MLB Bullets Is Facing A Permanent Ban

It's Washington's Birthday, not "Presidents Day." (Note: this may vary in your state, but the federal holiday is "Washington's Birthday.") Then, of course, you have to account for the differences between the Julian and Gregorian calendars to determine what day Washington was born on.

• If Washington was first in war, first in peace and second in the National League East last season, what does that make Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia? Mejia became the first player to ever receive a permanent ban for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug a third time, in this case, boldenone.
• Maria Guardado explains what boldenone is. And why Mejia is perhaps the dumbest PED user around. I did some quick looking around the internet at some sketchy PED sites and you have to inject boldenone for around 8 to 10 weeks to get the maximum effect and it remains detectable in your body for 12-18 months afterwards. It's like knocking off the Art Institute of Chicago and then trying to sell the original Grant Wood "American Gothic" in the lobby after advertising the sale on Craigslist.
• Mejia says "I'm innocent!"
• Mejia joins this dubious list of people permanently banned from the game.
• The rebuild in Milwaukee continues as the Brewers traded Khris Davis to the Athletics for minor leaguers Jacob Nottingham (nickname has to be "Sheriff") and Bubba Derby (whose nickname should be "Kentucky" even though he's from California and already has a nickname of "Bubba.")
• Brewers GM David Stearns says that acquiring a catcher like Nottingham does not mean that the status of Jonathan Lucroy has changed at all. Well, yeah, considering Nottingham has never played above High-A. But Stearns was the assistant GM in Houston when Nottingham was drafted by the Astros before getting traded for Scott Kazmir.
• Ken Rosenthal thinks that we need to stop accusing teams that undergo rebuilding efforts of "tanking." Exactly. Teams aren't trying to lose for the first pick in the draft. They're trading their current assets for future ones. Otherwise you end up like the Phillies and your whole team is old, expensive and lousy.
• Despite this, MLB Players Association head is saying it's worth considering a draft lottery.
• Craig Calcaterra explains that no matter what MLB does, some teams are just going to be really bad.
• It's pretty much unanimous. Corey Seager is the top prospect in baseball this year.
• Seager also tops Richard Justice's list of impact rookies for 2016.
• Bryce Harper said in a radio interview that no one should "sell him short" on his future free agent contract.
• Dave Cameron says that a $500 million deal for Harper might still end up being a bargain. And that's not even with the contract covering 500 seasons.
• Jose Fernandez is reportedly looking for a deal that would pay him in the range of $30 million a year, and the Marlins have no intention of giving him that much money.
• The Marlins have announced that three people will replace former color commentator Tommy Hutton in the broadcast booth. Not all at the same time. That would get crowded. And too expensive for Miami.
• Jeff Sanders has a look at the impressive career of new Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and how he impressed the Dodgers enough to give the first-time manager a chance.
• Dayn Perry explains that the Red Sox need bounce-back seasons from Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez to win the AL East. Ya think?
• The standoff between the Braves and the city of Atlanta over the Hank Aaron statue has been resolved. The Braves will commission a new Aaron statue for their new ballpark.
• Baseball has approved new protective headgear for pitchers. Phil Hecken has a look.
• Another pitcher goes down as Dodgers reliever Frankie Montas will miss 2 to 4 months after rib surgery.
• Yadier Molina got the cast off of his injured thumb.
• Joe Mauer explains how concussion symptoms gave him blurred vision at the plate. It was also the reason he gave up catching.
• Mets GM Sandy Alderson said he's going to limit third baseman David Wright to 130 games or fewer this season to try to keep him healthy.
• This will never, ever happen, but it's fun to talk about. There is a proposal in Montreal for Montreal and the Tampa Bay area to share the Rays. Like the old Kansas City-Omaha Kings of the NBA. Only a lot farther.
• Tim Flannery decided to let Padres fans have it. Let me buy you a drink sometime, Tim.
• Sam Miller read the entire CBA and after his eyes stopped being glazed over, here's what he learned.
• Jeff Zimmerman looks at how many players make the jump from the independent minor leagues to affiliated ball and what happens to them once they do.
• Sarah Hudek, the daughter of former major leaguer John Hudek, got her first win pitching for the Bossier Parish Community College baseball team.
• Politics are okay on this website if they're from the 1860s. (Unless you're going to defend slavery or something. Then you've got a different issue.) Here's a political cartoon from the 1860 presidential election with Abe Lincoln and the other candidates playing baseball.
• Noah Syndergaard explains that he's ready to take on the zombie apocalypse.
• And finally, Mookie Betts somehow drove a golf cart into a pond. If Mookie Betts offers you a ride to the game, just say no.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.