It's bad enough that Melky Cabrera is suspended 50 games for testing positive for testosterone.
Making matters worse -- or at least more awkward -- is the fact that Melky lied about the suspension recently. Back in late July, not too long after Melky won MVP of the 2012 All-Star Game, CSNBayArea.com's Andrew Baggarly asked Cabrera about a report floating out there that he was facing a suspension.
"There's a rumor on Twitter that Melky Cabrera will be suspended for positive PED test. I asked Melky and he said it's totally untrue," Baggarly tweeted at the time. "Melky heard the rumor from one of the trainers. He called his agent and the union. They said it was unfounded. Said he was tested last week. Before MLB suspends a player, they inform him of a positive test and get a B sample. Specimen collectors are here today but Melky not tested."
It was a little awkward given Melky's big season at the time. And Baggarly felt so bad about the inquiry, especially given Melky's frank denial, that he wrote a public apology about his line of questioning.
Obviously, Baggarly wasn't far off -- in fact, he was spot-on with his line of questioning, because Cabrera, according to various reports, was in the middle of appealing the positive test. He's accepted
I stand by the apology column I wrote last month. Didn't have story nailed down, shouldn't have put it out there," Baggarly tweeted on Wednesday. "Now, if Melky Cabrera wants to apologize to me for lying when I asked him about it, that's another matter."
Melky might ultimately apologize to Baggarly for the boldface. Maybe not. Whatever, it's irrelevant. And perhaps it's not even relevant that Cabrera lied about the possible suspension -- if he'd won his appeal, then it would've been foolish to let it float out there that he was possibly facing a suspension and it would've clouded the way people view his season.
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But he didn't win his appeal, and for that, he certainly at least owes his teammates and fans an apology. Fortunately he's done that with a statement issued on Wednesday.
Depending on how the Giants season plays out, though, words might not be enough to make up for the harm that's been done.
