Devil Rays Pitching Prospect Suspended

Another day, another huge name being suspended by Major League Baseball. Today's martyr? Tampa Bay Devil Rays pitching prospect, James Houser.

LHP James Houser, a Sarasota native who was the Rays' second-round pick in 2003, was suspended 50 games on Saturday for "testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance,'' according to MLB.

Good Lord, first it was Neifi Perez, and now James Houser? Who will the children of America turn to for guidance and support? The next thing you know Nook Logan will get suspended, and nobody will watch baseball anymore.

Houser was pitching for the Devil Rays Double-A affiliate, the Montgomery Biscuits. I know you don't really care, but I just love the fact that there's a baseball team somewhere named the Biscuits. I would be proud to wear that uniform. I'd be walking down the street and some old man would elbow his grandson in the shoulder and tell him, "You see that man? That's Tom Fornelli, and he plays for the Montgomery Biscuits." Oohs and aahs would ensue.

Wait, where was I? Oh yeah, Houser. What I want to know is why there are so many Devil Rays players being suspended for performance enhancing drugs. If you're keeping count, and really who isn't, Houser is the fifth Devil Ray to be suspended in the last three years. There was Juan Salas earlier this season, Alex Sanchez right before the 2005 season. Josh Hamilton was suspended in 2004, but that was for nose candy, not steroids. And of course there was Julio Lugo.

Considering all the players in the organization juicing, shouldn't the Devil Rays be a lot better than 46-75? Maybe steroids are performance decreasing, and we've all gotten our panties in a bunch for nothing.