Former major league first baseman Mike Jacobs was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball on Thursday for testing positive for human growth hormone.
The 30-year-old Jacobs, a one-time Toronto Blue Jays farmhand now playing in the minor leagues for the Colorado Rockies, is the first North American athlete to be suspended for HGH. He will serve his punishment immediately.
Jacobs has apologized for taking HGH saying it was a "horrible decision," according to FOXSports.com, noting he used them to treat knee and back problems. The Chula Vista, Calif., native said he hopes to continue his playing career after serving his suspension.
"A few weeks ago, in an attempt to overcome knee and back problems, I made the terrible decision to take HGH," Jacobs said in a statement released through his representative. "I immediately stopped a couple of days later after being tested. Taking it was one of the worst decisions I could have ever made, one for which I take full responsibility."
The Rockies released the slugger shortly after news broke of the postive test and released a statement expressing their disappointment in Jacobs and saying performance-enhancing drugs must be eradicated from the sport.
Travis Tygart, the CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, praised baseball's hard stance on HGH at the minor league level.
"All those that value clean sport know that HGH testing is a necessary part of an effective anti-doping program; otherwise you give athletes a license to use this potent performance enhancing drug with impunity," Tygart said. "This case demonstrates how MLB has stepped up to the plate and implemented HGH testing in the minor leagues to protect clean athletes and the integrity of competition."
HGH testing is one of the items under negotiation between the National Football League and the players union as the sides put the finishing touches on the10-year labour accord they reached last month to end the nearly five-month lockout.
Testing for HGH, which can only be detected by blood tests, began in baseball's minor leagues last season. Blood tests are not part of the drug testing agreement between the major leagues and its players' union.
Rockies outfielder Jordan Schafer was suspended for evidence of HGH in 2008, but there was no testing then.
Jacobs hit .298 in 117 games this season for the AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox with 23 home runs, 97 runs batted in —second most in the Pacific Coast League — and a .376 on-base percentage.
Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos acquired Jacobs from the New York Mets on July 30, 2010. In 34 games for the Jays' AAA affiliate in Las Vegas, he hit .308 with six home homers, 34 RBIs and a .389 OBP.
Jacobs became a free agent after the season and was scooped up by Colorado on Dec. 18, 2010.
He is a lifetime .253 hitter with the Florida Marlins, Kansas City Royals and Mets.
In 2009, Jacobs hit 19 home runs and added 61 runs batted in while making $3.25 million US with the Royals.
He clubbed 32 homers and 93 RBIs in 2008 with Florida.
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