Ex-Met Jason Pridie to be Suspended for Drugs

It appears we now know why the Mets released Jason Pridie — he has reportedly tested positive for drugs and will be suspended for 50 games.

Pridie played reasonably well in his limited time with the Mets in 2011 and it appeared he would be in competition for a roster spot as a backup outfielder in 2012. But then the Mets abruptly released him and the A’s signed him to a minor league deal.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Friday that Pridie tested positive for a recreational drug, a “drug of abuse” in MLB terms, not a performance enhancing drug. The newspaper said this is the second positive test for Pridie. According to MLB testing the first positive would be confidential.

Pridie needs to do something and visit any one of the executive drug rehab centers in the area if he wants to get back in the game.

It is not known when the first positive test came back; perhaps it was when he was with the Mets, and they didn’t want to take any further chances with him so they released him. Or maybe the Mets heard whispers that Pridie used drugs and figured they should just cut him loose.

In any case, the Mets dodged another embarrassment by severing ties with Pridie when they did.