MLB suspended Double-A Mississippi outfielder Jordan Schafer 50 games for using human growth hormone.
Perhaps this partially explains Schafer's big leap forward last year, though studies on whether HGH really helps performance have yet to produce much in the way of results. Schafer has been viewed as a big-time talent since long before he was drafted -- Baseball America named him the top 13-year-old prospect in the nation in 2000 -- but he as often as not disappointed before blossoming in 2007. The 50-game ban figures to ruin his hopes of reaching the majors this season. He had been looked at as a good bet to take over as the Braves' center fielder next year, but that's in doubt now as well.