Cards minor leaguer draws 50-game suspension

NEW YORK -- A minor league pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization was suspended Wednesday for the first 50 games of the season after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Scott Vander Weg, a 25-year-old righty, was 5-5 with a 4.12 ERA for Palm Beach in the Class A Florida State League last year.

Vander Weg became the second player suspended this year under baseball's minor league program. There were 30 suspensions last year under the minor league program and eight under the major league plan.

-- The Associated Press