Pirates center fielder Starling Marte was suspended for 80 games on Tuesday for testing positive for a banned substance under MLB's Joint Drug Agreement. Needless to say, there was plenty of reaction on Twitter, everyone's favorite 140-character hot take machine. Here are some of the more notable thoughts and jokes from players, former players and media.
We were talking to #Cubs star Anthony Rizzo when the Starling Marte news broke. This is what he had to say about it. pic.twitter.com/106kLGjXfy
— Big League Stew (@bigleaguestew) April 18, 2017
I've said it B4 & I'll say it again, cap the earning power & you'll put a cap on cheating. The Integrity of our game is at stake. #makeamove
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) April 18, 2017
You get suspended, you make the minimum for the rest of your career. Take something they care about.
— Jake Diekman (@JakeDiekman) April 18, 2017
The Pirates now have a guy serving 80 games for PEDs and another guy stuck in Korea on DUI charges. Things have not gone well so far in 2017
— Jaymes L (@JaymesL) April 18, 2017
I hate baseball losing a player the caliber of Marte for 80 games, but I hate more that the double-standard PED Police are gonna go nuts
— Matt Snyder (@MattSnyderCBS) April 18, 2017
Something to consider.... MLB has--by far--the most stringent drug testing program of the Big-4. Perfect? No. Good? Absolutely.
— Maury Brown (@BizballMaury) April 18, 2017
Marte feels like the biggest suspension since A-Rod, Nellie Cruz and Braun went down in Biogenesis probe. But Gordon was '15 batting champ.
— Phil Rogers (@philgrogers) April 18, 2017
PED statement I'd love to see: "It helped me play better. I thought I could get away with it, turns out I couldn't. See you in 80 games."
— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) April 18, 2017
The Pirates organization invests heavily in providing an infrastructure to ensure this stuff doesn't happen. All on the player(s).
— Dan Zangrilli (@DanZangrilli) April 18, 2017
The Pirates have lost their two best offensive players for selfish, stupid reasons - and blatant disregard for the law of the land.
— Dan Zangrilli (@DanZangrilli) April 18, 2017
Dee Gordon last year; Starling Marte this year...when will they learn? .....at least we know MLB drug testing program continues to work #Sad
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowden_ESPN) April 18, 2017
My Twitter followers have suddenly become steroid experts today. It's remarkable how many of you know so much about them.
— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond) April 18, 2017
Just think: if Marte played in the NFL this barely makes a ripple and is buried in the sports section.
— Maury Brown (@BizballMaury) April 18, 2017
Marte is in yr 4 of 6-yr, $31M deal. Not paid during ban (about $2.5M in loss), but now #Pirates have to wonder what they have in him
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) April 18, 2017
Suspended baseball players are incredibly adept at saying things other than, "Yes, I meant to cheat and got caught."
— Brian Costa (@BrianCostaWSJ) April 18, 2017
