Nellie nabbed.

I don't have any game-used or autographed cards of Nelson Cruz that I haven't already posted. Since this post is to consider Nellie's season-ending suspension I am substituting card number TRR-SS from the 2007 Turkey Red Relics set. After all, Sammy Sosa was also a PED cheater.

To say I am disappointed in Cruz is an understatement. The Rangers stuck with Cruz early in his career when he was trying to get on track. Now that the team needs him he's gone due to his own stupidity.

In his official press release Cruz claims he was sick prior to Spring Training 2012 and lost over 40 pounds due to a misdiagnosed illness. Afraid he wouldn't be able to play, he went to the Biogenesis clinic and obtained steroids.

Of course, he had to do that. Nelson was afraid the Rangers would throw him under the bus if he showed up for Spring Training weak after being sick. After all, they got rid of Josh Hamilton after his relapses into alcohol abuse and fired Ron Washington when he admitted to using Cocaine. Just the year before Ian Kinsler was designated for assignment after suffering a severe ankle sprain during Spring Training.

Of course all of that is hogwash. So is Cruz's rationalization of his steroid use. Nelson Cruz made a decision to use steroids in knowing and direct violation of the rules of Major League Baseball. His was not an error in judgment as he claims, it was intentional cheating. Why he did it is as irrelevant as any fears he may have had that the Rangers would not stick with him while he recovered from his illness. That's what the press release should have said.

I sincerely hope to see Nelson Cruz back in a Rangers uniform helping the team out. More so it would be good to see him take ownership of his actions and move on with a determination to play by the rules in the future.

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007 Turkey Red Relics #TRR-SS

2007 Turkey Red Relics #TRR-SS

2007 Turkey Red Relics #TRR-SS

2007 Turkey Red Relics #TRR-SS