but I would bet bottom dollar that he's asking for big bucks. He hasn't made less that $7MM since 2006, and I'd be really surprised if he isn't looking for at least what he amde last season - $8MM. Not surprised there's no intrerest at that price.

I understand the interest in Wilson, despite the injury concerns. If he's healthy he could be transformative to some bullpens. Probably won't sign with the Phils because he's looking to close, but suppose the Phils 'pen looked like this with a healthy Wilson at his '08-'11 averages [3.00 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 13.09 WHIP, 2.65 K/BB]:

Papelbon
Adams
Wilson
Bastardo
Aumont
Horst
De Fratus/Stutes, etc.

Assuming a healthy Adams, it would turn a lot of Phils' contests into 6 inning affairs.

I agree with you that there is a lot of reliever depth out there if it can be had at the right price.

[MG]

Iceman - Agreed. Even if the Phils only have ~$7M left under the luxury tax threshold, signing a veteran RHP reliever for $1-$1.5M isn't going to impair their ability to make moves at the trading deadline if they want to say under the luxury tax.

The one thing I always liked about Duquette's GM philosophy is that he never believed you could have enough organizational depth and was always willing to pick somebody up who he though could help this team either at the MLB level or in a callup role.

Said it the other day but Amaro's done a horrendous job this offseason so far in signing anyone to a minor league deal that has any real hope of helping this team if they do get called up.

[MG]

awh - Nah. I bet KRod is looking for a multi-year deal at the market going rate for premier veteran setup men this year which is about ~$6M or so.

I really do like what KRod could do for a club but if I were a GM I wouldn't begin to listen to Boras until KRod is willing to take a 1 yr deal with a very modest buyout option ($500k) and a base of say $2-$3M. There is still a fair amount of time left for relievers to get signed by the end of Jan KRod will be hustling to get a guaranteed MLB deal much above the veteran league minimum.

[mm]

The nationals signed ross ohlendorf to a minor league deal. I got excited until i checked his splits and the phillies are actually terrible against him.

[MG]

So if one of the Nats' starters gets hurt the depth chart options right now are probably Zach Duke and Ross Ohlendorf (two ex-Pirates castoff who I would both love to see take the mound for the Nats every 5 days).

[lorecore]

I think DeFratus is ahead of Aumont on the bp depth chart.

[Edmundo]

Biggio probably hurt people's impressions of him as a HOF by staying around a good 2 seasons after he was toast just to reach 3000 hits.

But he wasn't toast in his 3rd and 4th last seasons (age 38/39), garnering 105 and 104 OPS+ years. Granted he was a pretty bad defensive second baseman by then, but he had been seesawing between marginal and good since age 34. But that 3000 hit target was there and Houston apparently had nothing better. In his age 40 season, Biggio's 84 OPS+ was 3rd best on the team!

[Meyer]

To clear my conscience once again, that particular game led to a series of misunderstandings which resulted in my spending the night in the county slammer. I thank Billy for the experience.