Triunfel’s suspension
DMZ · May 20, 2008 at 8:03 am · Filed Under Mariners
Yes, Carlos Triunfel is suspended indefinitely and is not on the High Desert roster. I’ve been hoping that something would come out we could write up, but there’s nothing, so — the M’s best prospect is suspended indefinitely and we don’t have anything to tell you.
from Hickey:
“Shortstop Carlos Triunfel, considered by some to be the best player in the Seattle minor league system, is serving an indefinite suspension and is not currently on the roster of the Mariners’ High Desert team in the California League.
Mariner director of player development Greg Hunter confirmed Monday that Triunfel has been suspended for a violation of team rules and has been sent back to the Mariners’ minor league complex in Peoria, Ariz. to serve out the duration of the suspension.
The Mariners aren’t saying just what rules were broken, but this suspension has already lasted nine days, so it’s apparently not a minor thing.
Triunfel, an 18-year-old signed out of Venezuela, hasn’t played in a game since May 10 and Hunter said there was no set date for the suspension to be lifted.”
Can we hit the reset button on 2008?
Is there a possibility the issue is steroids? This is *way* speculative, but with the Mitchell report pointing out that several steroid users were in the Mariner affiliates, this seems like a possibility.
There’s a possibility he was caught threatening his manager with a dead platypus. No one knows anything. Speculation on steroids is probably particlarly not helpful.
That’s why I didn’t go to the games in Bakersfield vs. High Desert last week…no Carlos? No sitting in triple digit heat…
The same thought was the first thing that went through my mind, jro, but DMZ’s right: Speculation’s useless without any hard information. Do you remember the dumb things you did when you were 18? Triunfel’s a kid like any other. There’s a lot of potential for dumb things.
Hopefully, getting slapped down hard teaches Triunfel a valuable lesson, and the team never has a problem with him again.
Derek, if I threaten you with a dead platypus, do I get my moderator status suspended?
Before anyone goes around threatening anyone with a dead platypus, please let me know, because I’ve got a hankering to see some dead-platypus-threatening action.
Understood, and not trying to jump the gun. It’s just with the M’s organization, this topic really seemed swept under the rug. Didn’t mean to bring it up in the context of this young kid, my bad.
clarification: “this topic” = steroids, not Triunfel
is that anything like the fish-slapping dance?
poking around purely speculative blogging, it is implied that it is a hand-slapping for something verbal
Well, at least he’s not Griffey, Jr.
Derek – you’re making me think of Withnail and I (which is always good, and usually makes me fancy a wee drink):
“Don’t threaten me with a dead fish!”
Well, Triunfel’s no longer with the team. He’s been gone for nine days. I don’t think an organization does this if the guy is ‘roiding.
My speculation? Something in Vernon Maxwell territory.
With steroids you seem to find out right away. I highly doubt that is the case here, like someone else said probably just 18 year old shenanigans.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t high in the desert.
I hear Triunfel was using a colossal squid, not a platypus.
Those things are scary. I’d suspend him, too.
Carlos gave Bavasi the gift that keeps on giving?
Better a colossal squid than a Portuguese Man O’ War.
Speculating about drug use isn’t any more helpful than speculating about steroids.
Not trying to seem like a hardass but this comment thread could veer into very bad territory very quickly.
Let’s try to be patient until more details are available, while understanding that more details might never be available.
I think he attacked someone with a swarm of bees…
Ohhh . . . ohhh . . . I’d ask what else could go wrong for this franchise, but I don’t want to give the universe ideas. Here’s hoping we have no permanent consequences here . . .
Indefinite suspension seems inconsistent with steroids. A positive steroid tests results in a definite suspension.
Disappearing from the roster seems particularly serious as does “indefinite.” In other words, it seems improbable that his transgression was something minor like sleeping through practice.
The indefinite part of the suspension leads me to believe that it wasn’t something serious yet isolated like the Lofa Tatupu drunk driving and trying to evade police craziness. Such activities usually result in definite suspensions and/or public police reports.
Look, the obvious speculation will flow towards drugs or a personality melt down.
But, he might also be just plain homesick!
He’s 18 and has been away for a while. He might have just told someone to stick and gone home. Or, he might have gone home and overstayed his leave and not told anyone or been particularly rude when telling someone that he wasn’t returning on schedule. Its happened a number of times with NFL players recently. I’m thinking of Odell Thurman in the last week and the receiver from Minnesota in the last year or so.
From a professional perspective, leaving work (baseball or otherwise) is pretty serious and can justify an indefinite suspension. But, when considering the chances of redemption, it’s a lot easier to cure home sickness than a drug addiction or personality disorder.
Maybe finding a nice girl in the High Desert area will be enough.
The point is that all we really know is that his violation of team rules hasn’t involved the police (yet). Thank goodness.
We really don’t know anything beyond he’s suspended, so I don’t get the point of speculation- though I can imagine Baker or others will ask.
/me slaps Jeff Nye around a bit with a large trout.
Churchill had the tiniest bit of additional information, which he has since removed from his front page at Prospect Insider… but apparently he was sent to Peoria and apparently, the dismissal in question has a bit to do with him ‘being a typical teenager.’
If he’s in Peoria, I doubt homesickness is the issue. Anyone who knows anything about what’s going on is insisting we don’t need to know anything else and that this is not a big deal. I’m skeptical as always but I’m not going to push it. I just hope he grows from this, gets his business together and can continue his development in positive fashion.
20 – i meant high on life.
I think that since Jeff Nye is usually right on with the comments he posts. And the good work he does for this site.
He should be slapped around with a Copper River Salmon.
Note that it’s around $30 per pound.
!!!
Note to self: change Carson’s username to something really humiliating.
Suuuuure you did. In any case, it’s not a big deal, I just want to make sure this comment thread doesn’t veer off into wild speculation.
#29 – How about changing Carson’s username to “Fishsmell”
I’m under the impression that platypus have some sort of venom or toxin they can sting a person with. If that’s the case, Carlos could be really busted. And I think the over/under for the platypus line being picked up as a legitimate story by the NYT or ESPN is about 3 days.
Portuguese Man’o'wars hurt. I have a blue scar wrapped around a few fingers from one.
It hurts more than a baseball in the balls, I’ve experienced both.
That’s a pretty big penalty for the Mariners… maybe Carlos got caught valuing defense.
Or maybe the found USSM in his Firefox bookmarks.
Comment of the day, in my opinion.
John in LA, fabulous.
Ah, I was waiting to see who would be the first mIRC user to comment. Congratulations #25!
I bet they caught him stealing office supplies. And he would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for those pesky meedling kids and that darn dog.
33. Given his troubles in the field, I would hope he got caught valuding defense ;P
“Indefinite suspension seems inconsistent with steroids. A positive steroid tests results in a definite suspension.”
Also that penalty would come from the league, not the team.
In the minors, I’m not sure that’s the case. This may be a differential disclosure issue, but I know in the past, players who got dinged under the minor league policy were described as suspended by the team for 30 days on first offense.
This may have changed since then.
If he was reassigned to Peoria, it sounds like dumb kid stuff, not anything that suggests a six-year drug rehabilitation hell or anything else that is likely to derail a career. Probably a lot of comments about very little.
33 – or being patient as a hitter and taking balls.
40 – that’s what I get for thinking I knew more than I did. Thanks for the information.
No, this is not the end of the world but I feel like I’m watching a very large machine explode in slow motion. Nuts and bolts are stripped of their threads and fly out in all directions as the metal skin separates at the seams, exposing a complex engine comprised of 100 or so ponies in hamster wheels and the bad guy from the Flash Gordon movie. He fumbles over a panel of levers and buttons in his final attempt to stave off the inevitable, then *ka-boom* a cloud of fire and pony-leg shrapnel consume the atmosphere for a moment . . . then silence. Eventually, birds begin to chirp again and its football season.
When is something good going to happen?
44- Ming the Merciless? That movie is rad…very campy, but great…and the Queen tunes rock…
That’s the one. Looks just like Bavasi.
On the s******s issue, I wonder if it’s possible the team found something and put a halt on before testing could occur. It seems unlikely to be any kind of criminal thing, as police reports are public record. I’m guessing personal issue. I wish him the best.
46- I’ve thought that for years…any bald guy with a pointy head and a goatee really…
Carlos Truinfel verbally abused his manager is the widest spread rumor. He is thought to have a serious ego issues. There is also speculation that the Mariners found out he lied about his age. So w/e it is its not good.
I think it’s pretty pointless to spread rumors or speculate. We will know when it is official.
#49 – It’s spelled Triunfel
48: Bill Bavasi. Jay Buhner. Separated at birth.
Without knowing the source of rumors and speculation, they are 100% pointless, and adults should know better than to spread them.
The goatee conspiracy is real:
http://ussmariner.com/2005/12/17/the-goatee-conspiracy/Churchill had some stuff on his webpage about it. Basically he said it had something to do with being a typical teenager but he specifically mentioned that it wasn’t drug related nor related to steroids.
Apparently, also, Churchill got reamed for even reporting that much of it.
He probably got caught having a cigarette. That would be about the M’s speed. Can’t have that for heaven’s sakes.
Given the well publicized antics of Elijah Dukes and Delmon Young, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Mariners in particular are responding to unfavorable attitude with a heavy hand. Makes the most sense given the lack of information.
55. Yeah, it’s kind of a no-win situation for either side. If the M’s say nothing, speculation runs rampant on where Triunfel is and what happened to him. But if a source leaks information, at least people have an idea… but then the team leaked information. I’m not sure what his source expected from Churchill.
Also, he’s back now.
Playing a little too much BioShock?