MLB reinstates player previously banned for life

By Ross Kelly July 7, 2018 at 9:22am

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Besides New York Mets fans, the happiest person to hear the news of Jenrry Mejia being reinstated by MLB was Pete Rose.

Like Rose, the pitcher received a lifetime ban from MLB. But unlike Rose, whose ban has lasted 28 years and counting, Mejia’s ban lasted just over two years.

Mejía was reinstated Friday after being banned in February 2016 for using performance-enhancing drugs. Back then he failed his third drug test and became the fourth living person to be permanently banned from MLB.

Mejia appealed the lifetime ban, and Commissioner Rob Manfred finally approved it and released a statement on Mejia’s reinstatement.

“Under the terms of our collectively bargained Joint Drug Program, a permanently suspended player like Mr. Mejia has the right to apply to me for discretionary reinstatement after serving a minimum of two years,” Manfred said. “Upon receiving Mr. Mejia’s application for reinstatement last year, I invited him to New York to meet with me. During our meeting, Mr. Mejia expressed regret for poor choices he made in the past and assured me that, if reinstated, he would adhere to the terms of the Program going forward.

“In light of Mr. Mejia’s contrition, his commitment to comply with the Program in the future, and the fact that he will have already spent almost four consecutive years suspended without pay, I have decided to grant Mr. Mejia a final chance to resume his professional career.”

Mejia’s first suspension came in April 2015 and lasted 80 games. He was then suspended a second time in July 2015, and that one lasted a full season.

Add a two-year suspension to that and Mejia has missed about three-and-a-half seasons of baseball. Manfred apparently felt that was enough to overturn the lifetime ban he initially implemented.

Do you agree with the decision to reinstate Mejia from his 'lifetime ban' after two years?

But there is a caveat to Mejia being reinstated, and he won’t be eligible to be activated right away. He will be allowed to participate in non-public workouts at the Mets’ facilities after the All-Star break and will then be eligible for a rehab assignment with the Mets in August.

If he complies, Mejia will be taken off MLB’s Restricted List and be eligible to participate in 2019 spring training.

Mejia last pitched in an MLB game in July 2015.

“I’ve had a long, difficult time away from the game to contemplate the mistakes I’ve made both with regard to my positive drug tests and also the false allegations I made about Major League Baseball’s investigation into my testing history,” he said in a statement. “Baseball is my profession, my passion and my life, and for those mistakes, I am truly sorry.

“I have much work ahead but look forward to earning back the trust and respect of the New York Mets, the fans and especially my teammates.”

Mejia has been with the Mets’ organization since signing with them as a 17-year-old in 2007. He has been in the majors since 2010 and sports a career ERA of 3.68 across 113 games.

With Mejia off the permanently banned list, just two others remain in addition to Rose.

One of them is John Coppolella, who was the GM of the Braves as recently as 2017. Coppolella committed several infractions while signing amateur players, which resulted in a lifetime ban from the game.

The other, Chris Correa, is also a former executive as he was the scouting director for the Cardinals. He hacked the Houston Astros’ player personnel database in 2013 and 2014, which resulted in his lifetime ban and a four year prison sentence.

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