TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Alex Sanchez was suspended 10 days for violating baseball's new drug policy, the first player publicly identified under the major leagues' tougher rules.

The suspension begins Monday when Tampa Bay opens its season against Toronto, the commissioner's office said Sunday.

Under the new policy that took effect last month, steroids and other performance-enchancing substances are the only drugs to draw a 10-day suspension. Baseball officials and the players' union agreed they would not disclose the exact substance for which a player tests positive.

Sanchez said he was surprised by the suspension, adding that he uses milkshakes and multivitamins to build his energy -- and blaming the positive test on something he bought over the counter.

"I'm going to fight it, because I've never taken steroids or anything like that," said Sanchez, who was released by Detroit in mid-March and signed by the Devil Rays.

Sanchez, 28, who hit .322 with 19 stolen bases in 79 games for the Tigers last season, said he was drug tested while he was with Detroit. He was to be the Devil Rays' center fielder on opening day.

Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said the team would have no comment on the suspension.

"It's suprising," manager Lou Piniella said. "That's all I have to say on that."

New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, speaking before Sunday night's opener against the Boston Red Sox, believed the test was a sign baseball's new steroids policy is working.

"The fact that the testing evidently worked, that's what we want to find out," Torre told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. "We want to get the fans' trust back, and that's the only way it's [going to] happen ... this is a good sign -- not for Sanchez -- and it gives credibility [to the testing system]."

It already had been an emotional month for Sanchez. The center fielder was reunited with his mother for the first time in 11 years in mid-March. Five days later, he was released by the Tigers.

Sanchez left Cuba on a raft 11 years ago, leaving his family behind. On March 10, Sanchez reunited with his mother and brother in Miami, where he has a house with his wife and twin boys. Sanchez's mother and brother escaped from Cuba by boat and spent time in Mexico and Texas before traveling by bus to Miami.

that must be why the tigers cut him

no. they cut him for leading all major league CF's in errors last year.




and played in less than half the games.

Oh no, 10 games?! That MLB policy is far too strict. This oughta show 'em all.

It's not about the sentencing... it's about having his name in the public about using... plus, I'm glad they're not rushing into this testing thing... I think it's retarded to feel like you have to compensate for missed time by having 60 game suspensions right off the bat... I guarantee you that big suspensions are where we're headed, but you have to give it time

I don't know. I think MLB is being far too lenient about this. Yes, getting someone's name out there is a big landmark for them. That it's taken them this long is a joke. Why not lay down the law right from the start? You're using steroids, you're cheating, you're out 1/4 of the season. That seems more reasonable to me.

Doesn't seem reasonable to me... you can't just go from this policy of "We don't care if you're using" to "If you're using, you miss so many games you die" at the drop of a hat... there has to be some leeway there... you have to send a message to players that, "hey, we're not playing around now, so you have one season to get off 'roids and start playing clean, or things are going to get worse."

Is it a joke it's taken MLB this long to do this? Of course... but now that they've started, you can't just put all your chips in at once... slow and steady...

It's not about the sentencing... it's about having his name in the public about using... plus, I'm glad they're not rushing into this testing thing... I think it's retarded to feel like you have to compensate for missed time by having 60 game suspensions right off the bat... I guarantee you that big suspensions are where we're headed, but you have to give it time

i used to agree until alex fucking sanchez was the first to test positive. Noone is going to care about the alex sanchez's of the world.

I do, which means there are plenty more

this is hilarious.

the brewers traded sanchez a few years ago for being a pain in the ass (and for trying to hit homeruns). i'm assuming his roid rage had something to do with it.

He's also proof that steroids don't always work. Or maybe, they can't make a shitty player a star.