Baseball: Fifth player suspended after drugs test

TORONTO - Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Juan Rincon was suspended for 10 days after testing positive for a banned substance, Major League Baseball (MLB) said today.

Rincon, 26, is the fifth player to be barred this season under MLB's beefed-up testing policy for performance enhancing drugs.

He plans to appeal, but is serving the ban immediately.

"It's one of those things you hate to hear about," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told MLB.com.

"I'm sure Juan feels real bad. We'll just have to work through this. Another lesson learned."

One of the American League's top relievers, Rincon is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA this season with 15 strikeouts and five walks. Last season the right-hander was 11-6 with a 2.63 ERA in 77 games

Tampa Bay outfielder Alex Sanchez, Seattle outfielder Jamal Strong, Colorado outfielder Jorge Piedra and Texas pitcher Agustin Montero have also received 10-day suspensions this season for positive drug tests.

Rincon's suspension comes a day after MLB commissioner Bud Selig put forward a proposal to dramatically increase penalties for players caught using performance enhancing drugs.

In a letter to union chief Donald Fehr, Selig has proposed a 50-game suspension for players testing positive for steroids for the first time, a 100-game suspension for second-time offenders and a lifetime ban for a player caught a third time.

- REUTERS