Williams: Why pressure is on Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte upon return from MLB suspension
Ask columnist Jason Williams anything − sports or non-sports – and he’ll pick some of your questions and respond on Cincinnati.com. Email: jwilliams@enquirer.com
Message: Just wondering what makes you so sure Noelvi Marte is going to perform the same as he did when he was on PEDS. Or did he get a bogus suspension? How is he going to be without them? Do you think it will matter?
Reply: To be clear, we don't know if the Reds' third baseman played a game last season (or ever in his brief career) while using performance-enhancing drugs. He tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid, during spring training and got slapped with an 80-game suspension.
Marte is training at the Reds' facility in the Dominican Republic, and he's eligible to return on June 27. I'm not sure he's going to perform, nor did I say that. In this week's Wittenmyer & Williams column, I merely pointed out that Marte could help this club when he returns.
There's no way to predict whether a guy this young is going to perform. Marte is 22 years old and has six weeks of experience in the big leagues. His inexperience alone adds enough pressure to his return to Cincinnati. Marte will have additional distractions to deal with when he comes back − and no one to blame but himself for those.
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Everyone is going to be asking Marte about cheating.
Why did you do it?
When did you do it?
Where did you get the steroid?
How many times have you done it?
How can you let your team down like this?
All fair questions. It's also fair to question whether Marte's absence has contributed to the Reds' lineup being so lame. Much was expected of Marte, who was the Reds' No. 1 prospect and projected Opening Day third baseman when he got busted. Frankly, he'd be under a lot more scrutiny if he played in New York or another big market.
You asked whether it will matter how Marte performs. I assume you mean whether the Reds will be in contention by the time he returns. Regardless, yeah, it'll matter how he performs. The Reds are playing the long game with guys like Marte, Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain.
Marte's shortened season will still be critical for his development and inform the Reds about him going into 2025. And if they are still in contention, Marte's return could be viewed like the Reds making a deal to bolster the lineup.
TBD on whether Marte can be counted on, though.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why pressure is on Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte after MLB suspension
